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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.