Garden with a view: Epping garden at Seattle Garden Bloggers Fling
If you’re lucky enough to live on a hilltop in Seattle, odds are you have a nice view of something, seeing as the city is surrounded by mountains and the sea. In the Epping Garden, which we visited on Day Two of the Seattle Garden Bloggers Fling, the nice view is rather stunning.
After piling out of the buses onto a terraced lawn and patio with a striking circular arbor, we gazed out over the slope to admire…
…the Seattle skyline and Olympic Mountains in all their glory.
The view of Lake Washington isn’t bad either.
With riches like these viewable from the patio, do you bother to create a garden? But of course! Michelle and Christopher Epping have made a lush, lovely garden that took 3rd place in the 2007 Pacific Northwest Gardens Competition. Diana of Sharing Nature’s Garden has managed to tear herself away from the skyline views to focus on the garden.
I made a beeline for a blazing stand of crocosmia (the Seattle Fling’s signature plant?), where I took a bazillion pictures of this dramatic beauty against the charcoal boulders holding the slope.
A closeup—like a bird’s head, don’t you think?
A curvy gravel path leads into the shady side of the garden.
A vaguely Asian trellis screen is simply but beautifully constructed, with a V-shape bend in the middle. That’s Andrea Bellamy of the Vancouver blog Heavy Petal on the left. I was delighted to meet her, having recently read and reviewed her new book, Sugar Snaps and Strawberries.
A variegated tree catches the morning light.
This tiered fountain adds water music to a quiet spot in the shade.
I liked these wood carvings found throughout the garden. They seemed as if they might be inspired by the totem poles of Pacific Northwest Indian tribes.
In the bright sunlight flowers glowed as if lit from within.
Among apricot lilies, a statue of Kuan Yin gazes over the garden.
With views like this, no wonder she looks so serene.
Next up: The fantasy and woodland magic of the Lane Garden. For a look back at the stylish, colorful Ravenna Gardens, click here.
All material © 2006-2011 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Montbretia/crocsosmia was definitely the Fling’s signature plant, with fuschia a close second and Japanese forest grass placing third. It seemed these three were in full splendor everywhere we went. Lovely photos — I missed Kuan Yin, but heard she was there.
Very beautiful views in and from this garden. I have seen black mondo grass throughout this tour as well. I’m falling for it!
It was so lovely to meet you for real at last Pam and like you I smiled that Seattle’s stunning setting at first veered some 70 or so garden bloggers from their objective of capturing this garden’s beauty.
I’ll always remember that stand of Crocosmia as the place where I saw my first humming bird (thanks to Barbara), but I think Hakonechloa also vies for the prize as signature plant.
It was great to meet you too, VP! I’m happy that you got to see a hummingbird. Aren’t they adorable? And yes, I love that Hakonechloa also. —Pam
Wouldn’t a garden overflowing with blazing crocosmia (complete with hummers) and edged in swaths of black mondo and Hakonechloa grass just take the cake? I think we’d need a few of those golden robinia trees as well. Oh, and a monkey puzzle or two. That would say Seattle to me.
Yes, let’s not forget the monkey puzzle trees. These are definitely Seattle’s most memorable plants. —Pam
Thanks for sharing, P/D. That looks so lush and damp, I needed that relief from summer almost as much as you!
I think the variegated tree might be a dogwood? Lovely structure on that specimen.
It did have stunning views and several marvelous garden rooms. I so agree I think Crocosmia is the Seattle it flower. gail
Mercy. After being stunned by the view there is hardly relief in the garden. A wonderful place. I love those totem carvings too.
Congratulations on being Birds and Bloom Blog of the Week on Facebook!
Thanks, Robin! It’s good to hear from you again, my friend. —Pam
Just caught up with all your wonderful Seattle posts. Even though I am growing many of the plants you snapped, none of mine are as lush and healthy. That climate sure does wonders for plants. Almost the middle of August and another storm just passed us by. My garden has had just over four inches of rain since the beginning of June. Most things will survive but it’s looking bedraggled compared to the beauties you’ve just seen. Really enjoyed my vicarious visit. Thanks for taking so many great photos!
Amazing views!
Can you grow crocosmia in Texas? It’s so easy here, but has to be dug out every few years to divide as the corms multiply and push it up out of the ground.
Dear Pam,
Once again thanks for sharing. Delightful!
Jeanette
PS. It’s raining in Texas!!!!!!!!!!! YEA!!!!!
Jeanette
I love seeing the garden through your lens. Beautiful shots all! The crocosmia was stunning and your camera caught it.