Paul's Seattle garden, kinda cool...

This last trip up to Seattle was so much fun, I got to visit with a few different friends and see their gardens, one of which was Paul's garden. Paul and I first met via Instagram and we've chatted back and forth for years now. I met him IRL when he came to my first talk at the Northwest Flower & Garden Fest back in, hmm, 2022. Summer of 2023 he and his wife Ange visited my garden, so it was high time that I see what he's been up to in his plot of land in SW Seattle...

And I should explain that "kinda cool" comment. Paul's garden is more than just kinda cool, but I was trying to play off his Instagram name, kiiinnndddaaa. Also, if you were one of the millions of people who attended the Rancho Cistus Summer Extravaganza last July, Paul was the guy DJ'ing the event.

Front garden, along the driveway...

Heptapleurum (syn.Schefflera) sp. NV 021 from Far Reaches.

I didn't ask to confirm, but I suspect that perfectly stout Yucca rostrata probably came home with Paul and Ange from the Cistus party weekend. The fabulous branches belong to an inherited maple.

At first glance the front garden seems pretty shady, but once we started walking it I saw just how many sun-lovers were thriving on bermed up islands with good drainage. 

Alstroemeria isabellana, with a yucca for support.

Towards the bottom center of this photo, Agave 'Mateo'... a great one for our PNW gardens.

Nolina some somebody...

There were even Anemone, A. 'Honorine Jobert'

In the center there, a Sabal minor, from Raintree Tropical down in Silverton, Oregon.

The great green wall streetside, a Holboellia coriacea and Tetrapanax.

Looking back into the front garden from the street...

And the palmy view up against the house.

To see the back garden we went through the house. This curated vignette was to the side of the front door...

And then, the sunny back garden! Scanning from left to right...

Palms at the far end of the sunny deck.

This great bit of foliage was growing up one of the uprights of the covered sun deck, Hydrangea integrifolia, it's a Great Plant Picks.

Looking back to the house (that's the door we came out of above the stairs...

And to the left, lots of containers!

To start the back garden tour we headed to the north side.

I stopped to photograph one of the several glass mosaic pieces in the garden, Ange shared these were made Paul's mom.

Sun lovers fronted by a small pond.

Eryngium deppeanum, a Windcliff plant (and now another Eryngium on my lust list).

One of the tallest Yucca rostrata in Seattle? Paul scored this one by watching the Facebook marketplace offerings for years. As soon as this beauty appeared he went and dug it (painfully) same day. I love that it's growing at a jaunty angle.

Another good looking speciman!

Paul bought this one as Arbutus 'Marina' but reports that Preston (at Cistus) told him it's now believed to be Arbutus canariensis. He adds: "Unless sited perfectly it's bound to suffer damage in a bad PNW winter. I saw one planted on the street in a Capitol Hill neighborhood before I really got into gardening and I always say it was my spark plant because it was first time I brought a photo into nursery asking for help to ID"...

You'll see another photo of the Arbutus because before I left Paul invited me up on the second floor deck off the back of the house to see the garden from above.

Notholithocarpus densiflorus var. echinoides (I swoon!)...

Another Arbutus, A. andrachne, the Greek strawberry tree...

Dangling seeds of Dierama pulcherrimum.

We're back over where we started the back garden tour, so Paul can dig a couple of agave pups for me...

Isn't that the most adorable Agave bracteosa? I wish mine looked that good. I think it must be because it gets a lot of sun?

Agave lophantha that Paul purchased from Bryon Jones (he of Pt. Defiance Zoo fame) and the mom of the pups I got.

Two of those spiky cuties came home with me!

Yucca aloifolia (?) and a flawless Agave ovatifolia. 

Looking across to the sun deck, what a great lounging space, as Ange is demonstrating...

Later (post agave digging) Paul with Nilla (on the left, the most adorable and chill chihuahua I've ever met) and Jujube on the right.

In addition to the agave pups, Paul sent me home with a start from his Iris confusa (in the tall pot). I love how he disguised the pot with a burlap wrap. I'll be stealing this idea.

Okay final couple shots, from the second floor deck...

To the right of the banana is the Arbutus canariensis.

As I was leaving Paul pointed out his plant holding area—you know, those plants we haven't yet gotten around to planting? Thanks Paul and Ange, for clearing space on your Friday afternoon calendar for me to visit your spectacular garden!

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All material © 2009-2025 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

Sound Gardener's garden...

Today we're visiting my friend Michelle's garden near Carkeek Park in NW Seattle. Michelle's Instagram and (currently inactive) blog both go by the name of Sound Gardener, hence the title of the post. This is the view that greeted me as I came through the front gate...

Further in I turned back to admire the tree fern, Dicksonia antarctica (one of a pair), Michelle planted last fall (serious plant envy)...

The gate I used is in the shady area in the upper right of this photo, these plantings are in the SE corner of the garden.

It was so nice to see a loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) of this size in Seattle. I feel like it's an extremely under planted tree up there (except for in my friend Scott's garden).

Near the gate was this sad Trachycarpus (I forgot to ask, but I'm assuming winter damage) whose trunk was being used for staghorn mounting.

Looking to the west, a planted up area in the L made by the house and the garage.

Michelle is a first rate plant collector, which made this pared back planting of Aspidistra elatior and Muehlenbeckia complexa 'Big Leaf' even more special. I mean it's obviously a perfect combination with the dark charcoal of the house and built-in planter, but what restraint!

Blechnum gibbum 'Silver Lady' (I think).

Oh the Pyrrosia!

Working our way along the front of the house, dreamy Brassaiopsis dumicola.

Who needs flowers with a foliage mix like this? That's Lysimachia paridiformis var. stenophylla in the upper left, and the powdery blue foliage belongs to a Vireya.

This feels very familiar, plants hanging from branches... there's nothing better!

I meant to ask about the mossy pots, they're super cool... especially planted up with my favorite pyrrosia.

More sexy aspidistra against that dark house color, and Fatsia polycarpa 'Needham's Lace' (or maybe 'Green Fingers'?).

Turning back towards the fence; canna, and banana, and palms...

I know Trachycarpus princeps is the holy grail for PNW palm lovers, but I never really got it until looking at this plant. Yep, it's special.

Another canna, and banana, and palm shot, but looking to the left and a different section of the garden.

Love that finely cut Schefflera delavayi (Heptapleurum delavayi) foliage.

I think Michelle identified that toothy eryngium, but I cannot remember. Maybe it's E. agavifolium? Michelle thinks perhaps Eryngium pandanifolium var lesseauxii

I fully intended to tromp over closer to get a better look at the variegated Aralia elata but I forgot. At least I got a photo...

There's the second tall tree fern, over near the house.

So beautiful...

I gasped when I saw this Saxifrage, anyone know what it is?

Fun combo of volunteer fern and Sarracenia.

Nolina hibernica 'La Siberica' and Grevillea victoriae, in the foreground.

Another Eryngium on the left there, maybe E. eburneum? E. paniculatum?

These tree ferns along the north side of the house have been in place longer than the two tall ones we saw earlier, obviously Michelle knows a thing or two about overwintering them successfully.

I really need to get with it and put a couple in the ground.

We're in the back garden now and checking out the xeric plantings along the back of the house. I think this was called out as Cheilanthes lanosa.

Agave montana? It's a super spiky hottie whatever it is.

There was also a good looking Agave ovatifolia...

And a Yucca aloifolia, maybe 'Magenta Magic'.

It's not often you see a Banksia serrata (I believe) in a PNW garden. If I remember correctly Michelle picked it up for free at the Washington Park Arboretum greenhouse, fingers crossed it performs long term.

Butia capitata, I think? I am palm stupid so... Michelle reports that it's actually Butia eriospatha.

Damn! Echium pininana...

There's the Echium pininana again from the other side..

It seems everyone's got a Wollemia nobilis these days except me!

One last back garden pic, yes that's a variegated Daphniphyllum...

And a quick snap as we walk back through the front garden. I've known Michelle for 6-ish years now... it was wonderful to finally get to visit her garden! 

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All material © 2009-2025 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.