Gig Harbor Garden Tour - Garden 5

Yes, we skipped #4. That was the order we visited the gardens, and so my #4 photos are at the end of the "roll". Remember when we used film? 

Anyway, I may not get back to #4 and I wanted to be sure to show you gardens 5 and 6. 

Garden 5 surrounds the Carlson home. They have lived on this property for 20 years, but eight years ago they tore down the old house and built a new one. They lived in an apartment over the garage while the new one was built. Most of the garden is new since 2008.

This property is low bank waterfront overlooking Lay Inlet, Raft Island, and the Olympic Mountains. 

 That's the apartment over the garage, one of several garages. We haven't come to the house yet. 

 Vendors here were a painter and a nursery. 

 Hydrangeas are a specialty in this garden.

 Here is Mrs. Carlson explaining all the garages. 

 Here we go around the side of the house to the back. 

 And up on the deck. 

 Down on the lawn another painter found a shady spot to work. See her earlier painting of hydrangeas propped up against her paint case? 

 Crocosmia Lucifer and day lilies made a bold splash of color. 

 Down at the boat house. You can see that the tide is low. 

 Steps to the pebble beach. 

 I doubt that I would ever score an invitation to this house, so the great thing about garden tours is that you get to go and see how the other folks live. 

But even without a place this grand, we can all create some bit of beauty wherever we are.