Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Carhart Garden - Puget Sound Garden Fling (Day 1)

The first garden we visited on Day 1 of the Puget Sound Garden Fling was Carhart Garden on Vashon Island.  We reached the three acre property surrounded by a fifteen acre forest overlooking Quartermaster Harbor by bus after a relatively short ferry ride across the Sound.  The largely shaded, woodland area was steeply sloped.  Whit and Mary Carhart were available to act as guides and answer questions.  

With numerous others, I walked up and through the gate before wandering gradually downward along a woodland path, framed here and there by shallow wood-rimmed steps covered with wood chips.

The intricate gate featured birds resting on branches

One of many pieces of art we saw as we moved along
 
A cautionary sign directing visitors to pay attention when walking the sloped terrain



With trees looming above us, we walked carefully, focusing on both the woodland scenery and the plant vignettes on both sides of the path.

Although I love woodland settings, many of the plants were foreign to me and I quickly decided not to make myself crazy trying to identify them

Plant vignettes relied heavily on differences in texture and shape with only occasional touches of floral color like that provided by the hosta in this photo

As I was to learn during the course of the Fling, hydrangeas are very much part of the summer show in the Puget Sound

Visible from the path we walked, this was the first of several seating areas the garden offered




In addition to rock, the owners made good use of wood from fallen or cut trees to create planting areas

Along the woodland walk, a few plants in addition to hostas and hydrangeas added color.  My phone app provided alternative identifications of the plant on the left, which I initially took for Inula helenium but it's probably Telekia speciosa.  The plant on the right is Spigelia.

Seen from above, we spotted a pool below

I guessed that these raised planters were used as nursery stations for infant plants before they were planted out

This photo of a stylized garden shed, the first structural element I saw, doesn't do it justice




As we reached the lower level of the garden I got a peek at the harbor area through the trees.

Colorful chairs situated on a patch of lawn provided another opportunity to sit with a view of the Quartermaster Harbor just behind it





Sunny patches in parts of the garden allowed flowers to flaunt their colors.


There was even a meadow of flowers


There were more structures in this area, as we grew closer to the owners' home,

No shortage of wood here!  Note the view of the garden shed in the background on the upper left.

This colorful playhouse stood out.  On the right, note that the sign alongside the door says "go away."  However, viewed from its reverse side, it said "welcome."

The owner's residence was visibly nestled into the larger garden

A relatively sunny seating area on one side of the house

Attractive containers edging another side of the house

This art display, attributed to Zimbabwean sculptor Dominic Benhura, consists of 4 playful figures (although this photo only captures 2 of them)

Flowers growing close to the house included Astilbe, Astrantia, and Crocosmia



There were more seating areas in this area of the garden too.





On the way back up the slope, I got a closer look at the pool area.

In one area, the cement-line pool was said to be 8 feet deep, providing room to swim

Water collected from an area at the top of the property flowed gently down into the pool via this rock-filled stream

Even the stream included artistic touches

This gazebo overlooking the stream provided a comfortable place to rest.  Denise of A Growing Obsession took advantage of it for a short time.



We had a little over an hour at Carhart Garden but even that wasn't enough to fully explore the property, which felt a lot larger than three acres to me!  But on a tour as packed with gardens like the Fling, time is precious and sacrifices must be made.  Onward!


All material © 2012-2024 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party



18 comments:

  1. After a whirlwind visit to gardens of South West England, I wonder if less gardens and slower pace would be preferable. In fling posts I read over the years it seems many fling participants wished they had more time to explore.
    That last photo of the Gazebo is where I'd like to sit, surrounded by moss covered rocks and ferns!
    Chavli

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    1. In the case of the really large gardens (3 acres and up), I almost always feel I've missed a lot, Chavli. However, it helps that, with so many attendees with social media outlets, I can at least fill in some of the blanks. I've noted that several Fling-savvy folks often add on a day or 2 on the front or back ends of the event so that can cover selected venues before or afterwards on their own schedules. Of course, that means renting a car...What I never took time to do on this entire tour was to sit down to truly enjoy the space. I sat only briefly for lunch, which in most cases I inhaled in record time.

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  2. What a great overview of the garden, I missed plenty! I really loved this space, it was so meticulous. It felt much larger to me as well.

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    1. Although I took a lot of photos of this garden, I've discovered I missed some things even so, Tracy! There's never enough time...

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  3. Obviously you worked hard for a comprehensive understanding of the garden while I lounged! Their grandkids must have a fabulous time on the trails and in the playhouse, possibly learning to swim in that pool...

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    1. I don't recall you lounging all that long, Denise! You did pick the perfect spot to do some of that, though.

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  4. There was a lot to love in this garden! I was on the other bus, and when we arrived many on your bus were trying to find their way up and out. It was a little chaotic and I completely missed the introductory talk Mr. Carhart did at the top by the gate. Still, it was evident that a lot of love and care went into the making.

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    1. In the case of the first bus, the introductory talk by Whit Carhart wasn't all that long, although I somehow got cut off from his group shortly after we started, subsequently attaching to Mary's group so there were gaps for me too.

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  5. It looks like a lovely garden: so lush and healthy! The meadow, the potted plants, the rocky stream...everything looks gorgeous!

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    1. It was! The owners are obviously very committed to maintaining it.

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  6. Che spettacolo! Ci sono degli scorci nel bosco fantastici e il fatto che il proprietario lo faccia visitare lo rende ancora migliore!

    Bellissima visita!

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    1. It was a great start to a very busy tour of gardens in the Puget Sound (Pacific Northwest) area, Gabriel!

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  7. Kris, I was on the second bus, and I can see the light was different earlier in the morning, although still bright. It made photography challenging, especially with all the trees, but it was a beautiful garden, with so many areas to explore. I really enjoyed my visit here, and seeing it again through your post.

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    1. I found the light challenging in many of the gardens we visited, Pam. So much contrast! In retrospect, I think I should have focused on closeups in many spots.

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  8. A beautiful garden with wonderful art added in. I wish my hakonechloa looked as good as theirs! Eliza

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    1. I wish I could grow hakonechloa at all, Eliza! I make do with variegated Carex but it's nowhere near as lush.

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  9. How lovely to revisit this garden through someone else's lens with a much more practiced eye for a good photo. Even though the contrast was harsh, I still think you've captured the overall feel of the place. I couldn't believe how long the property felt, just descending, descending, descending with numerous branching paths and various little rooms and vignettes opening up. Truly an adventurer's garden. Tamara and I wondered how they kept everything weeded so immaculately. It's a big space!

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    1. It's funny how changes in elevation make a garden seem bigger than it is - not that 3 acres isn't huge by my standards to begin with. The little twists and turns also contribute to a feeling that the space goes on and on.

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