2023 Garden Tour
The sun shone brightly this year on the many guests who attended our 2023 tour. Featuring for the first time, a total of 12 gardens; 5 individual gardens plus one cul-de-sac that featured 7 separate front yard gardens, attendees were treated to a variety of beautiful garden creations including:
An eclectic and whimsical PNW garden sporting a giant chess set, anchored with a panoramic view, coaxed from a neglected weed-filled lot.
The sound of cascading water created the perfect backdrop for a private, meditative garden, complete with owner-designed labyrinth and mini-riverscape.
An older landscape peppered with mature plantings, transformed into a mass of riotous color and fragrance, all from the imagination of two enthusiastic gardeners.
Perfect for entertaining and relaxing, this family garden is a swimming and gathering spot complete with music and fountains.
Working with the rhythm of the seasons, a woodland garden with secluded gathering spaces, that honors and supports nature.
A cul-de-sac of seven homes, built about the same time, starting with the same style of landscaping. See how each gardener took a builder’s grade gardens and made it uniquely their own, with colorful results!
Accompanied by music created by local students and professionals, guests also enjoyed art created at each garden by local talent.
[Youtube Barry Interview]
Fox News Coverage on Garden Tour artist
Flanked with statuesque fir trees, a graceful slope and
panoramic view, it’s hard to believe Barry Tharp’s home once sat on
an overgrown property, choked with blackberry vines, dead grass,
and salal. But 20 years ago, Barry met this gardening challenge
head-on and transformed the neglected landscape into a colorful,
eclectic PNW garden.
To the left of the courtyard stands a wrought iron gazebo, covered
in variegated Climbing Hydrangea – painstakingly hand- trained,
and Barry’s fave spot for morning coffee. As you follow the mosscovered walk, you encounter a shade garden filled with hellebores,
rhododendron, heuchera, hydrangea and a ‘Sango Kaku’ coral bark
maple, anchored by a sculpture of the Space Needle.
Barry says he likes gardens with a bit of whimsey – and there
are artful accents everywhere. Cobalt blue pottery containing
colorful flowers and standardized Pee Gee Hydrangeas sit along the
perimeter of the house and shards of broken cobalt are repurposed
to create surprises throughout.
As you pass a bed with tree peonies (one of Barry’s favorite
flowers), conifers and oakleaf hydrangea, the expansive view of
Puget Sound is revealed. A deck space off the first floor is ideal for
entertaining, along with a life-sized chess set, purchased years ago
in the U.K., anchoring the covered patio.
Last year Barry was met with challenges that again transformed
his gardenscape. A sewer line collapse in the backyard and a
front yard water line leak both took their toll. But Barry found it an
opportunity to refresh his plantings and incorporate a new concrete
chess board onto his patio, the ideal setting for competitive evenings
of sunset chess.
The toll of a temple bell. The splash of cascading water. The
whispers of bamboo. These are the sounds you hear when you
enter the Varnau’s yard. Originally a flat city lot, the Varnaus worked
with a landscape design company, bringing in soil and dozens of
boulders to create contours and elevation for their private,
meditative garden.
Stretched along the street is a custom-made bamboo fence,
topped in grapevines and espaliered fruit trees. As you pass through
the garden gate and arbor, you walk under a yellow Banks’ rose, by
apple trees that were part of an old Edmonds orchard.
Delicate manzanitas and arbutus trees filter the sunlight and
border the yards-long stream water feature. David, a sculptor,
enjoys shaping and pruning the trees, creating a collection of artful,
living statuary. A silk tassel shrub shaped into a tree and giant
gunnera perch on the banks – adding touches of texture.
A highlight of the garden is the labyrinth, inspired by David’s late
wife, Donna’s visit to the Cathedral at Chartres. Hand-cut granite
paving stones of Chinese ancestry guide the path, under arbors
covered with a Cecile Brunner rose. As you enter, you step on
hazelnut shells chosen for their distinctive crackling sound underfoot.
Both Donna and David found the walk a contemplative exercise.
David grew up on a farm in the Midwest and feels something
is missing if he isn’t immersed in nature. As you wander along the
garden paths past native plantings to the vegetable garden, you are
surrounded by birds and natural beauty.
And remember to look as you cross over the stream, to find
David’s “Job sculpture” in the water – a sculptural expression of a
pivotal time in his life.
Garden Plants:
Garrya Elliptica
Daphne Bholua
Edgeworthia Chrys.
Gunnera Manicata
Diospyos Khaki
SemiAurunDaria Fatuosa
ArctoStaphylos 'Sunset'
ArctoStaphylos 'Patula'
Robinia Pseudecacie
Chameacyparis Obtusa 'Aurea'
“My style is chaotic – I’m a home gardener who loves to play in
the dirt!” With boundless energy and a fearless attitude, it’s hard to find a
more enthusiastic gardener than Daniel Dake.
Greeted with a mature landscape, peppered with specimen plantings
courtesy of a neighboring lumber baron, Dan and Diane returned to
Edmonds in 2018, with 35+ containers of plants from their previous home.
Instead of removing shrubs, they renovated and rejuvenated to create a
constantly changing fragrant gardenscape.
Street-side borders catch the eye, with perennials including lavender,
daylilies and crocosmia highlighted against a backdrop of roses, mature
Rhododendron and pine.
As you pass a bed of dahlias (Dan and his mom’s favorite flowers) and
an English-style perennial garden – you see borders with mock orange,
daphne, beautyberry and snowball bush. Diane loves garden art and has a
special spot for her treasures across from the shade veggie garden.
Up the stairs, you enter the entertaining and pool area, past fragrant
jasmine and climbing roses, and beds that contain their sun vegetable
garden. An evergreen Magnolia gently scents the air with its huge blooms.
An arbor draped in honeysuckle, clematis and a climbing rose creates a
backdrop for hydrangea, roses and perennial geraniums while attracting
the attention of busy hummingbirds.
Entering the side yard through a repurposed screen door used as a
garden gate, you see a small ravine and creek. The east side of the house
reveals shade borders with bleeding heart, trillium, and other shade lovers,
along with a Weeping Giant Sequoia.
Dan likes to say, “You don’t have to be a world-class gardener to have
fun with plants -I’m living proof!” Truly inspiring words indeed.
[Youtube Interview with Mary Kay ]
For Mary Kay Sneeringer and David Brewster – gardening is
a renewing cycle of life. Their yard has undergone a great many
changes, manmade and natural, emerging from each one more
beautiful than before.
Working with landscape designer Susan Denley, they restyled
the front yard and added a private stone terrace, perfect for moonlit
evenings. A veggie garden grows nearby with beans, lettuce,
tomatoes, and other edibles. Sculpted older Japanese maples
add visual interest as you pass by hydrangeas and other flowering
shrubs into their woodland garden.
As you enter, you are shaded by an impressive cherry tree,
adding a cool canopy over the entertaining area. Sloping down to
one of Edmonds many creeks past hellebores and ferns, you find a
secluded firepit and seating area. Mary Kay and David avoid using
chemicals and allow their plants a more natural way to thrive. Birds
and wildlife are all around, and a hummingbird has chosen their
Camellia to make its new nest.
Some time ago a decades-old willow tree failed and was
removed, and although Mary Kay misses its curtain of green, the
loss makes way for more plants and a change in exposure.
Mary Kay has loved gardening wherever she has lived and
considers it a love that is handed down from generation to
generation. She said, “Mom grew up on a farm and always had a
garden and took great joy in seeing new buds form. She got it from
her dad, and it makes me happy seeing my daughter feel that way
about her property
[Youtube Interview with Patrice and Bruce]
Bruce Ballard and Patrice Kettner like to break the rules when they
garden. “We are at the store and say – oooh I love this plant; well we
try to honor the instructions. But if a plant fails, we learn and move
on.” says Patrice.
When they moved into their Edmonds home 22 years ago – they
were dedicated to changing it up. First to go were railroad ties and
the asphalt driveway that covered much of the backyard as they worked
to create a private spot to share with family, friends, and neighbors.
The front yard features a handmade wooden screen and arbor
that provides privacy for the front door. A Japanese maple shades
an eclectic collection of conifers, sedum and a peony bed, a nod to
Patrice’s grandmother’s and mom’s love of peonies.
You pass through the gate under an evergreen clematis into a
secluded shade garden. Stretching along the fence, under the watchful
eye of a mossy St. Francis, it features hostas (Patrice’s favorite),
trillium, ferns and other shade-lovers.
The yard is built for entertaining, with a deck that takes advantage
of the view and lower patio for rainy days. Black bamboo creates a
backdrop for the pool area, and the fence (built by Bruce) is dotted
with colorful containers and garden art. There is a seating nook in the
shadow of an impressive Pieris, featuring a trickling fountain, a cool
spot for hot summer days.
Bruce and Patrice say their favorite time in the garden is at sunset
when friends stop by to gather and have an evening swim. They are
pleased to be able to share their sanctuary – with fountains and
music – a different sort of world
Plants:
| Common Name | Botanical Name, if you know it. |
| FRONT YARD: | |
| Large Red Maple | Acer ruburn |
| Coral Bark Japanese Maple | Acer palmatum |
| Corkscrew Hazel | Corylus ayellana ‘Contorta’ |
| BACK YARD: | |
| Black Bamboo | Phyllostachys nigra |
| Chinese Windmill Palm Tree Has been replanted many times |
Trachycarpus fortunei |
| A very old Japanese pieris | Pieris Japonica |
| Weeping Norway Spruce x 2 | Picea abies “Pendula” |
| Little Baby | Sophora Prostrata - Kowhai |
| ‘Filifera Mops’ Cypress | Chamaecyparis pisifera |
| ‘Mariken’ Dwarf Ginkgo | Ginkgo biloba |
| ‘Hart’s tongue’ fern | Asplenium Scolopenrimum |
| ‘Winter Orchid’ & ‘Fragrant Sunshine Wallflower | Erysimum |
| Zebra Grass | Miscanthus ‘Strictus’ |
| Eldorado Feather Reed Grass | Calamagrostis |
We believe that gardens reflect the style and personality of their caretakers.
So, this year we chose to share a beautiful example of different garden personalities
Carter Garden
Evelyn and Rick Carter’s garden has honored its original roots.
An easy-care space with touches of texture, pops of color and
unique garden art – the Carter Garden is classic Pacific Northwest.
Krones Garden
Exuberant and eclectic, Samantha and Rich Krones’ cottage garden bursts with fragrant tea roses, blueberry hedges and flower-filled
annuals, perennials, and shrubs. Check out their children’s garden
art – making the yard a true family affair.
Jones Garden
Maggie Jones’ garden has experienced a dramatic
transformation. She channeled her love of rocks to reshape her
yard with boulders, flagstone, a fountain, and river rocks. Dotted
with peonies, heuchera and blooming trees, it’s a dazzling
combination.
Look for these plants:
Cornflowers
Miniature Columbine
Miniature lace leaf maple
Agapanthus
Itoh Peonies
Peonies
Dwarf Iris
Heuchera
Parkin Garden
Modern and minimalist, Karen and Jon Parkin’s garden offers
a Zen feel with sleek grasses, heuchera and coleus in shades of
chartreuse, purple and black. An editor by trade, Karen likes to edit
their garden scape, too, to keep things fresh and interesting.
Hirst Garden
Gardens succeed when they complement one’s lifestyle, and
Cheryle and Chris Hirst’s Garden does just that. Reflecting their
carefree PNW style, it showcases how a little work with the right
plantings goes a long, long way.:
Look for these plants in the Hirst Garden
Spotted Dead Nettle
Mountain Hemlock
Hinoki Cypress
Large leaved Avens
Autumn sage
California Milkwort
Western Blue-eyed grass
Crevice Alumroot
Mosquito Plant
Lindheimer’s bee blossom
Jerusalem sage
Kousa Dogwood
Common ninebark
Field scabious
Sea Thrift
Shrubby Haloragis
Common Blanket flower
Faassens’s catnip
Oregon Boxleaf
Japanese Spiraea
Thread Leaf Coreopsis
Needle Stonecr
Strawberry Tree
Lilyturf
Japanese Barberry
Epperson Garden
Half flowers, half food, is a hybrid of colorful and flavorful. The overflowing veggie beds offer food for family and friends, and her beds are a sea of color from spring through fall.
Lastelic Garden
Newcomer to the cul-de-sac, has gardened in a number of homes. As she digs into her new yard, already populated with shrub roses, peonies and flowering shrubs, one of the highlights she will add is a unique sculptural fountain
Musicians in the Gardens
Ashley Webster - pianist
- Played in handbell choir in middle school, and started playing piano at age 9.
- Accompanied church choir and select worship services
- Shorewood high school 2005 graduate
- Studied music theory, jazz, choral music.
- High-demand accompanist for two fall musicals, jazz bands and choir, and individual soloists throughout high school.
- Attended Edmonds Community College, jazz pianist for vocal jazz group Soundsation from 2005-2007, and the jazz band from 2006-2013.
- Various gigs include (but not limited to) garden tours, weddings, wine bistros & clubs, holiday parties, private events, retirement communities, golf & country clubs, the Space Needle, Columbia Tower.
• Founder, musical arranger, and pianist for The Jazz Pearls quartet www.thejazzpearls.com
David Locke - Accordion
Accordionist David Locke is a resident of Whidbey Island, where although retired as a truck driver, he is still active as a professional organist. His musical education and career have been based on the study of accordion, begun at age nine. Now in semi-retirement it is also a great form of recreation. Specialties of French Musette repertoire, classics of World Music, and Brazilian Choro are among his favorite styles to play, and restaurants, gardens, parties, and picnics are his favorite venues.
Email dlocke@whidbey.com
Website: https://bistroaccordion.com/
Luis Nenninger - Violin
Luis Nenninger is a Professional Violinist living in beautiful Edmonds. He plays with various Orchestras and Quartets all over the Pacific Northwest. He can be heard on soundtracks for Movies, Video Games and TV shows. Most notably he plays as Principal Violinist with the Emerald Quartet and Constellation Musica. He also is a regular member of the Seattle String Quartet.
He currently plays a Balmforth Violin, which he had commissioned in 2017. He is grateful to be a part of the music crew for the Edmonds in Bloom this summer!
David Little - Keyboard
David Little was pleased to entertain again on the Edmonds In Bloom tour, for the tenth year. Known by some as “Edmonds’ own PIANO MAN”, David has been entertaining locally and regionally on keyboard and piano since retiring (1998) as a music educator in Edmonds District 15. He brings with him a varied repertoire in many styles. While not playing on the EIB, David plays locally at restaurants and in several retirement centers also. Don’t be bashful about requesting a favorite song or singing along!
Email: littledavidallen@gmail.com
Marian Sussman - harpist
Former Principal Harpist for the Federal Way Symphony, Marian was for many years the harp instructor at Pacific Lutheran University. She has been the soloist on Ravel's Introduction and Allegro with the Federal Way Symphony, the Handel B Flat Concerto with the Olympia Symphony, and a featured soloist with the Seattle Symphony Chorale, the Seattle Men's Chorus, and the Federal Way Chorale.
With her consummate musicianship and lyrical tone, she has been a frequent performer with numerous ensembles throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Marian received her B. Mus. in Harp Performance at the University of Washington and pursued further study at the Cleveland Institute of Music under the renowned teacher and performer, Alice Chalifoux.
Website: http://mariansussman.com/
Carolyn Lanasa Cello
Flutists Tala Hillis and Marilyn Swanson
Edmonds-Woodway Students
- Aidan Stanciu
- Joshua Nguyen
- Noah Croskey
- Gabriela Brinschwitz
Edmonds-Woodway Students
- Stephanie Kha
- Hailey Nappen
- Amy Lin
- Lenna Nguyen
- Scarlett Luo
Cheryl Hufnagel
Drawing and painting since early childhood, Cheryl’s artistic inclinations were encouraged by her parents
and nurtured by her K – 12th grade art classes. At Shoreline Community College, she studied drawing,
two-dimensional design, and art history. Throughout the years, study with various accomplished artists
has contributed much to her growth as an artist.
A signature member of the NW Pastel Society, an exhibiting status member of Seattle Co-Arts,
and member of ArtistsConnect, Cheryl’s artwork is in many private collections in the United States.
Website: https://www.cherylahufnagel.com/
206-227-2254 or cherylpastelart@juno.com
Pam Carraway
I am a local watercolorist living in Edmonds, WA. I love playing with colors and learning the ins and outs of what can be done. Fur, feathers and faces are my favorite. I love brining my subject to life!
I love building my art skills with our local community taking a variety of classes. As Pablo Picasso said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”
Let me share my knowledge and come play with me!! I currently teach at Cole Art Studio, Red Sky Gallery and Mystic Art Supply. Or reach out to me for private lessons!
I have been selected for the Edmonds Arts Festival Gallery 2021 - 2023 as well as being a selected artist in the Edmonds Artwalk, February 2023. This year I had the honor of being an artist with Edmonds in Bloom.
My art has also been published in the Northwest Colored Pencil Tips, CPSA District Chapter 207 in 2015.
You can find my greeting cards at the Cole Gallery, my artwork at Mystic Art Supply or at the Edmonds Summer Market. This year, I will be at the Edmonds Market on May 27, June 24, July 22, August 26 and September 23. I am also available for pet portrait commissions.
Website: https://www.pamcarraway.com/
206 779-6064 or pamiamiam66@me.com
Vicki Adams - Spirit Stones
I believe each stone has a spirit evolving from the time and place of its origin and the journey that brought it to the place where it found me. I wrap the stones using natural and hand-dyed cane, leather, suede and/or waxed cotton cording with designs ranging from simple winding wraps and knots to more intricate zen-inspired weavings. They are embellished with anything that catches my eye and can be incorporated into the weaving: sticks, bark, pebbles, feathers, buttons, beads, beach glass, rusty washers and even old clock gears. I hope I have honored the stone’s spirit before sending it on another leg of its journey.
My professional work with land conservation and my upbringing in the Sierra Nevada Mountains have given me a deep appreciation for the landscape and the natural materials that comprise it. Most of the stones that I use in my weavings have been collected from streams and shorelines in locations where I live or work.
I live and own a small business in Edmonds. Though not a commercial artist, I have engaged in creative play and experimentation most of my life. In addition to weaving the Spirit Stones, I am currently working with mixed media-collage painting and hope to improve my travel sketching techniques.
Contact: vicki@terravalues.com
425-218-8828 or vicki@terravalues.com
Ann Robertson
“My mother took up watercolors in her 60’s and I followed in her footsteps—starting in my late 50’s. It’s never too late!” I followed in her footsteps—starting in my late 50’s. It’s never too late!”
Ann Robertson roots are in the Pacific Northwest. Her artistic training has included classes at Cole Gallery in Edmonds, Dakota Arts in Mt Vernon, and intensive online courses. She loves using watercolor, pen and ink, or soft pastels to explore beauty in the ordinary. Her subject matter ranging from flowers to landscapes, portraits to abstracts.
Email: SelahArts@icloud.com
Ann Robinson 425-236-3969 or anninchina@icloud.com
Johanne Friedrichs
Website: https://www.johannefriedrichsart.com/
425-299-8788 or johannechristine@yahoo.com
Fox News Coverage Video
Andy Eccleshall
Website: https://www.andyeccleshall.com/
Rae Munford – Glass art
What excites me as an artist is the process of translating what I see around me into something that I can create by fusing together different forms of glass. I love the process of discovering how my original subject matter can be expressed and even enhanced through the unique qualities of glass. Working in fused glass allows me to develop ideas and images in a medium that gives me opportunities to explore light and color in unique and dramatic ways. The versatility of the medium to create an original, signed art piece that can be enjoyed outdoors as well as indoors is a real bonus.
The pieces created for the garden hosts of the “2023 Edmonds in Bloom” tour, are made with glass powders and vitreous glass enamels, on clear glass panels. These different forms of glass are unified into a composition and fired in a kiln. Most of my pieces require several revolutions in the kiln and I usually use a variety of firings and techniques.
Website: https://www.windowlit.com/
Bobbie Randolph – rock painter
My name is Bobbie Randolph-Ley, and for nearly a decade, I've called Edmonds home, alongside my husband, Andy. What started as a simple solution to prevent my four-year-old granddaughter from tossing rocks into the grass has turned into an incredible passion for me. Two years ago, I discovered the enchanting world of rock painting, and it has brought immense joy to my life ever since.
From leaving colorful surprises on my neighbors' doorsteps to creating pieces that people now want to buy, I've been on a remarkable artistic journey. There's something magical about witnessing a plain rock transform into a little work of art that brings smiles to people's faces. While I aspire to explore painting on canvas in the future, my heart will forever be dedicated to crafting these smiling rocks. Join me on this delightful adventure as I continue to spread happiness, one rock at a time."
Email: hi@thesmilingrock.com
Website: Thesmilingrock.com
Story and photos by Larry Vogel
