This page provides information and programs related to environmentally-friendly gardening and yard care. For information and programs about farming in King County, please visit our King County Agriculture page.

Northwest Native Plant Guide -- learn how to plant right for your site or replace lawn with native plants from our illustrated tutorials. Northwest native plants are beautiful, provide habitat for you and wildlife, and help save water. Find where to order northwest native plants by checking our native plant nursery list and Envirostars landscapers and nurseries list (external link), and discover native plant books, gardens, other Web sites and references from our native plant resources page. Call Greg Rabourn for details about our native plant salvage program, our hands-on Naturescaping workshops, or to receive a free copy of our "Going Native" brochure.

Identify noxious weeds where you live. Aggressive exotic plants can produce immense numbers of long-lived seeds and may overwhelm native species, degrade habitat for wildlife, stick, stab and poke, and may even poison livestock or burn your skin. To help eradicate invasive weeds, King County provides a Web site with Noxious Weeds Identifications and best practices for control of select weeds, and we're available to answer your questions at the Noxious Weed line, 206-296-0290.

Rain Barrel Info and Resources for the Pacific Northwest
How to set up rain barrels to water your plants while reducing your water bill, and where to buy them. Using rain barrels helps reduce stormwater runoff, recharges groundwater, and leaves some water in tapped rivers so aquatic creatures can live there.

Hazardous Wastemobile picks up garden chemical waste-- find out when the Wastemobile will be in your neighborhood or call 206-296-4692 for a schedule. Everyone prefers a clean, safe environment, so why not try safer alternatives to toxic garden and household chemicals?

Composting and building healthy soil
This site provides a fascinating peek into the world of soil and its ecology and provides practical tips on how to build compost and worm bins, where to buy them at a discount, making compost, managing livestock manure, how pesticides and herbicides affect soil, and even how to sign up to teach others about composting. Also, learn about GroCo compost, a clean, nutrient-rich compost derived from King County's biosolids.

Safer Gardening and Pest Control - insecticides kill good bugs and bad bugs whether they're pollinators, predators or pests-- and can possibly get on kids or pets that use your yard or spread to creeks and lakes. Why not consider a different approach and learn some clever, time-tested tricks of ecologically-friendly gardening?

Gardening - WSU King County Cooperative Extension
Join the Master Gardeners program or find master gardener resources, peruse gardening topics for Western Washington, schedule presentations or get tips on pesticides-- world class, face to face.


Rainy days were made for gardeners to watch Yard Talk, a new natural gardening show on King County Television (KCTV) that teaches viewers how to easily care for their yards and gardens in a way that's good for people, pets and the environment.

Natural Lawn Care
Save money and time on chemicals and watering

To get involved in natural yard and garden care, contact Doug Rice at 206-296-8360 for free classes and information. The Natural Yardcare Neighborhoods Program can help an entire neighborhood go natural! Here are some easy tips to try now:

1. Grasscycle: Mow high, mow often and leave clippings to help fertilize your lawn. Grasscycling can provide almost ¼ of your lawn's fertilizer needs.
2. Fertilize moderately in September and May with natural organic or slow release fertilizers or compost. Avoid weed and feed.
3. Water your lawn deeply but less often to grow hardy, deep roots. A weekly sprinkling of about an inch of water in the morning or evening is best. See more water conservation tips.
4. Improve lawns with aeration, overseeding, or compost. Or consider rebuilding the soil and replanting.
5. Protect your kids and pets by using bug and weed killers sparingly, if at all. Lawn chemicals can be tracked into your house or rubbed off onto toys and skin.
6. On steep slopes, in shady areas and near lakes, ponds, and streams replace lawns with native plants that can thrive in those tricky spots. The right plants will help slow the runoff of rain, soil and chemicals, and provide you with a beautiful Northwest look.

Resources for Northwest Gardeners from Puget Sound Fresh
Search by fruit, vegetable or other produce to find recipes that use them
Puget Sound region produce harvest calendar

Crane fly resources
We've singled out crane flies as a topic for advice because they're a common local lawn pest and a likely cause of Diazinon pollution in our local streams.
Least-toxic crane fly controls
WSU Whatcom County crane fly information (external link)

King County Agricultural topics
Agriculture related resources for growers and info about King County environmental programs serving local farmers.

Horses for Clean Water (external link)
Resources for environmentally sensitive horse keeping.

Manure Share program (external link)
A King Conservation District program linking manure producers with people willing to haul it away for nutrient-rich compost.

Shoreline practices for a healthy lake, river, or creek
Some simple tips to help waterfront homeowners keep their waters clean and healthy.

Wetland plant cooperative (external link)
A King Conservation District program providing wetland plants to organizations and community groups for habitat restoration projects.

For questions about the Department of Natural Resources and Parks Website, please contact Fred Bentler, webmaster.

Updated: May 13, 2008

Related Information:

Sustainable Agriculture

King County Rural Services

King County Environment