My second visit to Scott's Seattle garden

Today's post is my final garden visit from a trip up to the Seattle/Bellevue area in mid-September, subject: my friend Scott's garden. I first visited this garden back in 2021 (here), and while there have been changes in the three years since, not so many that the garden didn't feel familiar. I think I was better able to enjoy the garden this time because I knew the general layout, and (as Scott pointed out) the last time I visited I was still relearning how to walk after breaking my ankle and the resulting surgery. This is not a flat garden. Case in point, that steep staircase disappearing into the foliage.
There are shady bits, and sunny bits. Today we focus on the shade, and I'll warn you there are camera photos and phone photos mixed together, so the quality and color of the light is going to be a little random.
These first photos are all around the patio off the side of Scott's home.







Now we've climbed up one of the staircases to an upper level in the side garden. Scott built all of the retaining walls himself using tons of urbanite (aka recycled concrete).
I liked this simple rusty metal flower stake, we'll see more from the same Ukrainian company on Friday.
One of Scott's three (I think?) wollemi pines, Wollemia nobilis.
It makes beautiful compost!
Storage? Casual artwork? Things waiting to rust?
Looking down to the patio where we started this tour.
Mahonia some somebody. 
The dappled light makes it hard to see, but that's a comfy settee, should one have time to kick back for a bit.
There are many empty pots around the garden, Scott has suffered some plant tragedies these past few cold winters.
Puya! (I think)
There are so many containers throughout Scott's garden. He's a master at working them in so you don't really notice just how many there are.
You know I always hope to see a pyrrosia or two, I was not dissapointed.

Here Scott was reminding me that he purchased this bromeliad during our trip to Rare Plant Research back in (maybe) 2022.
Another comfy sit-spot...
Parablechnum cordatum / Blechnum chilense with a begonia.
What a bunch of shady goodness right there...
Rhododendron orbiculare, maybe...

This staircase is new since my last visit, and very very fabulous. Those trunks belong to Eriobotrya japonica (loquat), that Scott planted in front of his home for screening and privacy. He decided to limb them up, and then built a staircase right through the middle.
I love it.
Aren't the trunks wonderful? Such beautiful bark. I came home and cut a few more branches off my loquat, which isn't nearly this tall... but someday!
I think Scott said he planted this adiantum.
Sinopanax formosanus
We're almost around to the back of Scott's home now, where we'll end today's post. Here you see a palm trunk that's been through better times, but is starting to sprout some new growth.
Come back on Friday for a look at the sunny side of this inspiring garden.