Kat Harman
@pnwkat.bsky.social
🇺🇸 Native plant and wildlife nerd. Raised in AZ, married to a 🥝 🇳🇿. Gardening for the birds in Central WA Zone 6b (Yakima Folds/Slopes) and Seattle Zone 9a.
May also post about hiking-MTB-skiing-travel-music-AoNZ-AZ and other random interests.
May also post about hiking-MTB-skiing-travel-music-AoNZ-AZ and other random interests.
Pinned
Kat Harman
@pnwkat.bsky.social
· Feb 23
📌Our Park Service Rangers have flagged the warning on El Capitan.
We are under threat by an America-attacking felon.
We are under threat by an America-attacking felon.
A brilliant and brave statement.
🌱 Salvia Greggii “Furmans Red” is my fave salvia. They’re supposedly cold hardy to Zone 6. But after three years of trying, not one survived a winter. I really thought this year it would. So I pivoted to Venus Penstemon. I planted and went away for a month. Much to my surprise,
1/2
1/2
October 31, 2025 at 9:21 PM
🌱 Salvia Greggii “Furmans Red” is my fave salvia. They’re supposedly cold hardy to Zone 6. But after three years of trying, not one survived a winter. I really thought this year it would. So I pivoted to Venus Penstemon. I planted and went away for a month. Much to my surprise,
1/2
1/2
I am likin’ these lichen
October 25, 2025 at 3:10 AM
I am likin’ these lichen
Proud of Seattle today. HUUUGE event! The only monarchs I support
October 18, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Proud of Seattle today. HUUUGE event! The only monarchs I support
Portland has made the whole country weird and I am in full support. 🐸 🦖 ❌👑
October 18, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Portland has made the whole country weird and I am in full support. 🐸 🦖 ❌👑
“Snow in the passes at 4000ft” they said.
October 13, 2025 at 3:03 PM
“Snow in the passes at 4000ft” they said.
The last hummingbird feeder came down yesterday, and the 2 Anna’s that are here will have to get what they need from the garden. There’s still plenty there, but I hope they decide to go somewhere warmer for the winter.
September 30, 2025 at 2:23 AM
The last hummingbird feeder came down yesterday, and the 2 Anna’s that are here will have to get what they need from the garden. There’s still plenty there, but I hope they decide to go somewhere warmer for the winter.
The Labor Mountain Fire grew significantly with the high winds yesterday, jumping Hwy 97 towards Tronsen Ridge. This is a beautiful area with a large population of the rare Tweedys Lewisia. Hopefully dormancy, their large taproot, and preference for rocky growing conditions will protect them. 🌱
September 26, 2025 at 6:18 PM
The Labor Mountain Fire grew significantly with the high winds yesterday, jumping Hwy 97 towards Tronsen Ridge. This is a beautiful area with a large population of the rare Tweedys Lewisia. Hopefully dormancy, their large taproot, and preference for rocky growing conditions will protect them. 🌱
A few late summer/fall surprises in the garden! The spreading phlox must have accessed moisture from somewhere - it started blooming sporadically again last month! The Red paintbrush, Oregon Checkermallow, and Scarlet Gilia were late to bloom in their first year of life. 🌱
September 25, 2025 at 6:47 PM
A few late summer/fall surprises in the garden! The spreading phlox must have accessed moisture from somewhere - it started blooming sporadically again last month! The Red paintbrush, Oregon Checkermallow, and Scarlet Gilia were late to bloom in their first year of life. 🌱
We still have a fair number of non breeding/immature rufous hummingbirds here, and a few Anna’s have arrived. Late summer nectar sources are Scarlet Bugler Penstemon, Rocky Mtn Bee plant, Sunset Hyssop, Cutleaf Penstemon, Purple Sage, Red Paintbrush, Munro’s Globemallow and Golden Columbine. 🌱
August 26, 2025 at 7:19 PM
We still have a fair number of non breeding/immature rufous hummingbirds here, and a few Anna’s have arrived. Late summer nectar sources are Scarlet Bugler Penstemon, Rocky Mtn Bee plant, Sunset Hyssop, Cutleaf Penstemon, Purple Sage, Red Paintbrush, Munro’s Globemallow and Golden Columbine. 🌱
Bro has taken his guarding the feeder game to a whole other level 🌱
#hummingbirds
#hummingbirds
August 26, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Bro has taken his guarding the feeder game to a whole other level 🌱
#hummingbirds
#hummingbirds
Cuddled up in the Munro’s Globemallow.
August 22, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Cuddled up in the Munro’s Globemallow.
I’ve just been instructed to clean up my mess before our guests arrive for the weekend 😆
It’s seed collection season I can’t help it. 🌱
It’s seed collection season I can’t help it. 🌱
August 8, 2025 at 11:01 PM
I’ve just been instructed to clean up my mess before our guests arrive for the weekend 😆
It’s seed collection season I can’t help it. 🌱
It’s seed collection season I can’t help it. 🌱
Been an interesting day for birds here. This morning we had a Sooty Grouse hanging around for a couple hours. Just now I observed my first case of brood parisitism - a white crowned sparrow was feeding a brown-headed cowbird! No other fledglings just the one cowbird.
#nativeplants for the birds
#nativeplants for the birds
August 8, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Been an interesting day for birds here. This morning we had a Sooty Grouse hanging around for a couple hours. Just now I observed my first case of brood parisitism - a white crowned sparrow was feeding a brown-headed cowbird! No other fledglings just the one cowbird.
#nativeplants for the birds
#nativeplants for the birds
We get eggs from a neighbor family. Look at these beauties! Almost too pretty to eat 😁 #countryliving
August 8, 2025 at 5:50 PM
We get eggs from a neighbor family. Look at these beauties! Almost too pretty to eat 😁 #countryliving
Harsh Paintbrush (C. Hispida) and Scarlet Paintbrush (C. Miniata) in my meadow garden, both started late winter from hyper-locally collected seed. Although similar, C. Hispida is hairier with deeply lobed leaves. TBH I’m not sure how I ended up with this C. Hispida seed! 🌱
July 31, 2025 at 1:56 AM
Harsh Paintbrush (C. Hispida) and Scarlet Paintbrush (C. Miniata) in my meadow garden, both started late winter from hyper-locally collected seed. Although similar, C. Hispida is hairier with deeply lobed leaves. TBH I’m not sure how I ended up with this C. Hispida seed! 🌱
The Rocky Mtn Bee plants are FINALLY blooming. Whew! Here’s a happy customer 🌱
July 30, 2025 at 8:28 PM
The Rocky Mtn Bee plants are FINALLY blooming. Whew! Here’s a happy customer 🌱
I hope the worst for Lee Zeldon because I *ABHOR* that greedy, pollution loving, ass kissing, climate change denying DUMBFUCK.
July 29, 2025 at 3:23 PM
I hope the worst for Lee Zeldon because I *ABHOR* that greedy, pollution loving, ass kissing, climate change denying DUMBFUCK.
Peak bloom in the Cascades rn - 5400ft
July 25, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Peak bloom in the Cascades rn - 5400ft
Finally the Bullocks Orioles turned up! They missed the cherries, but they’re all in on the golden currants. Our fenceline hedge has become a controlled thicket of deciduous native shrubs that the birds love. Details in alt text. 🌱
July 22, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Finally the Bullocks Orioles turned up! They missed the cherries, but they’re all in on the golden currants. Our fenceline hedge has become a controlled thicket of deciduous native shrubs that the birds love. Details in alt text. 🌱
I love the color of these two Cutleaf Penstemons. One is an ombre pink-purple, the other is fuschia. I haven’t needed to water yet this summer. Blooms late June through frost. The garden color palette is cool blue-gray foliage and white/silver/blue/purple/pink blooms to offset the basalt “heat” . 🌱
July 21, 2025 at 7:53 PM
I love the color of these two Cutleaf Penstemons. One is an ombre pink-purple, the other is fuschia. I haven’t needed to water yet this summer. Blooms late June through frost. The garden color palette is cool blue-gray foliage and white/silver/blue/purple/pink blooms to offset the basalt “heat” . 🌱
So this just happened. I have hummingbird in Scarlet Bugler penstemon and a mule deer grazing in the lawn. She just about walked right into the garden! 🌱
July 17, 2025 at 3:42 AM
So this just happened. I have hummingbird in Scarlet Bugler penstemon and a mule deer grazing in the lawn. She just about walked right into the garden! 🌱
We are awash in hummingbirds - mostly rufous and black chinned females/immatures. The males that were so prevalent in May/June have already started their journey south. In the heat of the afternoon, the perennial border café on the east side of the cabin is the preferred location. 🌱
July 14, 2025 at 5:33 PM
We are awash in hummingbirds - mostly rufous and black chinned females/immatures. The males that were so prevalent in May/June have already started their journey south. In the heat of the afternoon, the perennial border café on the east side of the cabin is the preferred location. 🌱
I have Monarda ‘Jacob Kline’ planted right below the hummingbird feeder. Not sure which gets more customers. Is this Rufous mum showing the kid how it’s done? 🌱
July 12, 2025 at 5:27 PM
I have Monarda ‘Jacob Kline’ planted right below the hummingbird feeder. Not sure which gets more customers. Is this Rufous mum showing the kid how it’s done? 🌱
They are still here, but don’t really fit anymore! And there are five 😁 #barnswallows
July 11, 2025 at 11:21 PM
They are still here, but don’t really fit anymore! And there are five 😁 #barnswallows