Tulip Time at the Whidbey Island Cabin
On Monday Tom and I drove north to the Skagit Valley to tiptoe through the tulip fields. I took tons of photos. We just got home about noon today from spending two nights at the Whidbey Island cabin, where we went after spending a glorious day in the Skagit Valley. I have just imported 385 photos to my desk top computer, and will be sorting and editing this afternoon.
I needed a place to start, so I am starting with the cabin. It has been a little over eleven years since this family cabin was completed and Tom and I began the process of landscaping the front yard. We used a lot of plants that we brought as starts from our garden in Seattle. Over the years we have edited, and learned which plants can survive in the sandy soil with very limited water in the summertime and lots of wind and rain in the winter.
Each year, in the fall, we bring up the tulip bulbs we grew that spring in our Seattle garden and plant them in the sand of the Whidbey garden. They do not persist in our better soil and watered town garden, so we treat them as annuals, but they like the sand and neglect here.
It was our treat to be rewarded with the tulip show here as we weeded and tended this garden on Tuesday.
It is from these Princess Irene tulips that we borrowed our color scheme of orange, purple and pink.
Monday we were blessed with sun and we enjoyed a beautiful evening when we arrived at the cabin.
Tuesday was cloudy but dry. We enjoyed watching the osprey fish and then eat their catch just outside our window in the lagoon.
There was an eagle sighting as we went for a walk. I only had my cell phone camera, so no zoom.
Tuesday we could see the rain clouds moving in, but just before sunset I looked out and was startled by this amazing "golden hour" across the lagoon!
And a rainbow too!
We left in a rain storm this morning, but sights like this one make us want to get back to Whidbey soon.
And now I'll tackle those tuluip photos, and a nursery visit and pics of the Village of Langley.
More to come.
What an amazing place! Your skill at landscape design shines through. What are those lime-green large balls/plants in the second photo? They sure make a great backdrop for the brighter tulips and add dramatic texture to your design.
ReplyDeleteThat lime-green plant is a euphorbia - I think it's euphorbia characias Wolfeneii. Very dramatic, and drought tolerant.
DeleteTwo of my favorites, tulips and drift wood. More than a treat to view.
ReplyDeleteOh wow!!! The tulips are beautiful, and the bright colors are so pretty in front of the dark brown cabin.
ReplyDeletelovely tulips, what a fun place to stay...
ReplyDeleteLovely photos!! The Tulips are splendid and the whole yard looks so well cared for.
ReplyDeleteYou had great fun landscaping at the cabin. Great beaches there.
ReplyDeleteWhat a spectacular show. Your tulips are beautiful and that huge Euphorbia in bloom is like a giant chartreuse cloud. Oh the golden hour shots... swoon!
ReplyDeleteSuch a stunning display, a delight t visit and see such beauty.
ReplyDeleteThose flowers are so gorgeous, I am not sure how you can leave them!
ReplyDeleteYes, your tulips definitely like life on Whidby! Beautiful displays.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful display of tulips, but that "golden hour" caught my breath.
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful tulips at your cabin. I look forward to your Skagit Valley pictures! :-)
ReplyDeleteLove the garden, especially those orange ones. Glorious scenery.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos of your sweet garden at the cabin. It's so nice to have a retreat like that to visit. You've done a great job creating a low-maintenance garden there. And that shot of the golden sunset light is breath-taking. Looking forward to your tulip photos.
ReplyDeleteOh my! The cabin is lovely as of course so is Whidbey. I miss it there having nowhere to call a destination. I imagine the tulip post will be huge. LOL!!
ReplyDeleteMB
I love those photos of your garden. Good job!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad Jean asked about those spectacular euphorbia plants. I REALLY like them and will check to see if they will grow here. Love that those tulips love sand and neglect. They certainly thrive and bless you with so much color.
ReplyDeleteYour replanted tulips look great, what a pretty garden! :)
ReplyDeleteI really miss seeing tulips popping up in spring. I'm just loving your gorgeous photos!
ReplyDelete