SEATTLE FLING THE BIRRELL GARDEN

The garden next door I would describe as more of a woodland garden. Shaded pathways wind their way between large Douglas fir trees. Everywhere there were places to sit and enjoy the surrounding plants, most of which I am not familiar.

Or even relax on a hammock under these towering tees.


The homeowners are keen vegetable gardeners and a large portion of their garden was given over to the growing of fruits and vegetables.

I loved the idea of growing beans up this frame, up and away from other plants in the bed.

Some serious compost bins.

The brightly colored shed with its reclaimed windows and siding. The Birrell's son, who works in construction, renovated this once dilapidated shed.

A nice crop of garlic drying on mesh trays.

THE DUNN GARDEN

We ate our box lunches in the Dunn Gardens.

The shade beneath the towering Douglas firs was very welcome on a warm day. Carpets of sedum in flower.

Always on the lookout for paving ideas, I loved the use of slate on edge, to break up expanses of concrete in the pathways.

THE CENTER FOR URBAN HORTICULTURE

This was our final stop of the day. We had a short tour through the display gardens.

Everyone was impressed with the tall grasses growing on either side of the pathway. We were surprised to find they were are variety of Stipa and not surprisingly Stipa gigantea. Surely we can grow this in Texas, but have never seen it there.

Wow! I felt like a kid in a candy store when I went into the Elizabeth C Miller library. They must have every book ever written, not just on horticulture but all kinds of design. There are 15,00 books in their collection. I was drawn immediately to this section on English gardens. What I wouldn't give to spend a rainy day or two in there.

Who is this? Well of course it is our own Maydreams, Carol, posing with her article, 'Eccentric in Nature' in the current Horticulture magazine. I must remember to tell Carol tomorrow about the eccentric people that bought our house in Toronto. The neighbors were puzzled as to why they saw yards and yards of soil being moved into the house! It was going down into the basement where the new homeowners were growing... not mushrooms but worms. Imagine what that did to the humidity in the house, among other things.

What better way to top off the day than with a little wine, cheese and shopping hosted by Ravenna gardens.



Followed by a dinner at 50 North, organized by Diana, Sharing Nature's Garden. We walked back to the hotel stopping to admire this art work outside one apartment building.

and this pond with its ever changing luminous glass sculpture.