The Garden of Alison and Andrew Johnson

On June third, I had the pleasure of touring Alison and Andrew Johnson's Garden in Redmond, a Northwest Perennial Alliance open garden.

Let's hope this alarm doesn't go off!

"Originally from England and a Master Gardener, my garden has large borders of perennials and shrubs in the English Cottage garden style."

"I try to emulate the perennial borders of English country gardens but get distracted so I have herbs in with the roses and apple trees in the borders, and bananas next to the foxgloves."

Love this chair!  

"We have been here for 11 years. It was just lawn and conifers when we moved in and each year we chip away at the lawn making the borders deeper."

"The central feature is a little cottage which is actually a chicken coop!" With leaded glass windows no less!

"Behind the chicken cottatage is a fenced vegetable garden."

"We are lucky enough to have Rutherford Creek run through our property and this part of the garden is kept blackberry free but is left natural.

"I have a greenhouse where I try to grow a lot of my own perennials from seed and from cuttings."

"In the kitchen garden garden west of the property is where the honey bees live."

This kind of hive, a top bar, was new to me.  Andrew slid back the wood slat revealing a window through one can observe the bees at work inside the hive.  It was fascinating to observe.

Thanks Alison and Andrew for opening your gorgeous garden for us all to enjoy!  

Happy weekend everyone.  I hope yours is filled with lots of garden fun!