West Seattle Blog…

My Garden Coach: Welcoming a new WSB sponsor

Considering a yard makeover as summer approaches? Today we welcome one of our newest WSB sponsors, My Garden Coach, with this message for you:

Yard makeovers can be very intimidating for homeowners. People usually have an idea of what they want their yard to look like but don’t know how to get started.

That’s why hiring a Garden Coach is such a great idea! In just one visit, you get a landscape designer to look at your yard and help you see not just what it CAN be, but also help you make a plan for how to get there.

You may want to do the work yourself but you need a designer’s eye to help you see your yard’s potential. Or, you just don’t like your yard and you want someone to help you create a whole, new design. Some people need motivation to start, some need a vision, and others just need a list of priorities of what to do next. That’s where a garden coach can be a perfect fit. A 2-hour walk-through of your yard is really all it takes to get started.

After their yard makeovers, My Garden Coach customers can’t believe how little it took to transform their dull or overgrown yard into an impressive garden. They also say they spend more time in their yards, take more pride in showing it and know their investment has improved their property’s value. Let’s take a walk, talk about your goals and create a design that transforms your plain old yard into a beautiful garden!

Find My Garden Coach online at mygardencoach.net, or call 206-550-5501.

We thank My Garden Coach for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

‘Harbor Island People for the Environment’: Workers with a mission

From 13th and Florida on Harbor Island, a dramatic set of before and after photos – first, the “before”:

And the “after” – though the story’s not entirely over yet:

Here’s the news release we received, explaining what’s going on:

A small group of Harbor Island employees joined forces to improve the neighborhood by creating a green space in their industrial environment. Naming themselves “Harbor Island People for the Environment” (HIPE), they arranged for a non-profit youth organization to paint murals for a warehouse and they built planter boxes for foliage to brighten and clean the air.

Festivities to celebrate installation of the murals and garden spot will be held June 1 at 4 PM at the north end of Harbor Island, 1731 13th Avenue SW. Sponsoring companies: Crowley, PCC Logistics, Rolls-Royce Commercial Marine, Vigor Industrial LLC.

Urban ArtWorks is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering at-risk youth through professional opportunities in the arts, to learn a variety of skills, and to use their creative talents in a positive way. Seven young artists and their mentors created eight mural panels for display on the side of a warehouse facing 13th Avenue SW. The maritime theme of the murals begins with a depiction of the land some hundred years ago, when it was inhabited by the Duwamish people, evolving gradually to the industrial era of today.

The garden design was developed by Spirit Garden Design owner, Lucinda O’Halloran. The planter boxes were donated and built by employees of PCC Logistics. Volunteers from the four sponsoring companies held a work party on May 18 to plant flowering trees and shrubs in the planter boxes. Company volunteers also participated for the fifth year in City of Seattle’s annual “Spring Clean” by picking up litter in the area.

Harbor Island is a busy work environment with shipping, shipbuilding and repair, railroads, trucking, engineering firms, and more, all squeezed onto a narrow manmade island co-existing with the Port of Seattle’s cranes, which constantly load and unload container cargo. The HIPE committee has plans for continued focus on developing green spots for a sustainable environment.

The murals mentioned in the announcement will be arriving later this week, and we’ll check back. Thanks to HIPE for the before/after photos included above!

West Seattle weekend scene: WS Montessori plant sale

From left, Payton, Caleb, and Sasha are among the young gardeners whose work is on sale right now at the annual West Seattle Montessori/WS Academy (WSB sponsor) plant sale, till 3 pm at 11214 15th SW. The school website even has a list of what they’ve been growing for the occasion. Leading the project: teacher Clary Gasper:

Proceeds from the sale – which also includes plants donated by Village Green Perennial Nursery (WSB sponsor) – are going toward greenhouse equipment and pre-primary botany.

Mellow ‘cash mob’ at Village Green Perennial Nursery

Maybe “cash flow” would be a better term for what happened at Village Green Perennial Nursery (WSB sponsor) this afternoon, more than “cash mob.” When the appointed hour for the latter event arrived, around 2 pm, certainly there were a lot of shoppers. We counted about 20, between a few who came early because 2 pm didn’t work for them, and some who said they were definitely there for the “mob,” which, as reported here 3 weeks ago, was the idea of social marketer Michael B. Maine of Menrva Labs, after meeting VG’s Vera Johnson at a conference:

So in all it was a good day for the rambling nursery in the unincorporated area between West Seattle and White Center. An afterparty was planned at Company in WC, and Vera was scheduled to head to Vashon Island, invited to speak about her consumer-rights activism tonight at Michelle Shocked‘s “Roccupy!” performance.

Video: Crowd blooms for Ciscoe at Village Green Perennial Nursery

Northwest gardening guru/broadcast personality/author Ciscoe Morris drew more than 100 people to Village Green Perennial Nursery (WSB sponsor) this afternoon, which meant big smiles all around, especially for him and Village Green’s Vera Johnson:

In our 8-minute clip below, Vera introduces him by explaining how they met, and then after showing off prizes he planned to give away during his talk, he explained his trademark phrase “Oh-la-la”:

The quiz questions that netted attendees the prizes, by the way, centered on hummingbirds. We’ll have video of his entire talk linked on partner site White Center Now later; one major topic, the trouble these past three winters have caused with many Northwest gardens, including his own.

Speaking of Ciscoe: Chief Sealth garden project featured on TV

During last month’s World Water Week at Chief Sealth International High School, students and staff worked on a campus garden project; one of our photos showed a KING 5 crew there to cover it. This morning, CSIHS teacher Noah Zeichner, who coordinated World Water Week again this year, sends word that KING’s story has just appeared online, as one of the newest clips for “Gardening with Ciscoe“; the show’s namesake (who’s in our area today) narrates.

Oh la la! Garden guru Ciscoe at Village Green Perennial Nursery on Sunday

Things will be buzzing at Village Green Perennial Nursery (WSB sponsor) tomorrow. Not just because West Seattle beekeeper Brian Allen is leading a seminar at 11 am. Not just because Master Gardener Jeff Daley and colleagues will be on hand for a clinic 10:30 am-1:30 pm. The headliner arrives at 1 pm – the man you could call the Northwest’s “laughing gardener,” Ciscoe Morris is headed this way to visit VGPN (10223 26th SW, and proprietor Vera Johnson is excited to play host to a fellow perennials enthusiast (at right is Grevillea we photographed at VG last week – Vera says it’s a Ciscoe fave because it blooms in the cool season). Forecast looks good for tomorrow afternoon, but then again, real gardeners know there’s nothing wrong with a little cloud cover.

Happening now: Birds, blooms, brew @ West Seattle Nursery open house

That’s brew, as in coffee – the traditional free espresso at West Seattle Nursery‘s annual spring open house, continuing till 3 pm (California/Brandon). Other treats too:

Bring a tool to donate to the West Seattle Tool Library and you’ll get a discount coupon, according to their flyer; author/photographer David Perry is scheduled to be speaking now, and then at 2 pm, WSN’s Connie Wurm will explain how to turn your yard into a bird sanctuary.

1st ‘cash mob’ in West Seattle/White Center to be @ Village Green

Maybe you’ve heard of the “cash mob” concept, now that it’s been tried in a couple neighborhoods around, and near, Seattle – supporters of a local small independent business “mob” it at a pre-set time and place, usually pledging to spend at least $20 each. The first West Seattle/White Center “cash mob” has just been announced, with its “target” Village Green Perennial Nursery (WSB sponsor) at 2 pm April 28th. Local entrepreneur Michael B. Maine of Menrva Labs, whose mission is “to promote social change by increasing social awareness,” came up with the idea this weekend, and will roll out more information in the week ahead. He explains that “… after meeting Vera Johnson at the ‘Women on a Mission’ conference a few weeks ago, I decided to head down to her nursery yesterday. After spending a couple of hours with her, I thought her place would make a great location to host a cash mob.” We think every day would be a great day to “mob” your favorite local independent businesses, and Michael says he agrees, while adding, “I think it’s important for them to know where to be and when. Then they can make the conscious effort to support or not support that business.” Keep tabs on the “cash mob”‘s Facebook event page in case something changes.

Devonshire Landscapes: Welcoming a new WSB sponsor

We’re welcoming Devonshire Landscapes as a new WSB sponsor. Here’s their message for you:

You may have seen our trucks around town. Devonshire Landscapes is based near White Center. Many of our employees work and live in our neighborhood. We have been helping residents of the Seattle area since 1999, when it was founded by Will Anstey (right). Since then, we have slowly grown to a company with 15 full-time employees, and we currently service more than 155 maintenance customers, many of whom we have been serving for 10 years. We are reaching out to our neighbors in the West Seattle, Burien, and Normandy Park areas this spring and offering $25 off to new maintenance customers!

Our landscape-maintenance service is a little different. We will not hold anyone in a service contract that does not work for them. Cancel at any time with one month’s notice, and no extra fees! We let our customers CHOOSE the level of service that fits their personal preferences and budget. Our minimum service is: 2-person crew for 30 minutes, every other week March-Nov., for $100 per month (including tax). Time spent per visit can be increased to meet client needs, as well as weekly service visits. Other optional services (i.e. fertilization, irrigation service, winter visits (Dec.-Feb., etc.) can also be added.

Devonshire Landscapes crews wear professional uniforms, and drive clearly marked vehicles with our company logo displayed. We continuously work with and train our employees, as well as sending them to classes, workshops, and certification testing. We pride ourselves in providing some of the best customer service in the industry. To that end we have earned the “Super Service Award” from AngiesList.com every year we have been advertising with them (2010, 2011), and have maintained an “A” rating with their clients. Dan Vittetoe, our maintenance manager, is always available on his cell phone and email to help answer any questions or concerns. Will, the owner, is also available to clients, and is “hands-on to ensure customer satisfaction.” Find Devonshire Landscapes online at devonshirelandscapes.com or by phone at 206-856-3360.

We thank Devonshire Landscapes for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

2 chances tomorrow to clean up and green up West Seattle spots

Two ways you can pitch in around West Seattle tomorrow, north or south:

NORTH: Janet Jones sends word that the community gardens at Genesee Hill School need some springtime love! 9 am-1 pm tomorrow, you can come help “spruce up the playground, tend the Nature Garden, distribute mulch, remove invasive species.” Seattle Public Schools, which still owns the shuttered-school campus, will provide tools and gloves. Meet at the north playground (along Dakota).

SOUTH: Join EarthCorps at Fauntleroy Park, 10 am-2 pm Saturday, to help with planting, invasives removal, and trail maintenance. You can sign up online – just go here. Volunteers will meet by the park entrance along SW 97th, near 39th SW.

Post-Easter ‘recycling’: West Seattle egg collection for fertilizer

If you’re boiling eggs to decorate for Easter, and expecting to throw them away or put them in your food-waste recycling cart – here’s an alternative: Paul West of Gardening with Urban Nitrogen wants to collect them! He says he’s doing this “as a pilot project to develop local fertilizer alternatives to replace the exotic organic fertilizers that are typically used in urban gardens” and if you will donate to his experiment, he’ll arrange to pick up your Easter eggs from your front porch (West Seattle only) the morning of April 9th, provided they’re set out by 8 am. Then he’ll grind them into garden fertilizer and report to Sustainable West Seattle by the end of the growing season. The point he’s trying to draw attention to:

Urban food wastes such as eggs, milk, beans, and other high protein, low-fat foods are great sources of nitrogen. These typically end up at the Cedar Grove Composting facility where they get mixed with low-fertility wastes. Meanwhile, urban gardeners buy organic fertilizers (blood meal, fish emulsion, sea kelp, rock phosphate) from far-away places to grow their vegetables. This project fosters food security and local resource development.

West says he needs more than 1,000 eggs to make this work. To arrange to contribute, e-mail him at peedublyou@gmail.com.

Artist Sheila Lengle wins West Seattle Garden Tour poster contest

Just four months till this year’s West Seattle Garden Tour on July 15th – and the poster-contest winner has been announced!

WSGT is pleased to announce the winning artist in our First Annual Poster Artwork Contest: Sheila Lengle of LengleArt with her entry “Ode to Picasso.” Sheila’s winning piece [above], along with over a dozen runner-up entries, will be on display at Windermere Realty in The Junction during the May 10, 2012 West Seattle Art Walk.

This year’s tour is Sunday, July 15, and showcases 9 fabulous local gardens. Our featured lecturer this year is West Seattle gardener and author Lorene Edwards Fornker, who was also a gardener on last year’s tour. Proceeds from the tour support our 2012 beneficiaries: The Bloedel Reserve, Neighborhood House YELS, Highline Botanical Garden, Kubota Garden, Barton Street Community Garden, Community Orchard of West Seattle, Seattle Chinese Garden and ArtsWest Theatre.

Sponsorship accounts for more than 50% of tour revenue and we are currently in the last few weeks of our sponsorship drive. We would like to encourage local businesses and individuals interested in sponsoring the WSGT and supporting our 2012 beneficiaries to become a 2012 sponsor. The sponsorship commitment deadline is April 1.

Photos and descriptions of this year’s gardens along with sponsorship information, lecture topic and beneficiary information are currently posted on our website westseattlegardentour.com.

Sheila’s artist statement for the contest included this: “I’ve been an artist since the first time I put crayon to paper, and have been lucky enough to have been in and out of a variety of creative businesses during my 64 years. At this state of my life I want to work hard, paint a lot and market my work so I can be an artist who makes a living. … I’m self-taught thus no rule guides me. I feel so free to create. I’ll paint whatever, whenever and with anything I want…rather like a spoiled child. I think that’s a passion. I’m thrilled to feel this way and want to for the rest of my life.”

P.S. As for the tour itself, ticket books will be $15 per person (children 12 and under are free), available in June, while ticket vouchers will be available online from brownpapertickets.com, starting next month.

Happening now: Community Orchard of West Seattle seed sale

The Community Orchard of West Seattle continues to grow – in more ways than one – on the northeast side of the South Seattle Community College campus (6000 16th SW). And SSCC’s horticulture zone is where you’ll find the COWS seed sale till 3 pm today – with more than seeds:

Strawberry and chive plants were on sale too, just $1 each. Look for the canopy and the signs leading you into one of the Landscaping/Horticulture buildings, where you’ll find the sale, just north of the north parking lot. For a closer look at the orchard site itself, they’re offering Health and Harvest Tours every Tuesday afternoon, 2-4 pm.

Happening now: Lincoln Park P-Patch Daffodil Festival

We were greeted by a Lincoln Park P-Patch volunteer who sighed, “I’m afraid we picked the wrong weekend.” But suddenly – the snow has stopped, and the sky is brightening. Go celebrate daffodils, admire the P-Patch, drop off a food donation, just uphill from the Lincoln Park tennis courts (the ones right on Fauntleroy Way SW across from the gas station, and next to the newly accessorized RapidRide stop). Till 1 pm.

Free plants! Join Cove Park’s ‘Big Dig’ in Fauntleroy tomorrow

Before the Barton Pump Station expansion project takes over little Cove Park on the beach north of the Fauntleroy ferry dock (map) for about two years, the park’s plants need new homes – and you are invited to be part of the “adoption” effort. As Mardi Clements summarizes it, “”Free plants! Take them to a good home before they are bulldozed!” The plants fill border gardens along the pathway down to Cove Park’s tiny slice of beach. You dig ‘em, you take ‘em, 9 am-noon tomorrow (Saturday). Once the pump-station project is over, the park will be restored – the Fauntleroy Community Association has been working with the county for a long time to make sure that happens – with new art among other features (as reported in this story last September).

Coming up in Highland Park: P-Patch, spray park meetings

Before month’s end, you’ll have a chance to get the latest on two projects in Highland Park. The first one is ready for you to dig into:

WESTCREST PARK P-PATCH: From Brian Greer:

West Seattle residents have an exciting opportunity right now to be a part of the creation of a P-Patch community garden at Westcrest Park. Recently, funds from the Parks and Green Spaces Levy have been awarded for this project, and the timeline to get it in the ground is relatively short. We need you to come out and voice your values for the garden.

Anybody who has ever experienced the joys of a community garden or has a desire to be apart of this great community feature should come to the orientation and design criteria meeting that will take place this Tuesday the 21st. You don’t need any experience gardening or community organizing, just an interest in being involved.

When: Tuesday, Feb 21st, 6:30 pm-8:30 pm
Where: Highland Park Improvement Club, 1116 SW Holden St.
If you have questions about this meeting or want to help with the organization of this event please e-mail briancgreer@gmail.com.

SPRAY PARK: The third and final meeting about the project to convert Highland Park’s wading pool into a spray park (also including levy $) is once again combined with the monthly Highland Park Action Committee meeting – 7 pm Wednesday, February 29th. This time, Parks will present the final design, and discuss the construction timeline (at last report, the spray park is scheduled to be open for summer 2013). This meeting is also at HPIC (12th and Holden).

You’re invited to 2 garden events in West Seattle tomorrow

2 unique West Seattle gardens are having special events on Saturday:

(Photo courtesy Terri Lindow)
BARTON STREET P-PATCH – “BEE” THERE! The new P-Patch in Westwood is taking shape in a big way – and tomorrow the gardeners are inviting you over, not for a work party, but for a chance to learn! A Master Gardener is coming to the P-Patch at 34th/Barton 2-4 pm Saturday “to educate people about mason bees,” says Terri Lindow, adding: “This is a great opportunity to learn about pollinating bees and to see the P-Patch. Our crushed gravel pathways are in and the construction is entering the last phase. We’d love to show it off!” Bring your own seating – all they’ll have is a few “pop-up shelters.”

SEATTLE CHINESE GARDEN: 1-4 pm Saturday, the Seattle Chinese Garden on the north end of the South Seattle Community College campus is presenting a talk about “The Cultures and Landscapes of Western Sichuan,” 1-4 pm. Julia Freimund says, “Two UW professors will be talking about the ethnic groups, the landscapes (so lots of photos!), and the earthquake recovery efforts in Sichuan province.” Here’s a flyer with details, including admission info.

4 weeks left to enter West Seattle Garden Tour poster-art contest

The West Seattle Garden Tour is putting out one last call to local artists – deadline for their contest for the art on this year’s Garden Tour poster is just four weeks away, March 3rd. What they’re looking for: “Artwork content should be an interpretation of the WSGT’s theme ‘The Art of Gardening‘ focusing on color, design and texture in the garden.” The rest of the guidelines, the rules, and the entry form are all on the WSGT website; the winner gets $500, and the top 10 entries will be shown during the May edition of the West Seattle Art Walk. (Speaking of which, this month’s edition is coming up Thursday!) The Garden Tour itself happens this year on July 15th, and WSB is proud to be among the co-sponsors again this year. (Photo from July 2011 WSGT, by Tina Doherty)

200-pound pumpkin, anyone? Barton P-Patch event ahead!

From Terri at Barton St. P-Patch in Westwood (34th/Barton) – news of an event starting at 10 am on Saturday:

We grew several pumpkins in our south border to keep our spirits up during the dusty construction phase of the garden. One pumpkin is approaching 200 lbs and we will be raffling it off at 3 pm. We encourage folks to stop by and see it (photos encouraged). Free delivery within West Seattle to the lucky raffle winner.

We will be carving pumpkins for donations and/or cleaning them to the “carve-ready” state. Many thanks to Tony’s Produce, who provided us a coupon for ten cents off per lb on pumpkins (coupon good Saturday only)

Here’s the flyer, which includes the coupon, and more information.

Update: Lincoln Park P-Patch pumpkin-sale success

ORIGINAL 12:37 PM REPORT: Get ‘em before they’re gone! The Lincoln Park P-Patch gardeners harvested pumpkins last weekend and discovered they had enough for a sale – so they’re selling them, with proceeds benefiting the West Seattle Food Bank, till 2 pm or till they’re gone (as previewed in our “West Seattle Saturday” lookahead). That’s Joel in our photo; you can buy cider and bake-sale treats too. The sale is best accessed from the street just south of the Lincoln Park Annex tennis courts at Fauntleroy Way/Lincoln Park Way, and P-Patch (which is downslope from Solstice Park).

ADDED 8:37 PM: Michelle from the P-Patch sent a photo and update after the sale:

Lincoln Park P-Patch wants to thank the community for their support and generosity of our Pumpkin Festival today. Thanks for making this a true community event!

We sold most of our pumpkin inventory, quite a few baked goods, and and hot cider. With your help, we raised over $200 to purchase seeds, plant starts, and supplies to support the dedicated Food Bank garden plots here at Lincoln Park P-patch! Most of all, we enjoyed meeting and chatting with many of the neighbors and visitors that stopped by just to say hello.

Special thanks to West Seattle Blog for their support and help in getting the word out.

Building West Seattle’s newest P-Patch: Every little bit helps

(Photo courtesy Barton Street P-Patch)
The “web” continues to take shape at West Seattle’s newest P-Patch (Barton/34th), but unlike spider webs, this is no solo effort – it takes a community of gardeners and helpers, and Terri Lindow sends word they’re looking for more assistance, even in simple ways:

The Barton Street PPatch is seeking more community to help build our community
garden! If you are interested in learning to build mortar and reclaimed chain link walls (a family-friendly “mud pie” activity), want to swing a sledgehammer, spend some quality time with a wheelbarrow and some wood chips, or would like to provide snacks for our workers, you are invited to stop by. Over the next 6 weeks we’ll be holding work parties Saturdays 9:30-3 pm and Sundays 11-3 pm. All are welcome!

For more about the Barton Street P-Patch’s progress, check out their Facebook group. There’s also info on the city Department of Neighborhoods website, where Barton is P-Patch #85.

West Seattle Crime Watch: The case of the boosted blooms

Things have been fairly quiet lately (and WSBeat fans should know, Megan Sheppard‘s weekly feature returns next week). Today, just out of the WSB inbox, from Mike B, a report:

We live on Fauntleroy Way near the Fairmount Playfield. I have a garden of mostly zinnias, gladiolas, and marigolds. Last night (Friday) at about 8:30pm my wife alerted me that there was someone in our yard picking my flowers. When confronted the young men said, “Sorry, they’re for my dead bro, man. Call the Cops.” They quickly walked away heading south. I did call and the police responded quickly. They did not find the young men. They were young white guys in their late teens or early twenties. One had a knit hat on. Both were dressed in baggy dark clothing. I know they were only flowers, but I put a lot of time into my garden and they were important to me.

Reminder, the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council resumes its meetings a week from Tuesday – at 7 pm September 20th, Southwest Precinct. Special guest this month – discussing identity theft.