2008 Garden Tour Visited

2008 Garden Tour

I just finished a quick tour of only three of the Gardens on the Master Gardener tour today. It was a nasty morning and I got such a late start and I had to be at work at 1:30. I will have to admit that I wasn't really anxious about going this year since it was here in Ocean Shores. After seeing small farms with acres of gardens on other tours in Grays Harbor County, I didn't really expect a lot on a small plot of land here. However, I'm always looking for ideas so finally got into gear in time to see 3 out of 5 tour stops. One of the others I had visited before.

All three places were lovely and provided creative and artful plantings and a vast selection of neat garden accessories. However, the one on Canal Drive really was a pleasant surprise. It is one of those places that presents the kind of street appeal that leaves me gawking every time I drive by it. Primarily it's the unique green house that I'm coveting. The house is also visible to the left when driving east over the canal bridge on Ocean Lake Way. So I was quite giddy to finally be able to legally snoop around the place.

The house was built just a few years ago, and what they have accomplished in such a short time is truly amazing. Just guessing, I would say the lot is 60x150 and every inch as been creatively been incorporated into a gardeners paradise with a vast array of mature plants plus a wonderful vegetable garden.

The Mrs. is the master gardener and the Mr. is a master artist at wood craftsmanship. It certainly is the perfect partnership in this beautiful garden setting. It would be interesting to know if they just started building and planting or if they created a blueprint before cutting first board and planting the first plant?

This showplace is completely fenced in chain link, however I found it puzzling that every inch of the gardens had a short, approximately three foot high fence. So the entire lot was fenced and then the gardens were also protected with interior fencing. As I left the site, I overheard the owner telling someone that the interior fencing was to keep their dogs out of the gardens.

When I check the profile on the place again, it did say that they had two large Dobermans. OK.........that sure makes sense! Yesterday I was pulling weeds at home and throwing them behind me in a pile. When I turned around, I found my pooch sound asleep half covered with weeds. When I'm working in the beds, she's always curling up under or on top of some plant. Of course if I pick up the hose, she disappears in a flash then peaks around the corner at me until I put down the hose.

Anyway, it was a fun 1.5 hour tour and I was glad that I finally kicked started myself to get out of the house and at least get to three of the five stops.

Merrianna McCully