The repetition of limited color choices create structure and rhythm in this garden.
Further up the sidewalk.
As one travels further, the colors remain constant but the plants change a bit. Pink is really a shade of plum, right. Notice the golden hop vine weaving around on the lower right.
More yellow, plum and pink. This would really help narrow the plant choices when shopping!
On the front steps we see that an additional color, orange, has been added.
The color theme continues to weave its way through more plants.
Lovely pergola/arbor at the front sidewalk welcomes one to the inside garden.
A path on the side of the house leads to the mini farm in the back 40 (feet)
There were little signs taped on various parts of the garden so that you'd not miss them. The patio pavement is, the sign proclaims, permeable.
Nicely integrated water catcher.
Look, it's a loquat! And just behind that is a compost fence.
I don't think this is the kind of compost that you'd throw your food scraps in.
There were three of these 625 gallon cisterns to collect water from the gutters on the eaves of the house. I can see these filling up fairly quickly in the winter and drying out even faster in the summer.
"A productive organic garden features low-maintenance plants, Northwest natives and edibles. The backyard is a demonstration site featuring rainwater harvesting with cisterns, a compost fence, permeable paving, a large kitchen garden, a flock of chickens, doves and an Angora rabbit." Unfortunately the bunny had passed away
Alison going back to make friends with the chickens. Notice plum, yellow, orange, and green.
Looking at the back of the house.
"The Carlson garden has been featured in many local and national magazines: Seattle Homes and Lifestyles, Organic Gardening, Natural Home and This Old House, to name a few.
Jennifer is a seasoned public speaker who instructs on sustainable landscape-design topics for Seattle Public Utilities, Snohomish Conservation District, Seattle Tilth, and others.
Her landscape-design company, Haven Illustrated, is the proud winner of the Envirostar Green globe Award."
Thank you Jennifer and Elroy for opening your garden of wonderful ideas for us to enjoy and learn from.
The compost fence is the kind of structure to which to add daylily blooms, gathered in the evening at the end of the day when they'll be gone the next day anyhow. I can think of all kinds of 'decoration' to add: red stems of Poke Weed, prunings from purple plants like Loropetalum, Hydrangea heads.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun. I may trade my stock tank compost bin for some cattle panels. The stock tank no longer held water. It self-sealed and I found a mosquito haven out there.
What great ideas for decoration for a compost fence! Sorry to hear about your mosquito farm - I mean stock tank.
DeleteThis was a very pleasantly put together garden. I really enjoyed the chickens, and the compost fence is a cool idea. The colors did eventually get just a bit repetitive and predictable. They need someone with your flair for the chaotic to shake things up more.
ReplyDeleteToo funny- "flair for the chaotic" That's a nice way of saying that I have no control when it comes to buying plants and no discipline when it comes to planting them. It's funny because it's true and my whole garden has become a pot ghetto. Sometimes I don't even pretend that plants will get put in the ground anytime soon and just pot them up instead.
DeleteI'm too much of a plant lover to be that regimented in my color choices, although I have finally managed a bit of chaos control in that I'm trying to keep the pink blooming plants in the front garden and the oranges in the back garden. Trying, not necessarily succeeding.
ReplyDeleteOh and did I spy a bit of Bishops Weed in the 5th and 13th pictures? It amazes me when that stuff can be included and yet not take over! (like in your garden)...
It would be difficult to limit choices as there is such a variety of plants that have lovable attributes of one sort or another that might not fit into an established category. Come to think of it, we limit our plant choices by the following rule: Do I like it?
DeleteThat sure looks like bishop's weed to me. Mine still hasn't taken on the bamboo root laden ground in the shady direction but I did pull a bit that was trying to encroach on the pathway.
I enjoyed this tour though I identify more with those who have the "flair for the chaotic" :) There is ALWAYS something to learn & beauty comes in many shapes, sizes & colors, doesn't it? Keep the garden tour photos comin'!
ReplyDeleteI love that not having talent for creating structure and design is now called a flair for the chaotic. It was a nice garden to see and gain ideas from but I'm too random to pull it off the way they did!
DeleteThat's the garden I'd like to have if I could just prevent my constant plant collecting proclivities from getting in the way...
ReplyDeleteThis plant collecting habit can really mess up a well thought out plan. Long ago, I created a parking strip garden that was all yellow & orange roses and lavender. It was lovely for a while but it didn't last as the temptation to add more got the best of me.
DeleteNarrowing plant choices? I don't think that is in your DNA, Peter. The regimented look out front did give way to a certain amount of chaos in the back. I liked their use of rocks quite a bit.
ReplyDeleteThere were many admirable things about this garden but you're right, I like variety of color and form way too much to be able to carry something like that off.
DeleteI like it. I like when people think of how the garden should look and be planted, but I love plants, as danger garden says, so it is difficult to choose only some colors.
ReplyDeleteHow can they maintain those rocks one in top of the other without falling? are they sticked?
I like the way the color restriction allows for a huge variety of forms and textures to shine.
DeleteA hole is drilled in each hole and either a metal pipe or rebar is placed through the holes. It's just like stringing beads.
You had me literally laughing out loud with, "Don't get me wrong, I put a lot of thought into my garden as well but mostly it's along the lines of what can I put there to cover up that giant mistake." Hello? We must be related. :) ... Fun garden and nice house colors. I also love the use of rocks. However, I couldn't possibly restrict my plant palette as thoroughly as they have. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice that we're kindred spirits. I admire those who can but I have the same difficulty that many have expressed in narrowing my plant palette. A little bird told me (o.k. anyone who reads your blog knows) that someone really likes pink and has a LOT of pink flowers in her garden.
DeleteI love the color of this garden, especially on the buildings themselves and the furnishings -- so cheery and fun. The pieced-wood barn door is amazing. This looks like a garden that would be really fun to explore. Thanks for showing it.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure indeed! There were many things to discover in this garden!
DeleteWhat a wealth of ideas in this garden. The color scheme is lovely, but I would not want to be held to such tight rules in my plant choice.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if they ever feel limited by their palette? As soon as I'd picked a group of colors, I'd immediately get the itch to add something different. I really love the walkway to their back garden. I like how lush and full it feels.
ReplyDeleteWhat a well-thought out garden. I tried doing the completely planned thing a while ago. I've since thrown out much of those concepts of "careful planning" and adopting a "go with the flow", "plant it where ever it looks decent and fits" mindset. Basically shove it into the ground as soon as possible in a place where it should be happy and doesn't look completely horrible. It's working pretty well, so far.
ReplyDelete