Ten Trails Offers Pea Patches for Residents as One of Many Community Amenities

One of the huge benefits of living in a master planned community is access to community amenities! At Ten Trails, we have a wide variety of amenities to suit residents of every age. From playgrounds to pea patches, our residents have their pick of community features to enhance their lifestyle.

Community Pea Patches at Ten Trails

Some of the most popular amenities at Ten Trails are our community pea patches! Residents can opt to rent a pea patch plot for the spring/summer season to grow fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers. With 2021 being the first official year our pea patches have been in use, it has been great fun to see all the different varieties of plants our residents are growing.

Benefits of Community Pea Patches

Our pea patches are a space where residents can come together to grow community and plan, plant, and maintain a piece of open space. As one of many gathering spaces in Ten Trails, our pea patches help strengthen the community by fostering connections and serve as a point of pride amongst residents.

More Pea Patches Coming for the 2022 Growing Season

Ten Trails will have more pea patches available for resident rental beginning early 2022. If you are a resident who is interested in renting a pea patch, contact your HOA manager, Jodi Kay, at hoa@tentrails.com for details. www.TenTrails.com 360.469.4043  

Visit Local Botanical Gardens this Spring

The Seattle area is home to many beautiful botanical gardens, which are gardens dedicated to the collection, cultivation, preservation and display of a wide range of plants. Botanical gardens are known as such because each plant is labeled with its botanical name. A visit to one of our many local botanical gardens is a great springtime activity for families that is both fun and educational.

Bellevue Botanical Garden 

Located at 12001 Main Street in Bellevue, the Bellevue Botanical Garden is open daily, dawn to dusk, and there is no admission fee. The City of Bellevue owns and manages the garden, which was opened in 1992 and designed to be a space to be enjoyed by the community. The garden encompasses 53 acres of cultivated gardens, restored woodlands, and natural wetlands and showcases plants that thrive in the Pacific Northwest. Bellevue Botanical Garden is also offering virtual gardening classes during the pandemic. Visit their website for more information.

Soos Creek Botanical Garden and Heritage Center

The Soos Creek Botanical Garden and Heritage Center is open to the public seasonally, March through November. The 22-acre garden is located on what was originally 200 acres owned by Norwegian immigrant ancestors of Maurice Skagen. The heritage center is devoted to highlighting the farming life of the early settlers on the Soos Creek plateau during the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Opening day for the garden in 2021 is March 3, although the heritage center indoor display is closed until further notice during Covid-19 restrictions.

Washington Park Arboretum UW Botanic Gardens 

The Washington Park Arboretum is open to the public daily and admission is free. Take a self-guided tour through 230 acres of gardens, natural areas, and wetlands that includes species of plants that cannot be found anywhere else in the local area. The UW Botanic Gardens also includes a beautiful Japanese Garden which is managed by the City of Seattle and has a small entry fee. This 3.5-acre urban sanctuary features all the elements of a traditional Japanese garden with stones, water, lanterns, bridges, buildings, and plants.

Highline SeaTac Botanical Gardens 

Situated on approximately 11 acres adjacent to the North SeaTac Community Center, the Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden is a one-of-a-kind heritage location created to preserve some of the area’s most treasured gardens. Two of the gardens were physically moved to their current location to prevent their demolition during SeaTac Airport’s third runway project. Admission to the garden is free and it is open daily from dawn to dusk. Leashed dogs are allowed at the garden which features displays of roses and a Japanese garden. www.TenTrails.com 360-469-4043

Break out of the Routine this Winter and Try Something Completely New

The Covid-19 pandemic has upended lives across the country and many of us are struggling to find ways to break out of the monotony that can come with many days spent at home, with limited options for socializing. Here are a few ideas of new things you and the family can try this winter to help break up your normal routines!

Go on a Dogsledding Adventure 

Northwest Dogsledding Adventures offers one-hour, seven-mile tours through snowy wilderness with their eager team of 12 dogs. The pack can run up to 20 miles per hour while guests kick back under blankets and enjoy the ride and views. Northwest Dogsledding Adventures is now taking reservations for weekend-only tours through March 31^st, 2021. The cost is $165 for adults and $110 for children under 80 pounds. For more information, visit their website.

Take a Virtual Cooking Class

Cooking is a wonderful skill for anyone to master, and it is a great idea to foster a love of cooking in kids from a young age. Even if you are an adult who is well-adept at cooking, there are always new skills and recipes to learn to keep things interesting in the kitchen! Famous Seattle restaurateur, Tom Douglas, is now offering virtual cooking classes through his company for families or larger groups. Seattle Cucina is also offering virtual classes geared specifically for kids of all ages. You can browse their many class offerings on their website.

Try Sprouting Seedlings Indoors

While we wait for the warmth and sunshine of spring, bring the outdoors inside by starting seed sprouts indoors. When the threat of frost is over, the whole family can enjoy transplanting the new baby plants to an outdoor garden or to a rented garden space in Ten Trails’ pea patches! Some plants that are among the easiest to grow from seed are pumpkins, sunflowers, lettuces, and squash. For information on how to start seeds indoors, check out this website. 360.469.4043 www.TenTrails.com    

Tips for Fall Gardening

Autumn is upon us, but that doesn’t mean your Ten Trails garden has to go dormant until spring! The Pacific Northwest has an ideal climate for fall gardening with a late frost and temperate winter climate. A little planning now will ensure you can enjoy your Ten Trails garden well up until the first frost and early in the spring season!

Evergreen Shrubs

The Pacific Northwest is known for its majestic evergreen trees, but is also the perfect place for growing a wide variety of evergreen shrubs. Some native evergreens that do well in our climate include: tall Oregon rapes, pacific wax myrtle, dwarf Hinoki cypress, and Siberian cypress.

Fall Produce

Fall is the perfect time for planting autumn and winter vegetables like kale, beets, cabbage and collard greens.  Hardy winter and root vegetables will thrive in the Pacific Northwest’s cool, autumn climate. Make sure to plant vegetables early enough in the autumn season to ensure harvest before frost. For the most abundant vegetable harvest, add organic compost matter to the soil before planting.

Plant Spring Bulbs

Now is the time to plant bulbs for early spring color. Daffodils and tulips do well in our climate and will bring much-needed cheery color in March and April. Plant before November to ensure proper blooming. Bulbs will even do well in container gardens on your back or front porch of your new Ten Trails home!  www.TenTrails.com 360-469-4043