Lakewold, Part 1

 On Saturday our garden club visited Lakewold, an estate house and garden located in the Lakes District south of Tacoma, WA. 

The estate began as a summer cottage on the shore of Gravely Lake in 1912. Through consecutive owners it became a grand estate meant mostly as a summer home. The garden evolved, with an Olmstead infulence and later refinement by Thomas Church in the 50's when it was then in the possession of avid gardener Eulalie Wagner. It was donated by her to a non-profit in 1987 and was then opened to the public. 

Tom and I have been here many times, but it was new to some of our club members. It is an impressive place.

The grounds around the house are formal. The outlying areas are much more natural. First the formal gardens:

The great lawn.

There were plants for sale around the house. Yes, we bought a few. 

Camellia petals. 

The lake side view.

My blog put my photos in the wrong order, so now we are back at the entrance.

Plants for sale in this lovely little court yard. 

Vide of the parterres from the shelter of the sunroom. Yes, it was raining, but not heavily, We were good.  

It was the perfect timing for lush new groundcovers, some in bloom, the colorful new foliage of maples, and the boisterous blooms of old rhododendrons.  

Ah, Spring.