'Bainbridge in Bloom' Garden Tour: 'Tranquil Water Sanctuary'

This was the 30th and last 'Bainbridge in Bloom' Garden Tour that benefits AHB (Arts & Humanities Bainbridge) which supports cultural organizations and artists.
During those 30 tours, garden lovers (approximate 50,000)  enjoyed 150 beautiful, diverse gardens on the island.
This year, I had a chance to visit six gardens. Today, I'm sharing with you pictures of Kate and Laurent's garden 'Tranquil Water Sanctuary' - this is how  their garden was nicknamed by the 'Bainbridge in Bloom' organizers. As the nickname implies, it has a prominent water feature that became a favorite among the tour guests. The big pond with a waterfall attracted everyone's attention.

Truly a piece of garden art!

I personally was especially drawn to the Cotinus with its horizontal shape and vivid wine-red color.

I love Cotinus coggugria (Smoke bush) for its shapeability. In my own garden, I realized how flexible this fast-growing tree is and how many configurations you can give it with pruning.

The garden wraps around the house. Neat paths are outlined with Japanese maples and birches and framed with carefully selected grasses, shrubs, ferns, groundcovers and perennials.

Grasses provide a rhythm, and rhododendrons, hellebore, heuchera, brunnera, digitalis and peonies add excitement with their colorful blooms.

I wouldn't say that garden art pieces were in abundance, but each beautiful piece is tastefully and thoughtfully placed.

The garden is young, and the plants have space to grow and spread.

Now, here is the vegetable garden designed by Kate herself. It got its fair share of admiration.

New chicken coop:

Edible flowers are included in the raised beds.

For me, this garden looked like a chapter from a textbook, so well planned and thoughtfully planted.
I never compare gardens as each of them serves its owners and reflects their tastes.
Although my own garden is more disheveled and far less planned, I see some features that I could use. Among them, carefully chosen plants and their smart arrangements to give the garden a sense of unity. As they say, repetition, repetition, repetition!

Thank you, Kate and Laurent, for opening your garden for us, for preparing it so well for the tour and for answering multiple questions asked by the guests!
People really enjoyed it.

***Copyright 2018 TatyanaS

Dallas Arboretum: Pumpkin Village-2017

Almost wordless post.
There were 90,000 pumpkins, squash and gourds in Dallas Arboretum's Pumpkin Village this year.
Enjoy the walk through one of the best fall displays in America. 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' was the theme. Be a kid again, learn the names of the pumpkins, squash and gourds, meet the characters of the favorite story.

September Garden. Just Pictures

Yes, September, not October... It's good when there is no time for blogging, isn't it?

Fletcher Bay Gardens on Bainbridge Bloom Tour - 2017

Just the first look at this garden told me that it was worth it to drive all the way to Bainbridge Island to attend the 29th 'Bainbridge in Bloom' Garden Tour.

It's not easy to beat the beauty of a mature garden set among towering majestic Douglas fir trees.

It's the Fletcher Bay Gardens, whose owners created a tranquil oasis, starting in 1986 on a two-acre lot covered by blackberries and scotch broom.

If to choose just several words to describe the garden, it'll be lush, healthy, authentic, inviting and meticulously maintained.

I loved everything here: huge variety of plants, mass plantings, mature trees covered with moss, restricted, smart use of hardscaping materials, peaceful atmosphere.  

All this evoked excitement, a sense of mystery and a great appreciation of all the time and hard work involved in creating and maintaining this garden.

Smart vegetable garden and fabulous greenhouse (more  pictures of it we'll see later).

The pictures follow the walk that we made through the garden.

Lupins were everyone's favorites. Just look at their colors!
And alliums were fabulous too!

Rhody, Australian Shepherd, welcomed guests and was very friendly.

I liked this pergola combining a charm of the old world with a modern twist.

Seeing masses of perennials made me want to return to the garden when they are in bloom.

Clumps of healthy looking, generous size Hosta in different parts of the garden attracted attention.

The garden design creates expectations of something special along the whole walk toward the house.
The side path leads to a quiet, peaceful spot with a water feature.

On the top of the property, there is a studio with a B&B loft upstairs.

Charming!

Inviting spot on the porch... Just imagine sitting there in the morning with a cup of coffee...

Dense plantings and, again, stunning variety of plants ensures a garden interest throughout the year.

Doll House with a swing nearby, and that wonderful, luxurious Hosta...

Fairyland...

A gardener's dream...

The greenhouse reminds me of a museum...

Gorgeous garden, friendly, knowledgeable gardeners... It was a pleasure visiting Fletcher Bay Gardens.
Thank you, Marj and Nick, for opening your garden for us.
It became one of my favorite northwest gardens.

***Copyright 2017 TatyanaS