Walking Through the Garden of Don Brooks

I sincerely appreciate the gardeners who open their gardens for us to see. 

This year's NPA (Northwest Perennial Alliance) open gardens are fabulous - so different, so loved by their owners and so inspiring!

Following are some pictures from the garden of Don Brooks and Chris Syrjala (Seattle, WA)

that I was fortunate to visit.

Absolutely charming views of wisteria corner:

This is what Don says about their garden in the NPA Open Gardens directory:

"We moved here in1978 to a small house with minimal landscaping. 

The property has gone through many changes from a large veggie/fruit garden, 

to a children's garden, then perennial borders and now a collectors garden. 

Here you will find over 100 conifers, around 75 deciduous trees 

including some 60 maples as well as many companion plantings. 

We also have over 50 tons of stone, water features and other items of curiosity".

Don retired from 35 years of professional gardening and now, at last, 

has time to work in his own place and on his own pace. 

He says: "No problem that is probably 25% of what I used to do. 

Now, it's mostly about the process of being out in my own garden."

There were plenty items of curiosity as Don calls them!

One of my favorite features were these unique 'tables':

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Found objects, repurposed stuff, natural materials... 

you just want to run home and create something 

from whatever you can find in your own garden and around.

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More pictures. These were taken with an iPhone:

Thank you Don and Chris for giving us such a great opportunity to be amazed, surprised and inspired!

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If you want to see where Don worked before retiring, watch this video:

https://youtu.be/GT6nGpHTGvs

 

***Copyright 2021 TatyanaS