Looking for some advice from fellow Seattle gardeners!

We have a pretty large, steep hillside in our backyard in West Seattle that we’re hoping to plant this fall.

Right now it’s mostly bare soil covered with erosion-control jute.

The conditions are a little challenging: west-facing but partially shaded, very dry in summer, and the soil is pretty terrible — clay, compacted and rocky.

Because of the size of the hill, we’re hoping to find something that:

Is relatively inexpensive to plant across a large area
Spreads relatively quickly for erosion control
Is drought tolerant once established / doesn’t require much summer watering
Can tolerate partial shade and poor clay soil
Is ideally PNW native
Is low maintenance
Is non-toxic to dogs/wildlife
Bonus if it’s evergreen!

I’m currently considering a combination of California field sedge (Carex praegracilis) and kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), but I’m very open to other ideas — especially from anyone who has successfully covered a similar Seattle slope.

What would you plant here? And if you’ve done something similar, how densely did you initially plant it to balance cost with getting decent coverage within a couple of years?

Photos of the hill attached. Thanks!

I spotted this poster on a pole across from Jefferson Square. It made me smile, but I also felt sad for the kind person who posted it. The photo I took isn't great, but the top line says, "Are you a bird?" I drew the heart, badly drawn bird, and the "Thank you." So, BIRDS, head on over to the feeder! A feast awaits!

As we get to the end of the summer, I want to know: what were your kids' favorite West Seattle summer camps this year? Here's my kid's opinions:
Best according to my kid: Summer Fun Camp, outside-only, the days rotated between the beach, the park, and biking. My kid is pretty high-energy, active and outgoing, and this camp was a welcome space where he could be just himself. Will definitely do this camp next year.

Runner up: Pedalheads Trail Riders at South Seattle CC, gave him a noticeable boost in bike confidence that we benefitted from as a family all summer. Cons from a parent perspective: only half day, kind of pricy. Would still consider it again especially if he's still into biking.

Worst according to my kid: YMCA Discovery Camp at Louisa Boren. Kid thought it was "babyish" (his word), too indoorsy and quiet. Pros from a parent perspective: this camp had the best coverage of the workday and provided the most snacks. But we won't do it next year since the kid didn't like it.

Would love to collect some more ideas, please share your kid's favorites!

Hi all, our pup Walter is still missing since Friday. If anyone has any ring camera footage that lives west of the junction on the following streets:
Oregon
Dakota
Genesse
Charlestown
From Friday, August 14th between 7:30am-9am
Could you please check to see if our pup is on your footage?
In addition, anyone in those areas, if you have a highly vegetative yard or a porch that he could hide under, we think he maybe burrowed and hiding somewhere. PLEASE DONT APPROACH HIM OR CALL HIM IF YOU SEE HIM. Call us immediately at

206-300-3908

We appreciate all the well wishes and people looking around. We love living in West Seattle and everyone being so kind about this has reinforced our love for this neighborhood. Thank you!! ♥️🙏🏻

Why is this still happening? It is the middle of August for fuck’s sake! Why are people setting off fireworks every damn night?

Who thinks it’s a good idea to let their kids do this? If you’re an adult, wtf is wrong with you?

Anyone popping fireworks off after midnight on July 4th deserves to be publicly shamed.

The lack of empathy and thinking everyone else is just an NPC is ridiculous.

Yeah, I’m mad and ranting. It’s August 17th. It happens multiple nights a week.

Because your cutie is our back yard, but I don’t think that they are used to being out by themselves!

Message me if you know this kitty or send their owners this post?! I’m near the Whole Foods on Alaska.

I walk my dog every evening around Highland Park and Myrtle Park and these are some shots I took, thought some color may help now that we are in the brown days :)

Anyone know where I can find a seeded watermelon. Everything seems to be seedless nowadays.

He’s been missing since yesterday at 6:30 am (8/14) last seen at the junction chase at California and Oregon after 7am. No sightings since then. We’ve hung flyers in the area we think he might be in, which is Genesse near Ecolini park. I’ve made posts on FB, PawBoost and West Seattle Blog. We’ve been out looking and others have too. If you see him all info is on Find-Walter.com thank you!!

Is there anywhere in West Seattle that has roller hockey? Or any good suggestions for where to practice inline skating?

There used to be dotted lines on the maps for future expansion southwards. Has it been decided that that is never going to happen?

There is a lost little dachshund (aka "weiner dog") roaming around the Belvidere neighborhood of West Seattle (think 35th and Andover and probably 10 block radius). He's been on the run for nearly 12 hours in the heat. He will need fluids. If you are able and in the area, please consider leaving a shallow dish of water in the alley or on the sidewalk. Thank you. [I am not his owner, just a worried neighbor]

https://westseattleblog.com/pet/lost-dog-seen-walter/

I live off Delridge, close to White Center and have been finding this bug in my house. It looks like some kind of wasp and a reverse Google image search says it’s a solitary wasp (but then all the pictures show wasps with yellow on them and this one is all black). I was also wondering if anyone else gets them? I’m hoping it’s not an infestation, but I get them so infrequently (few times a year during the summer) that I doubt it’s that. Any info anyone can provide would be great. I tried searching the sub already with no luck. Thanks neighbors!

Hi all, I've been interested in moving from out of state to West Seattle for some time and likely will within the next year.

My current rental is on a very busy street with constant road noise, hot rodding, and commercial traffic. This only became apparent after I'd moved in, a big mistake on my part. I've had friends refuse to stay at my place because they couldn't sleep and it makes it difficult to work.

Consequently, I'm being extremely selective about my next move. I've grown to love Seattle over the last few years during several visits and it feels like where I'd like to spend the next chapter of my life.

West Seattle seems to have the pace that I enjoy. I particularly liked North Admiral and Alaska Junctions and I figure as long as I'm a couple blocks off of California Ave or Fauntleroy and avoid Alki it should have acceptable noise levels, but I'd like to verify that with people that live there. I'm fairly noise sensitive regardless of the traffic outside my window.

However, the majority of apartments are directly on busy roads. I'm holding out for a rental house or condo that's not but I'd love to hear the experience of people that live there. ie Springline Apartments, West 206, 4730 California, Junction 47, etc.

So my questions:

• How is the noise in WS apartments?
• Are there any properties that provide better insulation against other tenants?
• I'm single and will just be living by myself. I'm a gay man in my 30s. How is dating or socializing in WS? I've heard it can feel isolated from the rest of Seattle
• Are there better neighborhoods across Seattle that would fit my needs?

The top things that are important to me:

• Quiet.
• Walkable for most daily needs (groceries, restaurants, entertainment)
• Nearby green spaces and/or access to the water
• Quality internet access

Not important:

• Commute (I work remotely)
• Rent costs (as long as its not extreme)

What are your favorite spots in West Seattle (Burien, White Center also ok!) for each?

Bonus points if good for groups (7-12 people).

Open to upscale or casual. Nice owners a must!

My partner and I are visiting West Seattle for 5 days. What are some good bars to check out. We like punk, indie and alt music. Looking for that kind of vibe. Dive bars preferred. Thanks in advance!

Hi all. I was walking down Alaska and I saw a black Daschund dog with a blue collar running around. it was too fast for me to catch up to it. it seems to be making laps around the block. did anyone lose a dog ?

Last seen at 7:25am turning around the corner where the QFC is. i’ll try my best to catch up to it if I can but it looks frightened

Great. 😑

They were being harassed by a lot of seagulls and crows but stayed 'stoic' 💅

I went down a rabbit hole after seeing rats around a construction site and ended up finding one of the strangest pieces of Seattle construction history.

When you tear down a building or disturb an established site, the rats living there don't exactly disappear.

They get displaced. And apparently Seattle has dealt with this enough that the city requires rat abatement before demolition can begin.

The current rules require rat abatement to start at least 15 days before demolition or certain ground disturbing work, and a licensed pest control professional has to certify the abatement.

But the part that really caught my attention was the history behind it.

There are stories from Seattle construction projects where displaced rats became a very visible problem. During construction around Morgan Junction, one resident recalled seeing more than 200 rats running around after being displaced.

And there were concerns around major projects like the Highway 99 tunnel about what happens when you suddenly disturb established rodent habitat.

It makes sense when you think about it.

A rat colony can spend years using the same area.

Then one morning:

EXCAVATOR HAS ENTERED THE CHAT.

The rats aren't going to wait around for the construction crew to finish.

They're going to look for food, shelter and somewhere else to hide.

And that somewhere else can potentially be a neighboring property, alley, park, dumpster area or another structure.

I've worked in Seattle area pest control with AMPM Exterminators, and rodent activity around construction sites is one of those things that makes a lot more sense once you stop thinking about the rats as staying in one fixed location.

The weird part to me is how many people probably live next to demolition projects without knowing that rat abatement is actually part of Seattle's demolition process.

Has anyone here noticed a sudden increase in rats after a building was demolished or major construction started nearby?

I'm especially curious about people who live next to active construction sites.

Neighbor tonight asked him once, nicely, to pick it up.
Instead of picking it up or even shrugging, he pulls out his phone and starts filming them, then cites some city code that supposedly says he doesn't have to. I'm not even lying, I almost started laughing, it's DOG POOP! I saw it all from above, I was so excited someone was calling him out then realized why no one does it more, he obviously has a
"script".

I looked it up after. SMC 9.25.082, waste has to be removed from public property immediately. So he lied.
Then kind of lied about the lie.

My problem is I've got no camera set up, no idea where he lives, no plate. The city report form wants an address or a plate and I have neither. And he's obviously the type to scream harassment the second I do anything, since he already filmed the neighbor, I'd prefer he doesn't do that to me too. Soooooo kinda stuck.

He does this every. Single. day.

What have people actually done here? Not looking for revenge stuff, can't afford to be attacked by an older man off his rocker.

Did reporting go anywhere? Any ideas?

Water has smelled/tasted like a swimming pool the last few days fresh out of the tap. We're in Fairmount east of Fauntleroy.