Tuesday, September 29, 2015

The Albers Vista Garden

Last Saturday eight members of our NPA neighborhood group traveled to Bremerton for our private tour of a spectacular garden that its creator describes as an "Oasis in the City". 
Dr. John Albers is a Professor of Medicine and a research director in the fields of metabolism, endocrinology and nutrition at the University of Washington. He and his wife, also a Professor of Medicine at the UW, bought this property about 15 years ago, as a retirement home.  They haven't retired yet, but John Albers has created this oasis as meticulously as he would a research project. Knowing all those medical terms must help him to be able to remember and pronounce those botanical names as they roll effortlessly off his tongue. 

We met John and started our tour in the driveway outside their lovely home. 

Not knowing quite what to expect, I see now that this description from the garden brochure is an apt one.

Upon entering the oasis in the city, you leave the world beyond and see the panorama of botanical delights. After passing through the gate, colorful, cascading ground covers lead you to a valley edged with evergreens, maples, rhododendrons and species from around the world. 
And so that's what we'll do.  Let's take a tour. 






















 Moving higher up the east slope, patterns  of colors transform the hillside in time with the seasons. Looking closer at the foreground scenes, you will notice details that will make you smile. Glimpses of resting spots higher on the hill beckon you on, until you reach the top. 

















 persimmons 







 Turn around and you will see how far you have come. Let your eyes follow the slope down to Phinney Bay, then up to the sky, See the distant mountains of the Olympics.  Breathe.













 And then we are back to the starting point, wishing we could do it all over again.

I will want to return in the spring.  It will be a completely different experience. 
www.albersvistagardens.org



11 comments:

  1. You've shown me a lot of gardens on your blog, Linda, but this one is really incredible. What a beautiful place! Thank you for all these great pictures. :-)

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  2. Lovely, lovely gardens. So green and lush.

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  3. What a tour! You did a lot of work on this one. I hope these people have a full time gardener to keep up with the maintenance.

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  4. I've heard great things about this garden! Some day I hope to see it in person, but from what I've read, they only do group tours. Thanks for sharing your photos.

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  5. They have a lovely view! Did you ask how many gardeners they employ...or do they use a Garden Service? :)

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  6. Now that is one impressive garden, I can only imagine the work that has one into that, simply stunning.

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  7. Such a wonderful garden. I did recognize the Beauty Berry, and purple Asters. Oh, and what a pretty Persimmon tree! I can't imagine looking out my window at such a beautiful view.

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  8. Truly awesome, spectacular. There are gardens and then there are botanical gardens.

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  9. Not all the pictures would load for me but what I saw was spectacular. Loved the lake view.

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  10. thanks for a lovely lush green tour-what a lot of work! It is amazing and beautiful...

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  11. What an absolutely awesome garden!

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