FERNWOOD
GARDEN TOUR
Bainbridge Island WA, JUNE 2011

Nothing like a deadline to get motivated to turn and burn, prune and groom, and feverishly weed garden rooms so clean you could eat off the "floor." We spent about eight weeks prepping, cleaning, dumping, sorting, weeding, planting, grooming, and everything in-between. Nine moving water features were installed along with five reflection bowls. Outdoor furniture received fresh coats of paint in cotton candy pink, citrus green, goldenrod yellow, and pastel blue. Trellis's formerly painted "Santorini blue" were changed to gorgeous grape. Planters were filled in apricot-colored flowers and eyelit dust ruffles, quilts, and pillow shams embellished a hammock. Curtins were hung on a copper gazebo and a myriad of chandeliers with candles and flowers were placed in strategic places. The former "impossibly junquey backyard" was cleaned up and new gravelled paths created a new place to wander. We even removed a portion of a deck to create a new "flagstone" area. Three cars were sold along with an airstream trailer making another area fresh and clean. And all of this was done in under two months.

The garden was open to friends I knew would appreciate seeing the garden for the first time and those who would appreciate seeing the "new" gardens all cleaned. Over 100 guests attended and words of "spiritual, peaceful, colorful, incredible" were spoken. After ten years of creativity, vision, and effort, the garden was ready to be on display. She has come "into her own."

These photos of the "whimsy" side of the garden tour. There will be more photos soon, including those of the tranquil and sophisticated side of the garden.

I apologize for the quality of the photos. They were taking with my Iphone, as my digital camera
stopped working just before I started taking pictures.

Weeds Weeds, Nothing But Weeds!

Photos are of piles of the "plants whose virtues haven't been discovered yet."...AKA weeds. This year they seemed loaded with some kind of growth hormone that when plant is picked, a response is triggered and 5 more grow back the next day!

This exercise in futility is for an upcoming garden tour we are hosting. The dates are June 25 and 26, 2011. If spring would come to the Puget Sound then things will really start to pop (including the weeds as well).

The gardens won't be perfection (can or should gardens ever be?) but the place will be inspiring. The gardens are good examples of what can be done when you have more imagination than money, and more heart than time.

Fernwood Studio (a professional artist studio) and TheRabbitHole (flea market treasures) will be open and available for viewing as well. These are two of the enterprises of my home-based business, Over the Top.

Our Upcoming Garden Tour

I am excited to announce that we are hosting a public tour of our garden. The garden has been several decades in the making and due to a tremendous amount of vision and effort from the family. As the garden has matured and "come into her own," it is time to put her on display. The photos are a small glimpse of what is in store on the tour. And in spite of a wickedly cold, wet spring, everything should be awake and looking good by tour time. The tour is June 25 and 26, 2011. The garden is located on Bainbridge Island, WA which is west of Seattle in the Puget Sound.

The garden appeared on HGTV "Gardening by the Yard" the summer of 1999 and was featured in the magazine, West Sound Home and Garden, winter 2006/7. Those who have experienced the garden call it "magical, inspirational, and spiritual." I call it "serious therapy" and "who needs a gym?"

In preparation for the tour, over 200 ferns have been trimmed and 10 yards of gravel are being placed in new pathways. New areas are being developed and established beds are being pruned and groomed. The shotweed and dandelions seem especially vigorous and plentiful this year or am I just noticing them more than before? The garden was neglected for about 2 years, as last year I had a cast on all summer and the previous summer found my late husband recovering from a serious surgery. Hence, not much was accomplished so I am hustling fast and furiously giving the garden a serious "mani, pedi, and hair-do!". The pile of weeds so far measures about 10'x7' by 5' high. Now that is some serious weeding!

There will also be an opportunity to take a peak into The Rabbit Hole (an on-going garage sale situated in a finished side of the garage), Fernwood Studio (where I teach classes and create product for sale) and a special building where Dorothy, Alice, and Cyndy play along with a wreath-making area.

Nature's Inspiration

These are images taken from my recent Mother's Day walk through the Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island, WA. Whenever I need inspiration, decompression, and quiet, I walk down my street and find it behind the gates. There are over 100+ acres of nature at her finest. One will find a Japanese tea house, zen garden, pond with weeping willows, reflection pool, wildlife sanctuary, bog garden, a ravine filled with candleabra primroses, former formal home of the owners, 60' rhododendrons, moss gardens, and so much more. Gorgeous!

Feather Fan for my Grandson

This is a fan I made recently for my grandson's second birthday. My late husband, who was of the Chipewa tribe, made feather fans for my children and myself. I never watched him make one but felt I could possibly replicate one for this special gift. I kind of knew the basics and thought that maybe my hands would be guided to make one. I added a dream catcher from a business of his, which made Native American items (staffs, drums, papooses, fans, etc.) . I bound the handle with black and white leather, which were his native colors. I added strips of black, yellow, and red fabric from the walutas (prayer flags) that were on the special tree at the Sundance ceremony I attended last August in Oklahoma. Beads which were blown at his business were included and the feathers are a turkey wing. The ivory elephants are for my daughter and her husband because elephants are especially significant to them. I was told that Native American mothers would fan their babies with sage smoke to calm and soothe them during difficult times.

On a recent trip to the Washington coast, a stop was made at Ruby Beach. The plan was to look for driftwood and heart-shaped rocks. The driftwood was too large but there was plenty of rocks to choose from. The amazing thing that took place is seen in the photograph. My friend looked down and at our feet was a rain-drop on a rock that was in the shape of a perfect heart. Within seconds it evaporated and all we had was the recognition of a perfect miracle that was given at that single moment in time for just us. And for you skeptics, note that it is only "wet" where the heart is.

February tulips

Aren't tulips in February a wondrous luxury? Particularly when they open so exquisitely like these. They reminded me of some flirtatious satin petticoats that might be seen darting about in gypsy camps . Luscious!