Seattle Garden Bloggers' Fling: Tucker Garden

I just got back from the Emerald City, Seattle, WA, where I and over 70 other garden bloggers from across the US, Canada and the UK joined coordinators Lorene Edwards Forkner, Debra Prinzing, Marty Wingate and Mary Ann Newcomer in the Emerald City to tour, photograph and write about oodles of gardens, private and public, for 4 glorious days.

Tucker Garden

Artist Shelagh Tucker's garden is a study in contrasts. Part Mediterranean-style rock garden, part English cottage garden, sun and shade, green lawns and stone paths -- there's something for everyone to enjoy.

Front garden

The path to the front of the house opens up onto a circular rock garden, inspired by the Gravel Garden of fellow Englishwoman and gardener extraordinaire Beth Chatto. This spot was very inspiring to this drought-stricken Texan!
Mediterranean-style gravel garden

This patterned half-circle stone step echoes the circles of the gravel garden.
Patterned stone step

An arched garden gate divides the xeric front garden from the more traditional back garden.
Thru the garden gate

A small round fish pond with a round fountain greets visitors just beyond the gate.
A moment by the pond

Around the back of the house lies a lushly landscaped patio between a blue garden shed and a glass-walled conservatory.
A lush backyard patio

From the patio, you can see the bright blue garden shed of Suzette and Jim Birrell, who live directly next door.
A view from the back patio

I loved the waves of this planting near the greenhouse.
Garden greenhouse

A serene cat keeps watch along the stone path circling the blue shed,
A serene cat keeps watch

and more cats sit in windowsills overlooking clematis, dahlias and day lilies. (A real live cat was spotted rolling in catnip, but he declined to pose for photos.)
Plantings along the blue shed

I hated to leave, but we had three more stops on the day's schedule.
Lush plantings abound

Stay tuned for Dunn Gardens, the Soest Garden at the Center for Urban Horticulture/UW Botanic Gardens, and Ravenna Gardens.


Words and photos © 2009-2011 Caroline Homer for "The Shovel-Ready Garden". Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

Comments

  1. What beautiful grounds here. Love the blue buildings.

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  2. Beautiful garden! Thanks for the tour! How fun to have gone there and be able to see all the gardens- very inspiring. I look forward to the rest of your posts.

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  3. I love the stone steps, and the stone retaining wall and the pond. Glad you had a good visit.

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  4. I truly was in awe of this garden. Shelagh is quite the artist and paints a delightful picture with an endless palette of plants.

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  5. Looks like a great place. And, looks like everyone had a wonderful time.
    Thanks for sharing with us.

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  6. Your tour is wonderful! What a gorgeous garden. I'd love to pinch a few of these ideas ;) Glad to hear you all had so much fun...I hope to go next summer.

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  7. Oh, this garden is like a dream! Lovely! I agree the gravel garden is very inspiring. Love the arbor and pond, too. How nice to have neighbors that garden, too! Imagine all the conversations they have had!

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  8. Great pics of the garden, Caroline. I didn't see that cat hanging on the wall at all! There was so much to see.

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  9. I didn't see the cat plaque either. I love getting these alternate views through other bloggers' eyes.

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