Author Archives: Colleen Miko

About Colleen Miko

Colleen Miko is a certified professional horticulturist with 20 years experience in landscape design who has designed award winning gardens for the NW Flower & Garden Show as well as HGTV’s “Landscaper’s Challenge”. Colleen is freelance garden writer and speaker.

Edible Garden Evolution: Raised beds

Posted on August 5, 2016

  My original garden was row-style, which afforded a lot of flexibility. No borders allowed me to expand on all sides as I pulled blackberries and amended soil gradually over the years.  I broadcast cover crop seed liberally over the … Continue reading →

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Evergreen Violet–Native Plant Fix

Posted on April 13, 2016

Viola sempervirens (evergreen violet) We are blessed with many native violets in the Pacific Northwest–blue, white and yellow flowered.  My hands down favorite is the sweet, little yellow violet with evergreen foliage.  When it comes into bloom it’s a charming sight. So diminutive and plain-clothed in it’s greenery, … Continue reading →

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Edible Garden Evolution

Posted on April 5, 2016

Edible Garden Evolution: “Recognition: If we wait to do this entirely on our own, it will never happen” Summer 2014 I hired my good friend and edible garden consultant, Gayle Larson (Dancing Raven Design) for a few hours to evaluate my … Continue reading →

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Edible Garden Evolution

Posted on March 27, 2016

Edible Garden Evolution: The “Design Phase” A new garden does not happen over night; I can testify to this. Books and videos make it seem so; all you need is grid paper, a shovel, and a little elbow grease, right?  Well, … Continue reading →

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Great Golden Digger Wasp–Beneficial Insect

Posted on August 21, 2015

Its hard not to notice an inch long wasp, let alone 5 or 6 flitting from flower to flower around you in the garden. Last week while weeding I was mesmerized by the imposing wasps clambering over the allium flower spheres. Each … Continue reading →

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Christmas in July–Garden Art

Posted on July 12, 2015

They may look like Christmas in July to some, but I love the multi-colored globes that hang from the big pergola over our entry path.  Looking into the garden from inside the front door or kitchen window, I watch them sway in the wind … Continue reading →

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Natural Car Air Freshener–Viva Verde

Posted on July 4, 2015

This week I was gifted an inspiring idea.  I went to visit friends Eugene and Deborah’s productive garden to talk about their rain water cistern for a magazine article.  As I pulled up, Eugene handed me a green bundle and … Continue reading →

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Plum Crazy: The Late Spring Garden

Posted on May 28, 2015

The woodland garden is quieting down; trout lilies, hellebores and epimedium are now setting seed.  In the meantime, the rest of the garden has just about caught up as the last of the leaves unfurl. Wisteria is always late, the … Continue reading →

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Exochorda x macrantha ‘The Bride’ (Pearlbush)–Plant Fix

Posted on April 12, 2015

Bright as a beacon on this gray, drizzly day, my pearlbush is in full bloom.  Tons of pure white, cup-shaped flowers stand out in the shrub border.  The common name comes from the perfectly rounded buds that resemble strings of … Continue reading →

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Arum italicum (Italian Arum)—New WA State Noxious Weed

Posted on April 6, 2015

Originally posted on VERDURE:
Arum italicum in May I have Arum italicum (Italian arum) in my garden, and in fact, 4 years ago I posted an ode to its beauty and ease of care in the garden.  I will be digging it out…

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