Kate Farley’s west Seattle garden, which I visited on Day 3 of the Seattle Garden Bloggers Fling, is a garden of exploration from front to back. I’m going to start in back, because the Peruvian lilies (Alstroemeria) were blooming spectacularly, a huge swath glowing salmon-orange in the strong sunlight.

Behind the Alstroemeria, purple iris, lilac phlox, and an unknown golden-leafed shrub jazz up the scene even further. Semi, daughter of Frances of Fairegarden, joins me in photographing the spectacle.

And then there are the twin tuteurs painted two vibrant shades of purple (or maybe one is older and has faded over time?). They add height, year-round structure, and of course color to the planting bed.

They also happen to look stunning with the Alstroemeria.

A tiny, elevated deck behind the house is shaded by an umbrella of the exact color of the Alstroemeria—a nice touch.

From here a small curving lawn sets off the cottage-style border.

Paths lead to secluded vignettes, like this glass ball on an old pedestal…

…and this stone-and-pipe sculpture—or is it a fountain?

Tucked into the back garden, a welcoming shed attracted our eager exploration. Here’s Melissa of Houston Garden Girl talking with someone in the spacious interior.

As in many Seattle gardens we visited, grasses add movement and texture and look especially pretty in the summer sunlight.

Colorful potted plants here and especially along the driveway give a lushness to paved areas.

One of several lovely roses blooming in Kate’s garden.

The front garden—and your first impression of the house—is very different from the more open, sunny rear garden. It is densely planted…

…and shady, with a narrow green tunnel that invites you in. A bench offers a quiet place for contemplation or conversation with a friend.

A lovely mix of shade plants cloak the ground, brightening the scene with white leaves and flowers.

And working my way back to the street, here’s an example of what you see curbside: a densely packed screen of plants hiding the house and main garden from view, but offering up to passersby a beautiful vignette of flowering tree, bench, and stone accents.

What a lovely gift for the neighbors.

Up next: the highlight of the Fling, our visit to the Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island. For a look back at Lorene Edwards Forkner’s “urban hillbilly chic” garden click here.

All material © 2006-2011 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

Lorene welcoming 70+ bloggers into her Seattle garden on Day 3 of the Fling

In a post on her blog Planted at Home, Lorene Edwards Forkner, a co-planner of the Seattle Garden Bloggers Fling, catchily describes her gardening style as urban hillbilly chic: “I love to work with what is already right on hand. And if your basement looks anything like my basement – you’ve got a LOT to work with. Hands-on, can-do/make-do, fresh, playful….There’s a wonderful frisson between the rough and the beautiful that the garden embodies with grace.”

We garden bloggers aren’t always as hard to wrangle as cats. We were a rapt audience for Lorene.

Lorene’s garden is small compared with the other private gardens we’d seen, but there’s a sense of drama at curbside thanks to some overscaled plants, like the Stipa gigantea shown in the top photo. Lorene has planted up every inch of her sloping lot, and color brightens the scene, from red poppies…

…to a rainbow of sweet peas…

…to shrubs and sedges with golden foliage.

The bright Seattle sunshine made everything glow.

Lorene asked us to mention her new book, which is coming out soon from Timber Press: Handmade Garden Projects. Most of the projects detailed in the book were made in her garden, she told us. I assume this cool gabion tower is one of them. It marks the entry to her garden.

Gabion-style furniture in her back garden, including this curved bench around a firepit, invites relaxation. It’s a fun idea for Lorene’s gentler part of the world, but I couldn’t help thinking it would be like creating a condo for snakes and scorpions in my part of Austin. This is one project I’ll admire from afar.

Wire fencing rolled and secured, rocks, and a piece of tempered glass—an easy side table.

As you enter the back garden, the low path takes you to the firepit and Adirondack seating. The high path takes you up to a travel trailer folly (shown below) and a planted row of stock tanks that screens the garden from the alley in back. In between, a generously sized island bed and, accessible from both paths, a small deck built under poles hung with lanterns and prayer flags.

Looking back from the top of the garden.

The tiny deck is perched above the garden but feels cozy thanks to a tall screen of plants and an espaliered apple tree.

A vintage travel trailer is Lorene’s “cocktail cabana” and personal getaway.

Inside a wall is papered with maps, and comfy cushions offer a great nap spot.

Edibles mix with ornamentals in Lorene’s garden, and she’s quick to repurpose castoff objects, like these shovel heads…

…and an old metal chair, into garden art.

This is a great idea to get more height with a planted pot: pop a smaller one (of the same design) on top, and plant them both. They are charmingly (and economically) mulched with shards of broken pots.

Another fun display, especially for those who like a little formality: a mini-parterre garden in a child’s red wagon.

These were just a sampling of the creative decorative projects she had on display.

We bloggers were, as always, snapping away, gathering fodder for our blogs and other garden writing. Here are three excellent photographers in our group: Jim of Compost in My Shoe (the only male blogger on the Fling this year), Dee (red hair) of Red Dirt Ramblings, and Barbara of Mr. McGregor’s Daughter.

Life is indeed a party in Lorene’s garden, and my thanks to her for welcoming us!

Next up: The final private-garden visit on the Fling, the color-rich Farley Garden. For a look back at my post about Pike Place Market and the mountain coming out, click here.

All material © 2006-2011 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

Crocosmia (Seattle’s signature plant during the Fling) and Helenium at the Bellevue Botanic Gardens

During the last month’s Garden Bloggers Fling in Seattle I witnessed a lot of happy bloggers and a lot of beautiful views. We 70+ garden bloggers would be delighted to visit with each other anywhere; reading and commenting on someone’s blog for months or even years can make you feel that you already know that person when you finally meet. And even those you don’t know, you share a love of gardening, writing, and perhaps photography, so you already have a lot in common and plenty to talk about. However, gorgeous scenery is an added draw for the Fling, and Seattle offers plenty of it.

I always wish I’d taken more people pics at the Flings. But I did get a couple of good ones at Bellevue Botanic Gardens, which we visited on Day Two. Here are well-known bloggers Kylee of Our Little Acre, Theresa Loe of Living Homegrown Fresh and Growing a Greener World TV, and Susan Harris of Garden Rant. Look at those smiles!

Japanese teahouse

Pat Leuchtman of Commonweeder, who has just published her book The Roses at the End of the Road, also looks happy to be here.

Later that afternoon, I skipped out on the Fling’s official visit to Olympic Sculpture Park with a few others who were eager to sample the wares at famous Pike Place Market.

A crab seller engages the crowd to work up interest.

The Austin garden bloggers have found something amusing! From left to right, Vicki of Playin’ Outside, Diana of Sharing Nature’s Garden, and Caroline of The Shovel-Ready Garden. Check out Caroline’s post about our visit to Pike Place Market for some good photos of the vendors and their wares.

Outside, a sunny vision of sunflowers and other colorful flowers lining the edge of a long balcony

For dinner we acted on Danger Garden Loree’s recommendation and enjoyed a delicious dinner—and the eclectic decor—of The Pink Door, not far from the market. We got there early in order to secure a table; soon after, the place filled up and was buzzing with energy. I loved The Pink Door!

But the thrill of the afternoon was a crystal-clear reveal of Mt. Rainier, which showed itself plainly, towering above the city, as we stopped outside Pike Place Market among the throngs sunning themselves in the warm afternoon rays.

Can you imagine looking out on scenery like this? When the clouds and mists roll away and the mountain “comes out,” what a sight it is.

Up next: Urban hillbilly chic, as Lorene Edwards Forkner, one of the Fling’s organizers, describes her garden. For a look back at my visit to the woodland fantasy of the Lane Garden, click here.

All material © 2006-2011 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.