Friday, November 9, 2018

Visiting the garden of Justin Galicic

I've known Justin Galicic for a several years now, and read his blog Growing Steady, even before we met in person. For the last seven years Justin has been holding a huge party "The Normandy Park Garden Festival" in his garden in July, well, actually his parents garden...but Justin is the creator of the paradise. I've never been able to attend the festival, but finally got to tour the garden...

All the goodness you've seen thus far is visible along the street-side...

But now I'm heading into the private front garden. I knew Justin wasn't there, but thought his parents might be and wanted to alert them to the fact their son had invited stranger to tour the garden surrounding their home.

But, they weren't home either, so I set off to explore — feeling a little awkward about it all.

But of course that didn't stop me!

The Seattle Times ran a story about Justin and the garden in July of 2016, they called him 'The Mad Propagationist' (read the story here), I wonder if that need to propagate has anything to do with this row of unplanted plants?

This is hands down the best "refuse container corral" I have ever seen!

Time to move around to the back garden, I was sure to make plenty of noise so I didn't surprise anyone.

Beautiful!

Sinopanax formosanus, one of two that I spotted that day.

Tempting to sit a spell, but I pushed on...

I should have counted the palms in this garden, there were many.

A fine looking Sciadopitys verticillata (Japanese umbrella pine) on the right.

A Cryptomeria? Love the balance of tall wispy green and that lush ground cover.

If I didn't know better I'd think this was a nursery display where they push together plants to show how good their foliage looks together.

Pseudopanax ferox (and maybe Pseudopanax x 'Sabre' on the right? I can't tell from my photo and I don't remember).

Damn. I took this photo as a reminder that I needed to move my Rhododendron 'Ebony Pearl' before it's completely shaded out. Have I? No.

Tree ferns!? Justin what kind of magic spells are you casting?

The greenhouse and vegetable garden were off to the side, a perfect mix of close, but not a part of the garden proper.

I was a good ghost visitor and didn't even sample a berry, although I very much wanted to.

Squash and tequila, that's an interesting combo.

Why do fallen bamboo leaves always look good in other people's gardens but never my own?

Moving back into the garden proper to pick up a corner I'd missed previously...

Cordyline banksii Electric Flash

A Sedge?

I'm dying to know what it is, if anyone can ID...

One last look at the private front garden before I go in search of the Agaves I know are out there on the street-side...

Ah ya, found them!

Agave ovatifolia

And Agave 'Mr. Ripple'

It's quite a looker isn't it?

Thanks for letting me visit your garden Justin, all it was missing was you.

Weather Diary, Nov 8: Hi 41, Low 32/ Precip 0

All material © 2009-2018 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

28 comments:

  1. Sweet garden! Any idea/label of what pic #7 was? Looks like Aucuba 'Overlook', but way more green overall than mine.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NO idea, I almost labeled it as such, but then realized since I wasn't sure I shouldn't. Sure looks like it!

      Delete
  2. What a garden! An amazing tropical paradise. I visited once during the annual party and I conclude the garden looks better when you are the lone visiter. I wonder what kind of noise you were making as to not startel anyone...
    Cordyline Electric Flash looks fantastic. Did you know the rock it stands next to is Justin's creation? He made his own rocks for heavens sake!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha! Just simple "hello...." kinds of things. Good to hear you made it to one of the annual gatherings, and yes! I remember reading about his rock creations and wondered if that was one of them.

      Delete
  3. Linda from Each Little World: If there was nothing but that street side garden I would think it was fantastic. That is one beautiful garden with creative plant combos everywhere.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm always blown away by this picturesque garden that perfectly balances plant addiction and aesthetics. Every plant looks healthy and happy in this artful creation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And to think the gardener doesn't even live on site!

      Delete
  5. Oh my gawd. What a place! So impressed with everything, the stone work, the ferns, the palms and of course, the agaves. What a garden and gardener. I would feel odd walking around someone else's garden without having anyone home, too...in fact, I'd probably have some kind of anxiety dream about it later on. Nonetheless, a fabulous secret tour.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No anxiety dreams! I've wandered around enough gardens I think I'm past that.

      Delete
  6. What a beautifully designed garden. Could your mystery plant be a flowering Umbrella Plant (Cyperus involucratus)?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree the foliage certainly looks like Cyperus involucratus, but the blooms look different from the ones I've had in my garden in the past.

      Delete
  7. Wow, what a great garden. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks for overcoming your scruples to bring us this impressive work of art. I am bedazzled.
    rickii

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow, this is really very impressive! Love the contrasts in color and texture. And so lush!

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a diverse and fantastic combination of plants! Even for a "mad propagationist" I can't imagine the time and energy that went into that garden's creation. Everything looks to be in perfect condition too. I was struck by the perfect placement of that 'Electric Flash' Cordyline.
    I think the plant is calling to me to try growing it again - insect beasties destroyed the first 2 I planted.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh yes, try it again! Three times is the charm.

      Delete
  11. What a stunner ! Is he in some sort of banana belt micro-climate or is there significant winterizing on his to-do list ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The garden is pretty close to the Puget Sound, so that helps.

      Delete
  12. What a fantastically layered space! I can't believe how much is stuffed into that space without it feeling chaotic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Excellent observation, I should have thought to ask him how large the lot is.

      Delete
  13. Interesting combination of the blue upright juniper and the Agave ovatifolia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just in case anyone forgot they were in the PNW.

      Delete
  14. Most excellent cramscape, but all well-cared for, making it truly impressive. Plants look happy, healthy and not neglected.

    Interesting difference in growth habit on 'Mr. Ripple'. Same plant but more squat there in a shorter summer climate.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was interesting watching the Agave pups I brought home from my brother's garden in Phoenix last June. The leaves were completely upright, creating shade and hiding from the sun when we dug them. Within a few weeks of being planted here they'd opened up significantly.

      Delete

Thank you for taking the time to comment. Comment moderation is on (because you know: spam), I will approve and post your comment as soon as possible!