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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Friday, October 2, 2015

The Garden of Sherri Wilson

Back on August first, on the Bainbridge Island NPA garden tour, I followed the directions in th book to the next garden but paid little attention to the name of the gardener.  Walking into this garden, I knew that it would be something special.   I wonder what the story is behind this pine bedecked with miniature cups?



Around every corner are interesting objects and collections of great plants!







Seating areas in gardens are quite ornamental.  How many avid gardeners get much time to actually sit in their gardens?


This garden is clearly the product of a plant-crazed collector!

Wide swaths of lawn with beautiful borders 
 lead to more intimate paths and gardens to explore.


 Cool fountain made with augers.

 This rock work was done by Sherri's husband.



Formal elements, rustic charm...this garden has a little of everything!


Including this fab greenhouse.

I think that it was about here when I heard a voice say, "I know you!"  Looking up at the source of the voice, a flood of memories came over me.  It was Dr. Wilson, a veterinary internist who, in 2004, helped us keep our beloved Felix alive and happy for another year. He was only four, a tiny dog who lived life in a big way!  Felix on the right next to Stryder.

We had lovely chats in her office, located an hour and a half drive north of us, about the book I was reading (Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris) and about gardening.  Dr. Wilson told me about this organization called The Northwest Perennial Alliance and recommended that I join.  Unfortunately, I didn't follow that advice until a few years later.  Dr. Wilson will always hold a special place in my heart for allowing us some extra time with this special guy!

I ran into Dr. Wilson again at the first Heronswood spring sale since it's closure years earlier and I thanked her again!  Now here I was in her garden which, like her vocation is a work of love of and passion for living things.

Meanwhile, back to the greenhouse, a relatively new addition to the garden.

An enviable collection of tender succulents surrounds the structure. 




The fun continues inside!

A gardener/collector after my own heart!

Her space is as full of interesting stuff as is her brilliant mind.





I wanted to simply move into the greenhouse but there was a lot more great garden to see!

Great Gunnera Batman, that's a cool fountain!

Sherri takes care of the entire garden herself.  Can you believe it?  She says that her secret to easier maintenance  is liberal applications of steer manure each spring. Because her work involves so much illness and death, she revels in the vibrancy and life in her garden.

On the other side of the greenhouse is another seating area.  Picture yourself sitting here surrounded by friends on a warm summer evening.  I miss summer already!

This area, part of an old barn, was, until recently, used as a storage area.  It's been cleared out and now houses more of Sherri's collections.

For even better images of this garden, see Tatyana's great post here

A circle pot from Potted. 





So many drool-worthy plants!

Horse shoe sea horse. Try saying  that ten times quickly.




The lady who sold the house, where she'd lived for many years, to the Wilsons continued to be a neighbor.  Each year, she'd come and get apples from "her" tree and bring the Sherri and her husband some of what she made with them.  She shared stories of her life in the house as the Wilsons were remodeling.

Sherri and her husband have recently purchased the property adjoining theirs.  One wonders what wonderful gardens will go in there.  Do you think they'd mind if I moved there if I promised to help with the gardening?

Thank you, Sherri, for opening your garden and for opening your heart to so many pets and their people.  Fortunately, I've had the pleasure of experiencing both of your works of heart.

May your weekend be filled with garden adventures everyone!

27 comments:

  1. What a wonderful surprise to find out that a garden that you're loving is owned and tended by somebody you know! Gardens provide life balance for many of us.

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    1. It was a great surprise indeed! You're right, gardening is a great source of balance!

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  2. My kind of garden: few 'rules' and room for lots of objects that personally delight the collector.

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  3. A garden of my own heart: full of whimsy and collectables. Serious drool over the new green house addition. They should be happy to have you as a neighbor; any gardener would delight in having a kindered spirit living next door.

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    1. Yes, a marvelous garden for sure! I'll start packing!

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  4. Wonderful garden and backstory. Of course your paths of crossed again, you're both talented gardeners and special people.

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  5. "Works of heart" is right. What a lovely place! Like Jean said above, it has few rules and lots of objects (and plants) that personally delight the gardener. Thanks for sharing it.

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  6. I don't know how you do it, Peter: visit so many gardens, blog extensively about them, maintain your own garden and greenhouse and even hold down a real job. I guess that's how you touch so many lives and have friends and stories spilling out all over the place. This was a good story about friends (canine and human) and a wonderful garden that serendipitously threw you together again.

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    1. Well, if you could see my greenhouse right now, which looks like a tornado hit it, you'd know that all of those things you mention don't always happen simultaneously. It was very special to be in Sherri's garden!

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  7. I love this garden - it looks absolutely amazing...Sherri is very talented indeed!

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  8. vets are my heroes. Your Felix, Ein's cataracts -- such amazing skill and compassion. Thanks for a look at this wonderful garden.

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  9. It's a beautiful garden. I love that greenhouse space. I'm glad you were able to reconnect with this wonderful vet again. People like her have a tremendous impact in supporting our companions and, through them, us as well.

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    1. I wonder if vets know how much we appreciate all they do for us?

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  10. I stopped by Dig on Vashon today, enroute to a meet up with some blog friends. Looking at the photos of all the plants around this greenhouse reminds me of what I saw today.
    This woman seems to be a very special person, with obviously a very special garden.
    Great post. Peter.

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    1. Hope you enjoyed Dig as much as I do! She and her garden are very special/

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  11. I don't know where to start. This is the type of garden where I would feel so at home from the start. It appears warm and simple, but we know that much tender, loving care has gone into creating and tending it. Love, love, love that greenhouse!

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    1. It is a very comfortable and welcoming place full of great plants and lots of spaces to sit and take it in!

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  12. This garden is special Peter, I love the stone path. It's good to see you are still featuring some wonderful gardens.

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    1. I've only a couple more gardens from the summer tour season that haven't been posted and then it'll be off to find fall color!

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  13. What a lovely garden and a greenhouse full of quirky things. . Clearly, Sherri is a kindred spirit, her garden and greenhouse remind me of yours. Beautiful!

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    1. That's quite a compliment, Chloris. Sherri's garden is much larger than my own, but many wonderful and quirky things reminded me of my own space.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.