Garden News & Landscaping Events

As of February 2012, Colleen Miko will no longer be offering landscape design and consultation services in the course of her business “Colleen’s”. Colleen will instead be focusing her efforts exclusively on garden writing and speaking. In addition to running her own business, she also holds the full time Horticulture Educator position with WSU Kitsap Extension. As coordinator of the WSU Kitsap Master Gardener Program and co-coordinator of the Rain Garden Mentor volunteer program for WSU Kitsap Extension since January 2011, Colleen has welcomed the transition from consultation and design to horticultural education.

Colleen says of the recent business change:
“While I miss the interaction with the stellar design clients I have had over the years, this new focus on education and leading volunteers is refreshing. I’m learning a tremendous amount and meeting all sorts of dedicated and knowledgeable gardeners. Garden writing and horticultural presentations provide a different kind of creative outlet than design, but writing my blog VERDURE, freelance features for magazines and sharing my photographs and ideas with audiences is very fulfilling.”

Coming soon: ColleenMiko.com will be updated to reflect the change in services offered.

Verdure, Colleen’s blog at www.colleenmiko.wordpress.com features musings on plants, design, books and all things garden related, in addition to topics of personal interest such as insects, crafts, vintage home décor and green living.

MARCH

Colleen thanks all the WestSound Home & Garden Magazine readers that selected her for the “Best Horticulturist” 2012 Award for the Best of West Sound 2012 readers poll.

Colleen is serving as Chair for the Horticulture Advisory Board for South Kitsap Career & Technical Education for the 2011-2012 school year.

Build a Better Bat House is Colleen’s current article in the Spring Issue of WestSound Home & Garden Magazine. The instructions, diagrams and photographs in this article can help you build a “Rocket” style of bat house recommended by local non-profit Bats Northwest, Inc. This edition is on the newsstand until June 1, 2012.

MAY:
The Master Gardener Foundation of Washington State’s newsletter “Seeds of Thought” will feature an article by Colleen in the May issue. The Foundation’s website is http://mastergardener.wsu.edu/mgfws/index.html

JUNE:
The summer issue of WestSound Home & Garden Magazine will include two articles by Colleen Miko: Classy Plant Favorites—a snapshot of seven great garden plants recommended by local horticulture professionals and Step by Step: Make your Own Unique Stepping Stones. With the help of Louise Martin, Port Orchard mosaic artist, Colleen walks you through how to make your own steppers using stained glass mosaic techniques.