The Garden of Jacqueline and Lawrence Houston

It's always exciting to see the "New" icon next to a garden in the Northwest Perennial Alliance Open Gardens book which means that this garden hasn't been open before.  That icon appeared after the listing for the garden of Jacqueline and Lawrence Houston so I had to check it out.

"I garden on the edge of a ravine in Maple Leaf, on three different levels.  The main level in the back yard is a romantic English-style garden full of old fashioned once-flowering roses and mixed perennials.  The lower level is a drought-tolerant foliage-based garden that ends in a rustic gazebo, and is an ongoing experiment to see how much color I can incorporate without having to water.  The front yard is a cheerful cottage garden of mixed shrubs and perennials.  I am incorporating more bird-friendly plantings every year."

The signs posted outside the fence had me puzzled until I learned that Jacqueline runs a preschool/daycare here where the kids are outside every day.  Can you imagine being a child exploring this magical space? 

The front entrance was so enticing but the sign asked that we enter through the drive on the left which leads to the middle level garden.

It was thrilling to see a white bucket left within sight.  

As the driveway descended, the fragrance of roses and the sight of lush growth made my heart skip a beat. 

So many paths - which one to explore first? 

Bottle-edged bed.  A couple of weekends ago, I decided to try this but, unlike my classy friend, Alison, who asked her friends to save bottles for her, I went dumpster diving in the glass recycling bins around the neighborhood.  Unfortunately, I didn't like my result  in the bed I'd dug so I now have a ton of bottles and also a crystal vase that someone threw into the recycling. I'm still determined to do this somewhere one of these days.

Now we  descend further into the drought-tolerant lower garden  which is backed by towering old trees.

Down there, see. 

The path winds around.

Straightening out a bit. 

And leads to the rustic gazebo. 

Looking back from the gazebo.

From inside the gazebo looking back up the hill.   There are all kinds of  playthings for the kids inside and a small fenced area to the left for rainy days.

Back up the hill. 

We're back in the romantic garden. 

I don't know if we were supposed to explore this cool tree-house feeling deck but I did. 

To the left of the "tree house" is this slide.  The kids must love playing in this delightful garden!

Looking down from the deck on the middle-level romantic garden.  

Back up the other side to the top garden.

Oh my, this was worth saving for last and kept the traffic flow working well. 

Love the silvery foliage and deep purple flowers of this Buddleia/Buddleja.

A friend and nursery shopping companion of Jacqueline was up on this level and showed us some pictures of the garden before all of this.  I recognized a fellow plant addict  and asked about her favorite area nurseries. 

One last look before we hit the road to explore those nurseries. 

I loved the exuberance and lived-in feel of this garden.  It's a place for people of all ages to find magic and blooms, lots of blooms.   Thank you so much Jacqueline and Lawrence for opening your gorgeous garden for us to enjoy!

DIG Nursery

For me, Vashon Island means DIG nursery.  In fact, although the island is a wonderful place, it was the description of DIG in the late Stephanie Feeney's The Northwest Gardeners' Resource Directory that prompted my first visit to the island and it was through many subsequent DIG visits that I came to appreciate Vashon's many charms, including a few other nurseries there.  Since the nursery and property are for sale, I worried that this gem of a place would perhaps not be as stellar as in previous years.  Turns out, the opposite is the case and there were treasures abounding, mouthwateringly displayed in Sylvia's inimitable style. 

Leucospermum 'Brothers' immediately caught my eye and reminded me of Hoover Boo and Kris's smashing success with growing Leucospermum 'Yellow Bird.'  Very tempting to bring one of these home but they aren't hardy in the ground here and, while the blooms are spectacular and long lasting, the plant itself is so-so.  I'd most likely kill it so instead only a picture came home with me.

Although, there are lots more buds waiting to bloom....NO!  Don't do it.  Well maybe...

Oh, that Little and Lewis fountain. 

NOID Ilex that always garners attention with it's laurel-like foliage and generous clusters of brilliant red berries.

Blooming Aloe.  Seems like a shipment from California has arrived.

Aloes, opuntia and agave, oh my!  Hey, what's that Restio on the right? 

Why, I believe it's Elegia capensis.  Major moment of nostalgia.  This was the first restio that I grew many years ago.  It made it through several winters outside as it had become too large to bring into the house and I didn't have a greenhouse at the time.  Finally, one of our Phormium Killing Winters  took it but it remained one of my favorite restios.  I hadn't seen it offered locally since the PKWs.  That first plant came from, you guessed it, DIG.  One of these had to come home with me!

 More agave.  (A. attenuata and maybe 'Cream Spike?)

The fab industrial water feature. 

Kalanchoe thyrsiflora 'Tricolor'

Meanwhile, inside the "Greenhaus"  the xeric theme continues.

That blue cactus on the right,  what is it?  Anyone?  I got one last year but there's a grower who is selling these without labels.   It's the most incredible color!

And it looks like there may be one with your name on it!

The kokedama craze is in full swing.  I like the idea of displaying them in these wooden vessels as it's similar to  the look of epiphytes growing in huge trees.

 

Anic is DIG's newest kokedama creator and a delightful person. 

It was nice, as always,  to chat with Ross.  Sylvia, unfortunately, was sick in bed  and I missed hearing her take on current horticultural trends.

Yes!  Finally, the kind of  kokedama that a lazy gardener like myself could accomplish!

Just plop a plant into one of these and boom, your done.

Back outside

Is that Yucca 'Bright Star' shining in the blue pot?  

 Orange!  (I'm guessing that's Berberis darwinii behind the Gazania Daisies)

Geranium (Pelargonium)  'Black Boar'   

So sweet.

Podophyllum 'Spotty Dotty'  

Come on in and sit a spell...if you can find a space not covered in plants.  This feels like home at the moment.

Time to pay for my plants and load the plantmobile. 

Hope you enjoyed looking around DIG.  We'll visit again soon.

Have a great and garden-filled weekend all and may the fourth be with you!