On Sunday Tom and I spent most of the day touring gardens. As members of the Northwest Perennial Alliance, a large gardening organization centered mostly in the Puget Sound area, we are able to tour other member's gardens if they choose to open them. All Open Gardens are listed by the date they are open in our Open Gardens book. Gardens are open most weekends May through September.
Sunday's gardens were clustered in North Seattle. As time allows this week, I'll try to post some of my photos of some of the other gardens we visited.
I started with this garden, belonging to Kent and Valerie Ferris, because something startling happened here.
This garden is located adjacent to Ravena Park, in an area of stately old homes. The removal of a big pine tree five years ago allowed the owners to build a new garden.
You can see the greenbelt that is Ravena park in the distance here. ↑
I love Pacific Coast iris. I need to find a place for more of them.
We were enjoying studying the plants and details of this garden. When we rounded the corner of the house we saw this wonderful foliage bed, and then someone shouted "It's Linda Reeder!"
I looked at the person accosting me and had no idea who she was. As far as I knew I had never seen her before in my life.
Well, her name is Glenda and she knew me because she reads my blog, and she even shares it with her husband, who you see here behind her. She said she knew it was just a matter of time before she ran into me.
I was really taken aback at first. Then it slowly dawned on me that if I post my life on my blog, then my life is an open book and you never know who might "know" you that you don't know. I said, "Oh, you are one of my lurkers", and we laughed. Turns out she runs a small bridal shop in Olde Burien, a few doors down from where I get my hair cut. If I mention that I got a haircut on my blog, she says "Yep. I saw her walk past my shop." Oh my.
Anyway, we talked for quite a while and enjoyed each other. She also mentioned you, Peter, The Outlaw Gardener. In fact several people mentioned you to me. Turns out you are even more famous than I am. Alison, Bonnie Lassie, you are too.
We continued to work our way around the house, enjoying the beauty of well chosen and well tended plants.
Up on the deck, and then back around to the front again.
Glenda had moved on, but we had some good conversation with the gardener, Kent, before leaving for the next garden on the tour.
Glenda, I know you'll be reading this. It was great fun to meet you. I'll have to stop in and say "Hi" next time I get a haircut.
What fun to be recognised. It certainly was a beautiful garden, I enjoyed the tour you took us on.
ReplyDeletewhat a fun lusciously green garden. fun to meet a blogger friend. I was hoping to see Kay from Hawaii when they toured UTah and stayed in my home town but they were on a hurried tour. Maybe I'll have to go to Hawaii again...lol!
ReplyDeleteI would be so excited to run into you! Yes I would! Those Pacific Coast Iris are unusual and beautiful. Love the house there and the gardens.
ReplyDeleteYes, we are somewhat "famous" as bloggers. I've had people here in Bellingham walk up to me and ask if I'm DJan-ity. They recognize my face. We are living our lives out in the open, as I've said before. For extroverts like me, it's fun. :-)
ReplyDeleteThat was interesting...now you have an inkling of how the famous and infamous must feel!
ReplyDeleteIt is true about how much we have opened ourselves. I explain my blog as the stuff I would have killed my siblings for reading out of my childhood diary, now out there for the entire world to see.
It would have been fun to join you in the garden. Thanks for these lovely pictures, and how delightful to find you are famous with your blog!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful gardens and lovely encounter.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and leaving a note. I really appreciate Kay's efforts, but I live with a mush brain. Instead of struggling with no notes on my entry, for the Wordpress users, I reactivated my Wordpress blog:
ReplyDeletehttps://magespostcards.wordpress.com/2015/05/19/reactivating-me/
I shall now become one of your enthusiastic lurkers. I live far down the coast in a no water area, and as you can imagine, gardens here are changing dramatically. I do love all your flowers and greenery tho.
Funny, my real name is Glenda.
ReplyDeleteI like all the flower beds and arrangements in these gardens. great use of colors. But what really caught my attention was the stately ole home. I hope it's as stately inside as the outside. What a great meeting you had with another blogger.
ReplyDeleteHow neat to meet a lurker. We know they are out there by the stats. They are invisible to us though we are not to them.
ReplyDeleteI agree, those Pacific Coast Irises are beautiful.
What a surprising encounter that must have been. I do often wonder about those 'lurkers' out there. I love seeing these gardens through your eyes.
ReplyDeleteOh what fun! You've also run into DJan and didn't somebody else bump into you by Whidbey Island?
ReplyDeleteI think I've only had that happen once to me in Honolulu. It was rather disconcerting at first.
Your garden looks very beautiful surrounded by beautiful flowers. All flowers are unique and looks beautiful with bright colors...
ReplyDeleteHi Linda,
ReplyDeleteI often wonder about the many views I get (no comments) from people on my blog. So fun to meet someone who reads your blog even if you don't know they're there most of the time.
Another beautiful garden btw :)
What a lovely garden and I love that house! It looks Craftsman! What fun to meet someone that reads your blog. My husband and Chance have been recognized a few times...but I can blend in with the crowds:)
ReplyDeleteThe garden and house are beautiful! Can you imagine living so close to the park and having borrowed views of huge trees. Heaven!
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of fun to be recognized isn't it? When I started blogging, I thought that a few friends and family might look at my blog every now and then. It's interesting that other people enjoy reading about our adventures. It's like having a group of friends gardening and sharing with us!