NHS Meet the Board Tour '26; Walter Thompson garden

Walter Thompson's garden was my second stop on last summer's NHS Meet the Board Tour. Walking up to the garden this large stand of Acanthus mollis was the first thing I noticed. They looked so happy and healthy for late July. That's about when my Acanthus (back when I grew them) started to flop and look pathetic, as they wanted more water than I was willing to give them.

Here's a little information from the tour materials... "A lot has changed since we moved to Edmonds in 1975. The road was dirt and gravel, there were 7 houses on this block, whereas today there’s 17. Then, our garden was full of sun, big lawn, no trees to speak of, 3 ponds, waterfalls with a creek that ran year-round, plus a garden summer house with a fireplace. All of which were in total or near-total shambles due to decades of neglect. The small house had sat vacant for years. The owner that we bought it from only lived here a couple of years and had attempted to do some upgrading but failed miserably. So, with all this obvious work looking me in the face – house without a heating system, leaking roof, plastic film on all windows, shower not functioning – one of the first things I did was build a greenhouse. That kind of gives you an idea of where my priorities are. Hey, made total sense to me at the time." That greenhouse was one of my favorite things about this garden! Let's head in...

As much as I hate worthless common names the best I can do for ID here is snake-bark maple, for that incredible tree.

Jumping ahead in the narrative some 30 years or so ... "After retirement I pushed it up a notch or two. Took a couple of hort/ID classes at Edmonds College, joined the WSU Master Gardener program for Snohomish County and signed on as a volunteer at the Elisabeth Miller Garden. Volunteering there has been an invaluable experience. Just being in that environment has been a great source of inspiration for me and I know that it has benefited my garden. Today, my garden is pretty full, but I always seem to find room for one more plant. I don’t have a scheme or plan, nor do I have a favored color. What I do have is lots of shade and lots of water and that tends to be my guide in plant selections. It’s a nice place to live!"

Above, what looks to be Adiantum venustum (Himalayan maidenhair fern) and below a Rhododendron, perhaps R. orbiculare.

I tried several times to get a shot that allowed the glass bamboo pieces to shine, sadly this was the best I could do.

Onoclea sensibilis

There were several different ways to cross over the small creek, this was the path I took. 

Can you make out the waterfall in between the plants?

Looking backwards, or looking forwards? I can't remember!

Blechnum spicant (aka Struthiopteris spicant) bordering the stepping stones and the smaller Blechnum penna-marina (aka Austroblechnum penna-marina) in between (I think).

Begonia some somebody. Is it hardy? I have no idea.

There's the greenhouse...

Such a fabulous space.

While I was there Walter told a few stories about the plants in the greenhouse. I wish I had written them down as I no longer remember the specifics.

The fact the glass walls seemed to just disappear and you were swallowed by the surrounding garden was a wonderful feeling.

Eventually I tore myself away and returned to touring the garden.

With lots of backward glances.

Behind the wall of distracting foliage is the garden summer house (with a fireplace) mentioned in the garden description.

Making my way closer...

The inside view...

Plants along the far side.

Blechnum chilense (aka Parablechnum cordatum).

See how hidden within the garden the greenhouse is?

Crossing the water again.

And checking out the xeric containers up against the back of the house...

One last step down into the back garden, a part of it I hadn't seen before.

And back up on the deck off the back of the house, checking out the views this time.

And then back around to the front of the home...

And it's time to jump back in the car and drive on to the next garden!

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