The Garden of Udell Fresk

At the end of May, Blogger pal Alison (Bonney Lassie) and I met our friend Emily (All Things Emily) in Bellevue to tour four gardens that were open as part of the Northwest Perennial Alliance Open Gardens for the first time this year.  What fun we had!  First on the tour was the garden of Udell Fresk.

The secret of a great open garden is an exuberant host.  We were greeted by this adorable guy who wanted to make sure we saw the sign! 

Udell's words will guide us: "Seventeen years ago, our hillside lot was covered with English ivy, vinca, and rhodies.  Not being a gardener, I didn't mind, this was easy maintenance."

"Then I went to the Bellevue Botanical Garden and Garden d'Lights! I loved the lights and became involved, not only with lights but with people, wonderful people.  Next I joined the NPA, fisited fabulous gardens, discovered English ivy was bad, and needed to do something about my yard."

"Turning a yard into a garden requires a plan; simple, keep the rhodies and replace the ivy and vinca with heather.  Until I attended my first NPA plant sale!  I became addicted.  Like Ciscoe, I had to have one of everything."

"My creationist plan gave way to evolution and survival of the fittest.  Instead of ivy and vinca there are epimediums, gunnera, tetrapanax, fatsia, fuchsias, hardy cyclamen, hostas, podophyllum, jasmine, and others whose tags got away and names are forgotten."

A formal area near the entry lends elegance and structure near the entry of the house.

"Come on guys, there's lots more to see!" beckons our tour guide.

This beautifully grown specimen has me thinking that I've got to find space for a gunnera in my garden.  I've missed not having one for the last few years.  (Mine got shaded out, declined and was done in by the phormium killing winters.)

"Please stop by,tour my garden, tell me what you like and don't. I'm still a beginner and welcome your advice."  Udell was as charming as her furry friend and was a gracious host although she didn't lick our hands.  On the other hand she did make us refreshments.

Red begonias stand out like jewels among the hostas and draw us to explore the path.

In the other direction is a sloping garden with beautiful punctuation like this Trachycarpus forrtunei.

Restful seating area at the base of the first staircase.  Notice the trunk on the left.

Quercus dentata pinnatifida is a favorite tree.  I'm now in love with this garden and it's gardener!

I love Paris (polyphylla) in the springtime, I love Paris in the Fall.  (Apologies to Cole Porter) Also apologies to Paris as this is Lysimachia paridiformis var. stenophylla.  (Got no song for that one.) Thanks for catching that, Loree.  

 The garden is in progress and the path to the street below is blocked.

Remember the trunk from the patio picture?  It belongs to this tetrapanax which actually bloomed last year.  It's in a very sheltered location between two houses.  It's the only one  in the PWN that I've heard of actually beating the frost.  Udell said that she enjoyed a nice view from her bedroom window of the blooms from above.  How cool is that?

Thanks for stopping by!  Come visit again o.k?  

Thank you so much, Udell, for opening your beautiful garden for us to enjoy and for providing us such a sweet tour guide!

Swinging by Swanson's

Another great part about visiting Chava Nessenbaum and Erron Swanson's garden is that it's a three minute drive from Swanson's Nursery.  An afternoon with the Swansons!  I'd not visited the nursery at this time of year before and wow, it was packed with great plants.  Well, it's June and all.  Come and share some of the fun I had there.

There are always great combinations planted up at Swanson's. One can buy the finished product or steal the ideas be inspired by the ideas, buy the elements and recreate them at home. 

Something for every light situation 

and any color preference.

This symphony of succulents in orange and blue was my favorite.

All sorts of veggie starts.

An entire area devoted to tomatoes.  

Hey look!  That's Begonia 'Gene Daniels' that I first fell in love with at Annie's Annuals but decided it would be too delicate to be squished into my luggage.  I found one at Hortlandia last year and it's grown huge and bloomed all winter.  It's a gorgeous plant and when the sun shines through those leaves, they resemble stained glass.  Go to Swanson's right now and buy one!

You don't suppose that growth regulators were used by the supplier do you?  We've all read so many descriptions of the beauty of short and squat delphiniums right?   On the other hand, these have the benefit of most likely not snapping in half in the car on the ride home.

 Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame' lived for some last winter, not for me or many other gardeners I've chatted with.  It's a lovely thing but mine won't be replaced.

Especially when this lovely option exists!  The description is in the next image.

Gorgeous silver foliage!

Dianthus 'Green Ball' is ideal for green flower lovers. 

The path goes on and on.

Sunsprite is one of my favorite yellows.  Easy to grow, nice fragrance, bold color.  

Sempervivum on steroids!

There's always room for a few more of these!

Lots of gems in the rare and unusual section.

Polygonatum odoratum 'Akajiku'  from Harkaway Botanicals, a specialty grower in Canada.  I also saw their plants at Wells Medina Nursery recently.  Love that red stem!

Disporum sessile 'Island Moon'

What do you think of 'China Blue?'  The more saturated blooms of   regular betonicifolia, xsheldonii, and lingholm appeal more to me but maybe it would be different in person.

More to explore!

This would make a beautiful gift.  One could enjoy it this way for a year orso and then have the fun of pulling it apart

All expensive compost orchids were on sale.

This is great one plant/one pot (as God intended) but in matching pots on a green tray.  

That four letter word that every plant addict lives to hear:  SALE.  Unfortunately, nothing here that I couldn't live without.

Glorious double purple clematis

with a fancy tag,

fancy flowers,

and a fancy $50.00 price tag.  Sure is a pretty clematis!

Pseudopanax laetus

One of my favorite trees (aren't they all?)  Quercus dentata pinnatifida or Japanese Emperor Oak with leaves to die for.

 Schefflera taiwaniana 'Yuan Shan'

Acer palmatum 'Ukigumo' (Floating Clouds Japanese Maple)  

If I could only grow one Stachyurus, it would be 'Joy forever' because of it's exceptionally lovely gold variegated foliage.

Try and contain yourself! Pots on sale for 30% off.  I wish I could pull off a modern, clean look with cool pots like these.  

Alas, I live in a crowded jungle that  lacks the negative space to make pots like this sing.

These, on the other hand would work perfectly if only I needed or had space for another pot in my garden.

Red!  

Butterflies on pot.  

Unusual shape!

Is this what they mean when they talk about "going green?"  I have a serious crush on the turquoise shell patterned pots on the right.

Fun s-shaped hanging plant display.

Whoever put these together is a genius.  The color echoes are perfect!

 Another serious temptation, Chamaecyperus lawsonia 'Imbric'  has the form of a small Weeping Willow tree and it's evergreen.  Oh to have more space!

No visit to Swanson's is complete without a visit to the indoor pond! 

Off to the cafe to get a cool beverage for the ride home.  Thanks for joining me for a walk through this wonderful nursery!