bold, bright & bountiful

(This is a 2016 garden description. Gardens for this year’s tour can be found here.)

Inspired by Dan Hinkley of Heronswood, this gardener expresses her passion for bright colors and bold foliage in an energy-charged front landscape.

Beneath two Persian ironwoods in the parking strip grow red hot poker, penstemon, black mondo grass, strawberry ground cover, and multicolored varieties of nandina. To the south a purple-leaf osmanthus provides a dark backdrop for a graceful silk tree (or mimosa) and a Golden Spirit smoke bush. 

Along the north fence dark Arthur Menzies mahonias provide sharp contrast to electric green carex in the foreground. Variegated box honeysuckle and New Zealand holly flank the entry. Between the staircases, tucked against the house in front of nandina and yucca, is a Little Gem magnolia.

The Three Rivers flagstone path winds around the house to a terracotta gravel patio surrounded by bright crocosmia, rosemary, Mexican orange blossom, and nandina. Surrounded with the warm colors of Mt. St. Helens basalt, a large vegetable garden supplies the White Center Food Bank with common and specialty vegetables: tomatillos, ten varieties of tomatoes, cruciferous vegetables, leeks, kale, and collards, among others. 

The south side of the house is lined with more exploding color: electric purple penstemon, Lime Glow and Orange Rocket barberries, Himalayan blueberries, red hot poker, lavender, and a healthy dose of Hummingbird Mint for the resident hummingbirds. 

Wheelchair/stroller accessible in front only.