top of page
Welcome!
Whether you are a gardener, an Outlander fan, a West Seattle resident, or someone tuning in for the latest episode of Sound Transit and West Seattle Bridge drama, I hope you find something useful here.
Blog Posts
A Taste of Fall in the Northwest: Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup
Earlier this month, as I walked into the West Seattle PCC, I saw a display of freshly foraged wild mushrooms, a sure sign that fall and the
Marie McKinsey
Oct 24, 20232 min read
437 views
0 comments
Chihuly Garden and Glass Seattle
There really is nothing quite like the Chihuly Garden, one half of the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit at Seattle Center.
Marie McKinsey
Dec 10, 20222 min read
37 views
0 comments
7 Things for Seattle Gardeners To Do in Winter
Yes, its rainy, windy and sometimes snowy. The ground is too soggy for digging. But that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of satisfying gard
Marie McKinsey
Dec 9, 20223 min read
56 views
0 comments
Give Your Lawn an Environmental Make-over
From an environmental point of view, what it takes to maintain a typical lawn is a nightmare.
Marie McKinsey
Nov 6, 20222 min read
39 views
0 comments
Leave Those Leaves!
The biggest lesson we have to learn from climate change is that we can't keep doing things the way we always have been
Marie McKinsey
Nov 5, 20222 min read
30 views
0 comments
Coloring Music
Early in my landscape design career, I learned that adding color to drawings was important if I wanted to sell my work.
Marie McKinsey
May 21, 20222 min read
64 views
0 comments
A Bit of West Seattle Garden Tour History
In the spring of 1995, a group of West Seattle gardeners brought us the first West Seattle Garden Tour (WSGT).
Marie McKinsey
May 8, 20223 min read
437 views
0 comments
Find Out by Zip Code How Much CO2 Your Neighborhood Emits
We've heard for decades that increasing population density is good for the environment. The theory is that it discourages suburban sprawl,
Marie McKinsey
Sep 24, 20212 min read
224 views
0 comments
A Fresh Look for the Arboretum at South Seattle College
I was a landscape design student at South Seattle College in the early 1990s. The Arboretum was our outdoor classroom, where we took classes
Marie McKinsey
Sep 11, 20212 min read
101 views
0 comments
How to Calculate Storm Water Run-off from Your Property
The EPA estimates that over 770 cities in the US combine waste water and stormwater in the same pipe and send it to sewage treatment...
Marie McKinsey
Mar 6, 20212 min read
254 views
0 comments
Create a Bee Friendly Garden
Without bees, we wouldn't have much to eat and we would have far fewer herbs
and flowers to enjoy.
Marie McKinsey
Jul 18, 20162 min read
41 views
0 comments
Tillandsias
Tillandsias are air plants, members of the Bromeliad family. They are native to Central and South America, the southern US and the Caribbean
Marie McKinsey
Jun 26, 20161 min read
34 views
0 comments
Le Jardin Luxembourg - Paris
In 1613, Marie de Medici began building her "dream home," a palace in Paris in the style of Pitti Palace in Florence, the city where she gre
Marie McKinsey
Mar 15, 20162 min read
38 views
0 comments
I'll Bet You've Never Eaten a Yam
the perennial question comes up - is a yam the same thing as a sweet potato? I've wondered about this for as long as I can remember and this
Marie McKinsey
Nov 24, 20132 min read
14 views
0 comments
What Is the Difference Between a Fruit and a Vegetable?
When people find out that a tomato is a fruit, not a vegetable, they are usually surprised. They think of fruits as being sweet and vegetabl
Marie McKinsey
Jul 9, 20131 min read
19 views
0 comments
Comely Camellias
Two types of camellias grow well in the Seattle area: Camellia japonica and its smaller, daintier cousin, Camellia sasanqua.
Marie McKinsey
Apr 16, 20121 min read
21 views
0 comments
Get to Know the Lily of the Valley Shrubs
Lily of the Valley Shrubs (Pieris japonica) are graceful, slow growing shrubs that are popular in the Seattle area, and for good reasons.
Marie McKinsey
Apr 15, 20121 min read
132 views
0 comments
Heavenly Hellebores
Hellebores add an exotic touch to the winter garden. Their elegant flowers begin to emerge in late January, and depending on the variety, wi
Marie McKinsey
Feb 2, 20122 min read
26 views
0 comments
Seattle Rain
My favorite book by local author, Tom Robbins, is "Still Life with Woodpecker." I have a well-worn copy that was given to me as a gift in...
Marie McKinsey
Aug 10, 20112 min read
23 views
0 comments
Can You Grow Kiwi Fruit in Seattle?
What you see above are newly set kiwi fruits I found growing near my house when I was out for my walk this morning.
Here are some things
Marie McKinsey
Jul 26, 20111 min read
103 views
0 comments
bottom of page