Transformation

It’s hard to imagine that this lush, tree-filled garden was once a sea of dandelions and mud. Two old black walnut trees, revived by the gardeners, shade the parking strip. The front garden hosts a variety of trees, including paperbark and coral bark maples, Kousa dogwood, columnar apple trees, spruce and deodar cedar. The lion’s head Japanese maple in the corner is known for its crinkled, crested leaves, resembling a lion's mane. The call of Northwest gardening brought these two gardeners back to Seattle. Both the lion’s head Japanese maple and the magnolia in the center made moves to Oregon and California before returning to Seattle. Before passing through the gate, note the clematis 'Countess of Lovelace', a hardy climber known for pale lavender-blue flowers.  

The back of the property was described as “a hot mess” five years ago --swampy with no fencing. A pleasant walk now leads to the back which features a greenhouse, a seating area on the deck, a little patio under an established apple tree and more Japanese and paperbark maples. 

Of special interest is the carefully planned irrigation system. Twelve barrels collect rainwater, and two solar pumps distribute the water in hoses to the gardens. If there is not enough sunlight to power the pumps, they can be hooked up to electricity, and if the water in the barrels does not last the whole summer, hoses can be connected to the pumps. Vegetables in planter boxes thrive in the bounty of water from this system.