Halstead/Robinson Garden, first stop of the 2024 Fling

The first morning of the Puget Sound Garden Fling both buses boarded the Pt Defiance / Tahlequah ferry for the trip to Vashon Island. I've learned there are two kinds of people when it comes to a ferry trip; those that stay in their vehicle, and those that get out to experience the wind in their hair, smell the air, and generally make the most of it. Here Denise of A Growing Obsession and Tamara of Chickadee Gardens are sharing a moment. I love this photo of two of my favorite Garden Bloggers.

More bloggers on the upper level of the ferry.

So the other bus went to the Carhart Garden first (I've yet to write about that one) and the first stop for my bus was the Halstead/Robinson Garden.

I was immediately drawn to this combination of Hebe buxifolia, heuchera (the flowers I think) and Persicaria ‘Brushstrokes’. 

I don't know why exactly it spoke to me so loudly, as none of these plants are ones I particularly care for on their own. It was definitely a case of the sum being more than the value of the parts. I felt better when Jerry also called out the combination in his blog post on the garden, here.

This half acre garden is in the historic town of Dockton on Quartermaster on Maury Island (connected to Vashon), a harbor where WW1 ships were built. The home was constructed in 1908 and the gardener, Anita, moved here in 2000. The garden description in our Fling booklet notes that "twenty plants were lost to the 10 degree weather this past winter" I feel your pain Anita, I really do.

There was a labyrinth...

And a chess board...

I was most taken with the view of the water. I wonder if they also own the lot across the street (to keep their view intact)?

Another angle on the chess board.

Contrasting acanthus foliage.

I love it when a painted fern looks this good! 

Gritting my teeth, walking on by (bishops weed, my nemesis).

Great restraint on the deck. Yes, I would have needed to add more containers.

Sexy dark sweet peas.

Back out front now and other shot of the driveway topiary, without as many people.

I wonder how many of my fellow Flingers spotted this large twiggy bird's nest? It was out near the street and easily missed.

Back towards the house.

Walking back to the bus (for some reason it didn't drive down the street to the garden, we had to hoof it a couple blocks) we passed what seemed to be part neighborhood park, part eccentric garden, and maybe a restaurant? This truck with it's custom hood ornament was parked out front.

And just like that we were off to the next garden! (which was wonderful and I'll write about someday)

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All material © 2009-2024 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

Create a Scene in Malvern, PA (during the Philly Fling)

Would you believe I still have several Philly Fling gardens to write about? Crazy! Even more crazy is the fact that I saw this garden one year ago today. I didn't plan it this way, in fact I edited and uploaded these photos earlier this month and it was just a fluke that I chose today to post. 

Create a Scene, what a name right? It is the garden of floral designer Michael Bowell and the artist Simple.

This was a garden where we all (almost 100 of us) visited at the same time, instead of splitting and going to two separate gardens and then flipping. So in other words, this was a large garden...

It was also an incredibly personal garden and one I really loved exploring.

Yes, there is always an agave IF you look hard enough. Unfortunately sometimes it's not real.

While time has blurred my memories of visiting in person (what fun it was to go through the photos), I don't know that I would really have any more to say if I had posted the week after returning home. Mostly I just walked around with my mouth hanging open and my camera clicking.

There was a sort of nursery area in front the home. Not that any of the plants were for sale.

I wanted this strange shelving, seeing it again I am scheming how this would translate to my garden.

You've seen flashes of that barn red in previous photos, that indeed Michael and Simple's home.

As I explored this far off section of the garden I wondered if anyone would notice if I didn't make it back to the bus, would they come looking for me?

Luckily I made it back to the home to explore the greenhouses with my fellow Flingers.

More empty shelves...

This was all attached to the side of the home.

I think there's a pot under there, somewhere?

Greenhouses spaces are so mysterious and magical, especially when they're a little overgrown and abandoned. I was in heaven here.

Yep, I'm coveting that shelving too...

Oh look, a hot tub! Imagine wandering out of your home, through your greenhouse, and into your hot tub. Damn.

There was more than just one greenhouse structure, there was a whole series of them of different sizes and materials.

Back outside now. Here you can see the meeting of the house and the large glass greenhouse.

Fellow Flingers...

Up in the sky! It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a cat?

The spaces in between...

And the final photo. Are you intrigued? Confused? In awe? Me too.

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All material © 2009-2024 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.