KP Gardens | Key Peninsula News

The traffic island at SR-302 and KP Highway became a colorful oasis.

The Beautification of the Key Peninsula in Full Bloom

When driving along the Key Peninsula Highway through Key Center, pay attention to the litter-free roadside and notice the hanging baskets, large flower-filled pots and weeded beds along the road. The … more

Carolyn Wiley, KP News | 6/29/22

Flower Stand Woes and Rewards

Most people who drive the section of Key Peninsula Highway between Home and Whiteman Road get a lift from seeing the white picket fence, the blossom-filled yard and the little flower stand on the … more

Carolyn Wiley, KP News | 4/26/22

To Mulch or Not to Mulch

I was out working in the garden the other day (what else is new?), crawling under some rhododendrons, thankful it’s not yet spider web season, and gently scraping my hand rake along the top … more

Kamryn Minch | 4/26/22

Mushroom Cabin Brings Never-Never Land to Lakebay

In the woods near Penrose Point State Park, Rod Collen and his fiancée Shannon Garrett have spent the last two years building a 900-square-foot mushroom-shaped cabin. They purchased a … more

Krisa Bruemmer, KP News | 1/27/22

Seed Saver

Diane Grant, who lives in Lakebay, harvested a tomato this year that she had never seen before. She loved the flavor and was afraid she might never find it again. Could she save the seeds and rest … more

Sara Thompson, KP News | 10/28/21

Tales of Key Peninsula Orchards

People of the Key Peninsula love their orchards, as evidenced by the apple trees growing everywhere. Historically, most apples on the Key Peninsula were grown for private use. Tim Kezele grew up … more

Sara Thompson, KP News | 9/29/21

The Drought Garden

Drought is the natural summer state on the Key Peninsula. The Pacific Northwest has a Mediterranean climate, with most rain falling in the winter when plants don’t necessarily need it, and dry … more

Sara Thompson, KP News | 8/28/21

All About Fuchsias

There is something about fuchsias, especially the upright hardy varieties. more

Sara Thompson, KP News | 6/30/21

Berries on the KP

It’s summertime and berry season is upon us. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries. more

Sara Thompson, KP News | 5/26/21

All About Tomatoes

Tomatoes. For some, the memory of the first bite of a garden-grown vine-ripened tomato ranks right up there with a first kiss. Or the birth of a child. more

Sara Thompson, KP News | 4/28/21

Perennially Yours

For many a practical Key Peninsula gardener, this is the time to focus on the vegetable garden —planting seeds, nurturing starts — but this is also a time when the more fanciful aspects … more

Sara Thompson, KP News | 3/31/21

A Few Thoughts on Weeds

In these times of polarization, when it comes to weeds, Key Peninsula gardeners exhibit a refreshingly cheerful agree-to-disagree attitude. Weeds are the bane of many a gardener’s existence. … more

Sara Thompson, KP News | 2/24/21

On Pruning

In the dead of winter, at least for some homeowners, thoughts turn to pruning. Deciduous trees have shed their leaves, making it easier to see their structure, and growth is dormant. If you are Tim Kezele, though, you think about pruning all the time. more

Sara Thompson, KP News | 1/27/21

Miracle of Seeds

By January gardens are put to rest. Beds are cleared, mulch is spread. In the comfort of winter life spent indoors, people begin to dream and plan for the coming spring. It is a time to cozy up with what, for an avid gardener, may be better than a good novel. more

Sara Thompson, KP News | 12/30/20

Tree Therapy

This year has not been easy. A pandemic. Unprecedented partisan divisions. And now a holiday season, already fraught for many, made more complicated by COVID-related restrictions. Not to mention that the Pacific Northwest is deep in the dark days of winter. None of this bodes well for mental health. more

Sara Thompson, KP News | 12/2/20

Blooming Foxglove catches light along the forest edge.

Toxic Plants in the Garden and Beyond

The list of plants that can harm you, your child or your pet is enough to strike terror into any heart. Hemlock was famously used to execute Socrates. Deadly nightshade, mistaken for edible berries, … more

Sara Thompson, KP News | 7/30/20

A Gardener’s Guide to Slugs

Using science to limit slug damage. Slugs are different things to different people: a gardener’s nightmare, a forest worker breaking down decomposing forest vegetation, … more

Sara Thompson, KP News | 5/29/20

Local Master Gardener Wants You to Love Gardening

The novel coronavirus is inspiring more people to grow their own fresh veggies this spring. Square foot … more

Sara Thompson, KP News | 5/1/20

When a Junco Nests in the Garden

Springtime comes to the peninsula. The soil warms and bird songs light up the mornings. In the forest you no longer tramp recklessly … more

Chris Rurik, Special to the KP News | 5/1/20