NHS Meet the Board Tour '26; Stacie Crooks garden

Last July was a very busy month, I was determined however to squeeze in a trip to Seattle to attend the Northwest Horticultural Society Meet the Board Tour, I'm so glad I did! The eight gardens on the tour were absolutely fantastic. The day of the tour I left home just before 7 am to make the 3+ hour drive north to Stacie Crooks home in Edmonds, Washington. That's where I began the long day of touring...

You know seeing these agaves right out in the front garden made me happy.

A Pacific Northwest native, Stacie has been designing gardens and landscapes in the region for thirty years. Inspired by contemporary Mediterranean gardens, she specializes in drought-tolerant, low-maintenance, environmentally friendly designs. She is published regularly in Garden Gate Magazine and is a contributing editor for Fine Gardening (info pulled from the tour brochure, also, here is her website: Crooks Garden Design).

Let's head into the garden proper, admiring the containers along the way...

The colors in this garden just popped, and everything was pristine.

Now that's a nice front door planting. I would love to know where Stacie overwinters all of those containers. I'd have asked, but I didn't see her during my visit.

Just to the right of the grouping above was this planting.

Tucked back, almost up against the front of the house.

I was drawn back to this container grouping as I explored the area around the table and then further into the front garden.

A laminated spread from an old Seattle Times story on the garden.

Looking over my shoulder at where we entered, and then across the driveway to plantings on the other side (where the post began).

The tall clipped hedges made the perfect solid backdrop/barrier for this planting in the corner. (and I have no idea why Blogger is insisting on formatting this photo and text oddly!)

Walking the side garden...

Another looking back over my shoulder shot...(at the side garden).

And then I stepped out into the back garden. 

Bam! The color!

Melianthus major

Yep, looking back again.

Back of the home.

More fabulous container plantings, I love the consistent style.

Acanthus mollis wraps up the back garden plantings.

And then we're out along the driveway side plantings again...

And that concludes this tour!

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All material © 2009-2026 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude. 

Lan Su Garden's Floral Design Showcase, 2026

Somehow it's that time again, the Chrysanthemum Festival and Floral Design Showcase have returned to Portland's Lan Su Chinese Garden. As I rambled on about last year, attending the festival on opening day is an annual tradition, a seasonal marker. The weather for this year's event was glorious, a sunny day in November, in among some rainy ones.

Instead of documenting all the entries, I'm once again sharing only my personal favorites. We'll start with the creation of Jordyn Long of Forte Floral Artistry  (if there were names for this year's creations they unfortunately weren't published). I loved the design on top of the table, the one underneath just felt superfluous and distracting.

Here's the part I was drawn to, the blue thistle (Echinops? Eryngium?) with the Dianthus barbatus 'Green Ball'... love it!

Then there was what I can only describe as fungi on a stick. Odd. Are they real? I think so (dried), but I did not touch them (look at me, being a good girl!).

Next up, Angela Hoyt of Flowers By Donna. I heard audible gasps from people entering this space while I was there.

It's hard to tell, but this mannequin is life sized.

Side view

Her headdress was my favorite part.

Kirstin Garber was the floral artist behind this fish. A little explanatory signage or info on the website would have been appreciated. Why a fish?

It was well done.

And surprise! Another fish, or so I thought at first. It's actually a dragon. Amanda Bayha (Soul Seeds) has a nice "making of" video up on her Instagram account. It also shows that I'm missing some of the magic by not going at night, when the lights are a feature.

Next up,  "Through the Looking Glass" from Jayme Rabenberg / Bloommonger. I know it's called that because she put up a "making of" post on Instagram as well. The idea is that by standing in front of the work (the mirrors) you become a part of it. 

I walked through while the Floral Showcase judges were at work in front of it, so I didn't get to demonstrate that feature.

Next up, a portion of the installation by Linda Golaszewski of Rooms in Bloom; a hydrangea kite about to get stuck up in the trees. 

This creation was my hands-down favorite, from Stiner Banuelos of Flowers Now, Cry Later.

There was so much to take in, the details!

The "swag" tie-back on the left.

And on the right.

I first thought the squiggles were mushrooms, but no, they're celosia... so good!

This design was my next fav, it's so lush! From Michael Martin / Blossom Bar.

It's actually two arrangements in opposite corners of a window cut-out, and it's visible from both sides (I'll show the other side in a bit). The mix here was over-the-top (in the very best way) with so many mums but also anthurium, dark fern fiddleheads, persimmon, vines and more...

Here's the view from the other side...

In an unfortunate déjà vu moment, the event's "Featured Designer" was still working on her display well after opening. This same thing happened last year, but that person left the area open for attendees to see what she was up to. This year it was blocked off and you couldn't get close.

Moving on... the last design that I'll share, this one from Emily Thompson and Hazy Daisy Floral Co.

As with my two favorites (above, from Stiner Banuelos and Michael Martin) this "arrangement" was one with it's location. 

My favorite part...

That's it! Before I leave here's a glance across the water at what the "Featured Designer" was up to. I wish I could have seen it up close.

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All material © 2009-2026 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.