Gig Harbor Garden Tour - Garden 5

Yes, we skipped #4. That was the order we visited the gardens, and so my #4 photos are at the end of the "roll". Remember when we used film? 

Anyway, I may not get back to #4 and I wanted to be sure to show you gardens 5 and 6. 

Garden 5 surrounds the Carlson home. They have lived on this property for 20 years, but eight years ago they tore down the old house and built a new one. They lived in an apartment over the garage while the new one was built. Most of the garden is new since 2008.

This property is low bank waterfront overlooking Lay Inlet, Raft Island, and the Olympic Mountains. 

 That's the apartment over the garage, one of several garages. We haven't come to the house yet. 

 Vendors here were a painter and a nursery. 

 Hydrangeas are a specialty in this garden.

 Here is Mrs. Carlson explaining all the garages. 

 Here we go around the side of the house to the back. 

 And up on the deck. 

 Down on the lawn another painter found a shady spot to work. See her earlier painting of hydrangeas propped up against her paint case? 

 Crocosmia Lucifer and day lilies made a bold splash of color. 

 Down at the boat house. You can see that the tide is low. 

 Steps to the pebble beach. 

 I doubt that I would ever score an invitation to this house, so the great thing about garden tours is that you get to go and see how the other folks live. 

But even without a place this grand, we can all create some bit of beauty wherever we are. 

Gig Harbor Garden tour: Garden 3

The Gibbs live in a senior community called The Lakes. Two years ago they tore out 20 year old shrubs and lawn and started over with their garden. 

 What a lovely entry garden!  All ready for a tea party. 

 Around the side, we head to the back garden. 

 Nice use of a mirror to add a reflective "window". 

 Here was a new idea - plant tags made of corks and forks. 

 Birds are provided for in a back corner. 

 Foundation plantings are in pots set on gravel. 

 Out the gate on the other side of the house. 

 An artist in action is painting that gate. 

 The vendors here were a nursery and a glass flower maker. 

Her creations are lovely. They are drilled and bolted together rather than glued, and she uses ceramics as well as glass. The results are striking, and expensive. 

Now it was time for a lunch break, and we knew just the place to eat our home packed lunch. 

Tom's sister Jan lives in Gig Harbor, on Henderson Bay, and she just so happens to be the President of the Board of the Gig Harbor Tour. She was also the volunteer coordinator, so we kept running into her in the various gardens. We met up for lunch on her deck. 

Bay side dining without the crowds. Not too shabby.