It's time to dip back into the gardens I visited as part of last summer's
Garden Fling up in the Puget Sound area. The long weekend was a mix great of gardens I'd previously toured and ones that were new to me. This week I thought it would be fun to write about a few of the private gardens that I'd visited before and link back to my first visit, maybe compare and contrast. I'm starting at the Risdahl-Pittman garden...
My first visit to this garden was in June of 2022 (
here), it was part of the
Northwest Perennial Alliance Study Weekend—an event that rotates between different cities and groups in the PNW (
this year's event will be in the Portland area, hosted by the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon).
That first visit was on an overcast drippy day and I think there was one other person in the garden while I was there. This visit was sunny, warm, and the garden was full of people.
The consistent factor was the fabulousness of the garden.
Attention to detail...
And excellent plants
womanship ("
Plantsmanship is knowledge of the diversity of plants and their cultivation..."
source), I make the distinction because I believe Susan (rather than Guy) is the primary gardener here. That lady in pink—who so nicely brings out the pink of the hydrangea—is Janet Davis of
The Paintbox Garden.
While Susan is the gardener, Guy is the hardscape guru, and builder of their fantastic greenhouse.
Which sadly I only got a couple lame photos of. There are definitely better greenhouse photos from
my last visit.
Daphne x houtteana
I was thrilled to see there plant is still alive, as mine sadly is not.
Off in the distance is the tool shed and storage space.
Our first peek at the interesting pond and surrounding hardscape.
When chatting with Guy during my previous visit said the pond and it's surrounding features were there when they bought the home. Flinger for scale...
Here's more of our group, that's Tamara (
Chickadee Gardens) in the pink, the two fellows across the planting island are Justin (
microbotanica) and Max, the lady with the striking white hair and black top is Denise (
A Growing Obsession)...
I definitely took fewer plant focused photos in the garden this visit, it goes to show you what happens when your chatting up your fellow plant people!
Fancy rhododendrons, Perhaps R. 'Golfer' in front and R. orbiculare at the back.
Rhododendron orbiculare (?)
Athyrium otophorum
This area was under construction, or just completed, during my previous visit. It's definitely in full-swing now.
I'd just purchased a Parthenocissus henryana at our Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden stop earlier that day, so it was fun to see this one looking good against the dark wall.
Then again everything looked good against that dark wall!
Hmm, I have no idea what this beauty is.
And I'm definitely out of order now, as I can see the pond area in the background—it just goes to show you how I wandered around the garden enjoying it all.
If you can swing it it's a great experience to visit private gardens repeatedly over time and see how the plants grow (or not) and how the areas change as a result of that, or the owners desire for something new. Susan and Guy if you're reading I guess that means I'll be back again in 2026!
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I remember that I loved this garden when I saw it during the Fling but, when I reviewed my coverage, I was disappointed by how little I'd photographed - I think I was feeling a little overwhelmed by that point in our tour. I appreciate seeing photos from both your 2022 post again and your Fling photos. How did I entirely miss the greenhouse?!
ReplyDeleteI completely understand that overwhelmed feeling. Between all the people I wanted to talk with and the gardens I wanted to photograph I too was feeling that a great deal of the time.
DeleteI love how the greenhouse is hidden and tucked away in its spot. I've not seen a Daphne x houtteana (hootenanny) before, it's beautiful. I'm completely entranced by the black wall/ blue vessel photo. I'm trying so hard to create something that looks close to as nice as that. Perhaps I need a Parthenocissus henryana climbing up the fence somwhere?
ReplyDeleteYour fence certainly conveys the same feeling as the wall! That said a good Parthenocissus henryana can't be beat.
DeleteIt's fun to compare multiple visit to the same garden. Overcast sky vs sunny is one notable difference.
ReplyDeleteI love the stepping stones with the circular, spaceship-like patterns, and yes, everything looks so darn elegant with a black background!
Sorry to hear your Daphne x houtteana is gone; it was so dark and beautiful. I wonder if the Risdahl-Pittman Daphne survived because of a more protected location.
Chavli
Back when you could find that daphne in nurseries it was ridiculously expensive (I got lucky) and everyone told me it was because the plant would up and die for no reason. That said you're definitely right that theirs is in a more protected spot.
DeleteReally enjoying your posts on the PNW fling gardens. Your local knowledge and benefit of multiple visits really brings depth to coverage of these gardens. Of course, outsider impressions are interesting too -- the more POVs the better!
ReplyDeleteThe more POV's the better for sure!
DeleteIt's good to see your views of this one. The bright sunlight contrasting with shade made it hard to photograph when I was walking through. You captured some interesting areas I missed.
ReplyDeleteIt's a great garden that I will happily visit again (fingers crossed), the time and lighting conditions didn't do it any favors.
DeleteYou achieved quite a few photos, IMHO, given the number of people distractions. It's lovely to revisit a happy day. I am so thankful I got to experience it. Thanks again for showing it to us through your eyes.
ReplyDelete