Alden Gannon's Garden: The Morticia Addams School of Gardening?

Alden Gannon's description of his garden in the Northwest Perennial Alliance Open Gardens book has made me smile for several years now but ofr one reason or another, I've not been able to visit until now.  

This is the house next to Alden's. Notice how the colors of the plants echo those of the house.

Gannon gardens at both homes.  

"Call it the Morticia Addams school of gardening, I don't like flowers and often pick them off."

 "I buy ornate earthenware planters and fill them with dead sticks, and I dug up my evergreens because they don't look withered enough in winter."

"But beneath that Goth exterior beats a tropical heart.  Leaves. Really big ones like gunnera, petasites and darmera.  Grasses. Really big ones like stipa gigantica. Vines. Really big ones with shimmering leaves like parthenocissus henryana."

"Paris, trillium and arisaema hiding under the imposing canopy"

 "Bring a machete and blaze a trail to the backyard whtere you'll discover a koi pond and several as yet undiscovered species of newt and snail."

"At least there was a pond there was a pond there last winter.  First one to find it gets lemonade and cookies.  In the late spring the fences are draped with roses.  I promise I won't pick off their flowers until after the tour.  Just this once."

I only got this one bad picture of the impressive pond because I was so busy admiring  and asking questions about it.  It's much larger than it looks in this picture and the Aralia elata 'Variegata' behind the pond is equally impressive. Alden says they also swim in the pond which is home to some very handsome koi.  (Swimming with the fishes?)

Non gardener for scale.  The foliage here is huge and healthy!

A delightful poolside retreat.

Heading back out. 

Surprises everywhere.  One of the many things I admire about this amazing space is that plants are carefully chosen and placed, given adequate space and attention to grow to their fullest and most beautiful potential.  The garden is exuberant and lush but not cramscaped; an impressive balance.

Thanks so much, Alden, for opening your wonderful garden for so many to enjoy!