Backyard Transformations |

Backyard Transformations

Grist Interview ; Alternative Lawns
Learn about the evolution of the American lawn!
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Check out this beautiful after photo of container gardens we installed last year on Vashon Island! This gorgeous space has deer-proof fencing that is still friendly to smaller creatures, and gave the owner a chance to create a play area that still allows them to enjoy the wild, beautiful view from their home while growing edible plants. (Swipe to see before photos.) What do you dream of transforming in your space? 🦌💚🌱 ____________________⠀ #permaculture #homegrownorganics #deerprooffence #seattlelandscapers #sustainability

One of the great perks of a rain garden (in addition to the stormwater filtration and fantastic positive environmental impact) is that it creates an educational opportunity for others to learn about them! Do you have a favorite rain garden you pass by when going to work or school? 🌱🌎🌿 ____________ #raingardens #rainwise #greeninfrastructure #cisterns #earthcare

Have you seen this native beauty? The Pacific yew (or western yew) is a conifer with some pretty darn useful qualities! Within this amazing tree are compounds that have been used to create Taxol in labs, an antimitotic agent used to treat cancer. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ From Medicinal Plants of the North Cascades: Taxol is used in combination with other chemotherapy drugs to bind to polymerised tublin (protein involved in mitosis), stabilizing it against disassembly and consequently inhibiting mitosis, metabolizing in the liver. Factoids: Discovered in the 1960’s the compound was not approved by the FDA for first-line treatment of carcinoma until 1992. In 1997 the FDA approved taxol for second-line treatment for AIDS. The tree became endangered due to over harvesting until a synthetic form of taxol was created in 1995. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Photo by @sanctuary.forest: "During a recent hike, we noticed several yew trees growing along the banks of the Mattole River. Taxus brevifolia, the Pacific yew or western yew, is a conifer native to the Pacific Northwest of North America. They're small, fairly rare trees that grow very slowly and look a bit like a tiny, mossy redwood, and in our area seem to occur mostly on streambanks. Did you know that yew trees produce berries? Well, kind of. Their seeds are encased in a berry-like structure called an aril (which look a bit like madrone berries), which are eaten and dispersed by birds." 🌱🐦🌲 _______________ #hikeseason2019 #pnwnatives #landconservation #pacificyew #pnwtrees

Ducks are one of the most amazing ever forms of pest management in a permaculture garden! They love to eat slugs and are happy to clean up the greens in your garden once you've finished your harvests. Give them a chance to play around in that space for a few days, and in addition to fattening up a little before their winter diet is less diverse, they'll also imbue your garden with other benefits. The duck feces will fertilize the soil for the next year, and they may even manage to root up some dormant insects that could cause problems come spring! 🐣✨🦆 __________ #vashonhomesteads #hgo #homegrownorganics #freerange #ducks

It's that time of year! Fairy rings are popping up all over town with the recent rains, but did you know that mushrooms are actually a sign of healthy soil? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ From @being__humane: What can mushrooms do for your garden? 🍄 Because mushrooms have no chlorophyll to help make food, they rely on the nutrition of a plant (live or dead) to eat. That doesn’t mean mushrooms are sucking the life out of your plants. Quite the opposite: most mushrooms have a symbiotic relationship with plants, particularly at the root level. Mushrooms help give your plants the nutrients they need to help produce the sugars the mushroom feeds off of, so they’re helping each other to grow and receive the best nutrients they can get. 🍄 Beautiful works of nature, mushrooms are hugely beneficial to a garden. Fungi decompose garden organics into usable foods for plants, they break down complex organic compounds like those in dead leaves and wood chips, and mulch into substances plants can use. So letting mushrooms grow in your compost pile is actually beneficial! 🍄 Next time you see a mushroom (or two) growing in your garden, remember they are a sign of healthy, nutrient rich soil! Be proud! . . . #sustainablegardening #ecofriendlylifestyle #ecofriendlygardening #ecofriendlylifestyle #mushrooms

Check out this great depave project we're doing in Georgetown! Sponsored by @sustainableseattlewa, this strip that was previously just gravel and asphalt is now going to have shrubs planted that will help it to infiltrate rainwater. Stay tuned for "after" pictures soon! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Depaving is a great option for green infrastructure, because the sidewalks, parking lots, and driveways we have installed in our environment reduces the capacity for natural absorption of pollutants and contaminants that would other wise go straight to the Puget Sound. Do you have an idea for a depaving project at your home or in your neighborhood? Reach out today! 💧🌎🌿 _______________ #depaving #hgo #permaculturelandscaping #greeninfrastructure #protectourwaterways
Past Rainwise Project: 34th Ave SW Block Cluster, Westwood
Check out this great RainWise Virtual Tour!