Garden Descriptions

Visit beautiful gardens flourishing in unexpected places -- hillsides, terraces and small spaces. Learn how to turn any outdoor space into a personal sanctuary.

Planting a Seed
IslandWood

This “school in the woods” focuses on awakening fourth and fifth graders to the wonders of nature and natural processes. Enjoy the towering trees and lush natural vegetation as you arrive, then stroll through the teaching and demonstration garden, which plays a major role in IslandWood’s programs. Home gardeners and those who are interested in gardening with children can pick up tips as they see how students recycle kitchen and garden scraps and experiment with various ways of growing vegetables. On the wheelchair-accessible side of the garden, labels identify plants that are ready to eat so children know which crops they’re free to sample. Because school groups often visit in winter, the greenhouse includes space for students to gather while they make tea from fresh herbs. As they sip, they explore questions about the garden. The far side of the garden contains production beds, planted with crops that students can harvest and eat in the dining hall.

A Moment of Rest Upon the Wind
Susan Calhoun of Plantswoman Design, designer

Hikers know that breeze-on-the-face lift that comes from pausing at the top of a hill to take in a magnificent view. This garden gives visitors a similar thrill, without the legwork. Tranquil and understated, the garden owes much of its appeal to the owner’s decision to create a “good neighbor” space that shares the view with the family next door. A trio of birch trees graces the front garden and marks the beginning of the shaded path filled mostly with deer-resistant plants. Follow the path through the rose arbor and past the house’s shady north garden to the back, where the magnificent view opens up. Listen for bird songs and splashing water from a small pond at the far end of the garden, where the neighbors can also enjoy it. Past the pond is a side yard shared with the neighbors and landscaped as a single space. Filled with plants that provide year-round color, this area has become one of the owner’s favorite spots.

Paths to Tranquility
Susan Calhoun of Plantswoman Design, designer

The tranquil garden embraces a full western exposure and broad view of Rich passage. Take one of the many paths, slow down and contemplate the sounds, scents and setting. Stone patios are bordered by roses while white star jasmines thrive climbing up the deck posts. Step down to the terraces where hidden gardens and treasures like grape vines winding along the stone walls are revealed . A hillside where mules once pulled military supplies up from the pier below to old Fort Ward has been transformed with Tuscan-style terraces, stone staircases and colorful plantings. Turning up the hill, you pass through the herb garden interspersed with miniature lilacs. The gardens take full advantage of every space, using drought tolerant and native plants coupled with erosion control to meet the many challenges of steep slope landscaping.

Bold and Artful
Donna and Tom Slaughter, designers
John VandenMeerendonk, stonework

A daring, playful spirit is evident here, featuring unusual combinations of beautiful plants and striking artwork. One landscape staple you won’t find here, however, is a lawn. With just three-tenths of an acre to work with, the owner omitted grass to free up more space for plants and and to create room for an amazing variety of outdoor living areas. Inspired by her trips to Europe and Southeast Asia, she has integrated meandering paths for walking and meditation, decks for lounging and dining, a patio for larger parties, and intimate areas with small café tables for two—spiced generously with whimsical or thought-provoking art pieces. A propane-fueled fire pit was recently installed at the back of the property, which has the best view of the water and mountains. Although the owner uses deer repellent on a few roses near the house, most plants are deer-safe, including hydrangea, euphorbia, hellebore, dahlia, lilies, willows, epimedium, penstemon, red currant and ferns.

Gardens Around the Globe
Jeff Pryde, Forest/Pryde Landscaping
Dan Robinson, Elandon Gardens
Cassie Picha designer

In this extensive garden, you can imagine yourself in Tuscany one moment and standing squarely in the cool of a Northwest forest the next. In just five years the traditional landscape has been transformed into numerous intimate patios and larger areas for entertaining, hosting a wealth of remarkable plants that appear to have been here for decades. The front of the property, bathed in sunshine all day, features Mediterranean elements including a formal herb garden, a potager ringed partly with espaliered fruit trees and grape vines, stone patios, and a pool graced by bronze sculptures and tropical plants. Drifts of blooming roses, colorful cannas, windmill palms and even a red-leafed banana add to the glorious effect. The forest scenes, strongly influenced by Japanese design principles, are behind the house, in the shade.

A Hillside Haven
Shelly Johansson and Joanna Savage, designers

Just two years old, this hillside garden looks across Puget Sound to Fort Ward, but from this direction, the scene is more pastoral. Long and narrow, this garden provides many opportunities to see what can be accomplished on a relatively steep slope. Behind the hedge that lines the driveway, a spacious deck leads out from the house. Steps carry visitors down to spiraling stone patios, and a lawn area set up as a bocce ball court. Chanticleer pear trees echo the theme of the rooster statue, while topiary and other plant choices add drama to this journey, as does a waterfall that cascades alongside. On the opposite side of the yard, a footbridge crosses a drainage channel that winds down the hillside. Landscaped to resemble a creekbed, it’s beautiful even when dry. Over the bridge, stone steps lead to a pergola at the top of a hill—the perfect spot to savor the view.

A Place to Play and Learn
Voyager Montessori Elementary School

Designed to teach the interdependence of all living things, and to support children in their outdoor play, this school garden presents different lessons depending on the season. Built and planted on a tight budget with volunteer labor over the past three years, the garden contains many donated plants, including a palm tree that students transplanted from a classmate’s garden. During recess, students often race for the wide-open sports field or venture into the adjacent second-growth forest, where they’re encouraged to climb trees or build forts with downed limbs. The woods also serves as the school’s covered play area on damp days, with a 400-foot trail under the towering firs which is used for the school’s fitness program. The school kept native plants, including salal, huckleberry and snowberry, along borders and chose mostly drought-tolerant plants for other areas. A blueberry hedge along the driveway makes good use of an area that’s especially wet in winter.

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