A scene at the Leach Botanical Garden in Portland, Oregon (photo by Cheryl Landes) The upper garden at the Leach Botanical Garden has reopened for visitors with limitations due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic: Timed tickets must be purchased online.Masks must be worn in the garden.Keep a six-foot distance from people who are not in … Continue reading The upper garden now open at Leach Botanical Garden
The Leach Botanical Garden in Portland, Oregon (photo by Cheryl Landes) A forest bathing experience helps you connect deeply with the natural world and remember how all humans, plants, and creatures are interconnected. It's inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin Yoku. The forest bathing walks at the Leach Botanical Garden in Portland, Oregon, are … Continue reading Forest bathing walks at the Leach Botanical Garden in Portland
Photo credit: Clark Public Utilities in Vancouver, Washington Since 1999, volunteers at Clark Public Utilities' StreamTeam Earth Day Fest in have planted more than 15,000 trees in the Salmon Creek Watershed of Southwest Washington and removed thousands of pounds of invasive weeds. This year, the event has changed to a Virtual Earth Day Challenge because … Continue reading Clark Public Utilities’ 2021 Earth Day Fest going virtual
Yoshino cherry trees in full bloom outside the Supreme Court Building in Washington, DC (photo by Cheryl Landes) The 2021 National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC, will feature a combination of virtual and outdoor activities March 20-April 11. The new format "honors the tradition of the Festival, while prioritizing the health and safety of … Continue reading 2021 National Cherry Blossom Festival a hybrid event
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in Vancouver, Washington (photo by Cheryl Landes) The City of Vancouver Parks and Recreation (Washington) is hosting a new event called Go Play, Vancouver! The event encourages residents and non-residents to go outside safely during the coronavirus pandemic to get exercise and enjoy nature in the city's parks, historic sites, … Continue reading Get outside with Go Play, Vancouver!
Lakewold Gardens in University Place, Washington (photo by Cheryl Landes) Learn about some of the trees in the Lakewold Gardens in University Place, Washington, south of Tacoma, in a series of virtual tours. John Wilcox, a long-time volunteer at the gardens, leads these seven tours. Each tour features a different tree. The seven videos are … Continue reading Take seven virtual tree tours at Lakewold Gardens
Photos by Cheryl Landes The 230-acre Washington Park Arboretum is a beautiful place to walk any time of year. Wander trails through forests, marshes, a Japanese garden, rhododendron glen, azalea collection, and winter garden. Look for birds and other wildlife in the trees, shrubs, and along the shoreline, and in the water. Every season brings … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: A fall stroll in the Washington Park Arboretum in Seattle
Photos by Cheryl Landes The Kubota Garden in South Seattle is a treat for the eyes in the fall. The colors of the trees and shrubs are breathtaking in the textured landscape. The garden is the work of Fujitaro Kubota, a self-taught gardener who immigrated from Japan to Seattle in 1907. The Kubota Garden's address … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Fall at the Kubota Garden in Seattle
The Mima Mounds Naural Area Preserve in Olympia, Washington Photos by Cheryl Landes The Mima Mounds is a mystery. No one knows for sure how the bumpy landscape originated in these 637 acres of prairie grasslands. Theories are abundant, from pocket gophers excavating nest chambers to permafrost cracking near the end of the Ice Age. … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Fall at the Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve
Flowers at Naturescaping Wildlife Botanical Gardens in Brush Prairie, Washington Photos by Cheryl Landes Naturescaping Wildlife Botanical Gardens is a series of demonstration gardens that provide ideas for gardeners looking at ways to attract birds, butterflies, and other wildlife to their backyard spaces. The three acres are tended by volunteers. Every time I go for … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: A walk at Naturescaping Wildlife Botanical Gardens
Tabby Cat's Pawprints 