NPA Study Weekend: The Syford Hoyle garden

What better way to break up a 3.5 hour drive home than to stop and stretch my legs in an open garden?

The NPA Study Weekend organizers planned additional open gardens on the shoulder-days of the event so those of us traveling from points north and south could visit gardens in route. This garden was in Lakewood, WA, 43 miles south of Seattle.

From Ross Syford Hoyle in the event booklet: "Green Tree Acres was created by my family from the original 5 acres of virgin oaks, firs, and prairie in the 1930's. Architectural structures, hardscape, and native plantings date from those early decades. As the home and gardens are near Lakewold Gardens, they also feature historic objects, including exceptional stain glass from former buildings in downtown Tacoma."

I don't remember seeing any stained glass, but there were some interesting hardscape elements like this fountain. I wish it would have been running.

I suspect the open spots in the base are for plant pots?

I wouldn't normally include such a sad looking agave, but compared to what we've seen this year it's actually looking pretty good.

I love this vignette, everything about it.

Not in my garden, but it's perfect here.

More hostas!

My memory is not real good as to what we're looking at in the foreground here. Perhaps another non-functioning fountain?

That however...

Yep, a greenhouse I would love to take home with me. Seeing a beautiful greenhouse like this that's not being used is a little sad.

Compost piles? Raised planters not in use?

A pool with planting pockets! Isn't this a fabulous design?

I think I'd fill the corners with tropical looking plants though.

They'd be out of sync with the surrounding plantings, but they'd look great with the pool.

I really wish I would have gotten a better picture of the pinecone sculpture behind the pool to the left (with the lady standing right behind it). From the tour booklet: "New garden art was created by Northwest artist Douglas Granum. Highlights are the "Imperial Pinecone" sculpture carved from North Cascades rock, with stainless steel "fir branches""

It was pretty fabulous. I think my reluctance to walk back around to photograph it was because I'd decided I was going to squeeze in one more garden and I needed to get going. That will be Wednesday's post and my last from last June's NPA Study Weekend. This year's event is being held up in Vancouver B.C. and I can't wait!