The Queen of Seaford: 2024

Saturday, August 24, 2024

Puget Sound Fling day #3- First Stop Heckler Garden

On our third day of the Fling we headed to the Kitsap Peninsula. Our first stop was the Heckler's garden. The write up said that there were over 100 hydrangeas in this small garden! We have been seeing so many hydrangeas in these gardens, it is just amazing. Walking up the gravel driveway we were greeted by a long planting along the side of the house. Besides hydrangeas there were palms and Japanese maples and various containers with more plants!

Love these double blossomed hydrangeas!

This garden also had some

climbing hydrangeas.

This garden had a lot of parasols over the hydrangeas, to protect them from the sun. As one who lives in South Carolina and has lots of hydrangeas in my garden, I found this interesting.

One variety of hydrangea that was new to me was Hydrangea aspera. The leaves are fuzzy and the unopened blooms are so different looking. They are native to China and seem to be happy in the Pacific Northwest.

Hydrangea aspera

The fuzzy leaves of the H. aspera

Another variety of hydrangea, these double white blooms really pop in the shade.

See the parasols above the plants?

Working our way around the garden we enter a very shaded area, mulched areas with slices of logs as stepping pads lead us through the wooded area.

Edging the beds there are logs, or what remains of the logs. The beds have Epimedium, ferns, and some hellebore; all shade loving plants. Do you like the pop of color of the glass ball in the water?

As you round the back edge of the shaded woody garden you encounter some limbed up fir, this one had some artwork in the form of a salamander or lizard. Do you see it?

Here is the lizard outlined so you can see it better

Quite tall trees in this garden

As you emerge from the back area in the woods, there is a lawn area, with large spheres made of formed branches. They were a nice bit of understated artwork on the lawn.

More gorgeous hydrangeas for your enjoyment.

My last photo of this hydrangea laden garden with a is full of foliage color variation. There is a Brunnera with its heart shaped white leaves with green veins and edging, a Fatshedera with spidery white coloring and light green ferns, and more Hellebores. In the foreground there's a concrete pad with green and white glass beads. Color echoes galore!

Next stop is Heronswood! Stay tuned.

Friday, August 9, 2024

Puget Sound Fling day 2 finishes - Sage & Richards Garden and banquet at Lakewold

While we were in Camille's neighborhood there was another garden we were invited to visit. We entered along the driveway with views of the deck and garden in the back.

There was one structure in the garden that had a sedum roof. I like seeing examples of green roof buildings in gardens.

As we rounded the house and entered the backyard it went from a sunny garden to shady and water featured garden, begging you to come and enjoy.

The backyard was a steep slope with a waterfalls cascading down through ferns and mosses.

What a cool and tranquil garden.

There was a pool of water at the bottom of the cascading falls. Love the reflection of the trees on the water.

Koi pond

The walk back up the hill was along a well done staircase of stone.

Back around the front you see some Zinnias and a veggie garden beyond

Lakewold Gardens

We were greeted by a quartet- perfect!

In my Instagram page you can see a lot of us looking up - some with binoculars. We were looking at an Eagles nest. You can see one of the juvenile birds on the right side of the nest.

We walked around the grounds a little bit but were mostly chatting and enjoying the company of the Garden Flingers.

In the woods was a rough hewn log topped table

Let the gathering begin!! Each Fling we have a banquet and enjoy each other's company. Again, check out the Instagram page for more fun!

What a lovely setting under the arbor

This concludes day 2, two more days to go. Stay tuned.

Monday, August 5, 2024

A Splendid Garden! Puget Sound Fling day #2 continues

This garden belongs to one of Fling hosts, Camille. I have seen her garden through her Instagram page but to see it in person is just outstanding! At every turn and in every direction there was a view or a planting or a sitting area to take it all in. She has the best gardens and views! Sit back and enjoy this photo loaded post.

I love the iridescence of this one ball. It adds sparkle to a shady spot.

This garden had so much. I especially like the dark leafed hydrangea with these beautiful blooms.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Eclipse'

This gabion Camille made from rocks donated by a goat farmer (I think that's right) where she got the metal pieces. It makes a great pillar along the walkway of the front garden.

Just past the gabion is a gateway over the path, as you walk through you see the killer view of Mt. Rainier, perfectly framed. More views of said mountain from the backyard.

Along the side of the house was this evergreen, pine or fir? Not sure what it was but the exfoliating bark was really interesting.

What's more gorgeous, the colorful succulents, the pool, or the mountain? I say all three together!!

Around the pool were containers filled with colorful and interesting plants.

Sanguisorba maybe 'Pink Brushes'

I love the silvers against the dark magenta blooms

All through the gardens there were views of Mt. Rainier, framed by trees, vines, and trellises

Back in the front yard there are enchanting items like this teapot hanging in a Japanese maple.

I had to walk around the house a number of times, from various directions to see all the vignettes created in the gardens. This water feature had a lovely waterfall feature.