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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Visiting Emily's Garden

One of my computer-dwelling blogging friends, Emily,  lives and gardens in Ravenna (the neighborhood in northeastern Seattle, not Italy.)  Recently I had the pleasure of visiting her and seeing her beautiful garden.  You may remember Alison's 2014 visit.  It's interesting to see how much has changed since then

Emily designed and had made the floating steps.  An avid do it yourselfer, she also created Zachary, the energetic boy.  

Pole apple trees have grown taller than the label said they would. The vertical lines are perfect here.
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The shade sail and stylish seating make this peaceful retreat visually pleasing.

I so admire Emily's discipline in thinking about her plants, their placement, and overall effect of her garden. We often admire what we lack.  Rhythm is  created here by repetition  of color and form. Emily already has plans for moving things around a bit.

 Moving around the side of the house, we see the fabulous paving job that Emily did here.  This was previously solid concrete.  Emily has an eye for style.  I had to resist taking pictures of the interior of her home.

Zachary and Emily worked on this insect house together. 

Even the garden shed is beautiful!

This back slope, with inherited evergreens,  leads to a street above. 

Do you see something extra here?  There are tunnels and passageways all through this area which makes it a perfect hideout for Zachary. Zachary was in motion for the entire visit but posed here for a moment.  His exuberance made me miss playing with kids at school.

The grid with pots attached is a  super idea for  displaying plant collections. This style of vertical garden that is very appealing.

Great combination!  Can you imagine the autumn fireworks when the sumac foliage screams against the fawny-tan of the grasses?

One last look before it was time to head to the car (along with a gift of many incentive dollars from Swanson's Nursery that can be spent in November and December.  Thank you so much Emily!)  to visit a few nurseries.
Thank you, Emily,  for sharing your garden, home, and adorable menagerie with me!

12 comments:

  1. I wish my backyard looked as lovely as this, thanks for sharing Peter.

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  2. Oh, that must have been a fun visit! Isn't Emily's garden lovely? I admire her design chops, and the thought she puts into her plant selections, too.

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  3. Well I must admit I had high hopes that I would be visiting Emily's garden this summer and doing a post like this...but the fact you were there does make me happy! Thanks so much for these photos! Emily your garden is gorgeous and your hardscape skills enviable. I do hope to visit this autumn...

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  4. I was pleased to see more of Emily's garden than I have in her own posts. (Emily, you need to post more garden pics!) I love the floating steps, the shade sail seating area, and that garden shed. I really want a garden shed...

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  5. Emily has some really interesting hardscapes. Well done!

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  6. What a beautiful garden to visit, such a talented lady! Love her planting combinations and her wonderful steps.

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  7. Your photos and comments are so very generous, Peter! Thanks for the kind write-up.

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  8. Love the idea of the tunnels through the evergreens. Zachary is a lucky kid.

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  9. This was truly amazing. I wish I had this much talent. I would love to be her neighbor!!

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  10. This is a great garden. I love the floating steps and the paving design around the side of the house. The shade garden is so inviting and the tool shed looks move-in ready!

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  11. This is a great garden. I love the floating steps and the paving design around the side of the house. The shade garden is so inviting and the tool shed looks move-in ready!

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.