Heronswood Visit

May 18th was a wonderful day.  Heronswood was open to the public for the first time in over 6 years.  

Heronswood is one of those wonderful places that have specialty gardens featuring rare plants and a shade garden that crawls around the woodland floor and shows you what you can do with shade, when given a chance and an adventurous heart.

The Grotto at Heronswood

 

I was delighted and we made the hour and a half drive up to Bainbridge Island extra early that Saturday.  Not only was the garden open, but there was a big plant sale with all my favorite rare plant dealers attending, which meant there was a good chance I could pick up a couple of the items I need to round out the shade garden here.

First thing when we got there - Shopping!!  It didn't take long before I rounded up a beautiful Podophyllum delavayii and a hexandrum for my growing "podo" collection, as well as a couple different Diphylleia grayi and an extra bronze Rodgersia.  After quite a bit of back and forth, I took the plunge and bought an arisaema tortuosum - a 'jack in the pulpit' that could easily get 5' tall, which is why I've held off for so long.  (I have several jacks of assorted type, so it really wasn't that much of a stretch for me).

Paris thibetica

 

I kept eyeing (and finally caved in and bought) a beautiful Paris thibetica from Windcliff/Dan Hinkley.  If you've ever been 'on the fence' about buying a rare new plant, I can tell you that asking one of the country's most highly respected plant collectors his opinion on it is a sure way to guarantee you buy the plant - which is exactly what I did.  

 

 

Columns in the forest

 

After we finished our shopping, we put the plants in the car and headed into the woodlands of Heronswood.  I knew I was in the right place when we quickly came across a mythical looking collection of columns standing quietly among the darmara peltata, rogersia and podophyllums.  It was so unexpected and yet so natural there.

Back Yard

After a long stroll through the woodlands we arrived at the original house and the gardens surrounding it.  Each area was done in different garden styles and was amazing, even as it is in the process of being restored by the Port Gamble S'Klallum tribe and Dan Hinkley.

 

 

 

 

 

Formal Garden

 

 

 

The Formal Garden was just starting to sprout and the bright green boxwood pattern stood out strongly against the surrounding trees.  It would be great to come back here later in summer and see how it has changed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the coolest garden was this huge roman arches made from carefully clipped trees that had been planted very closely together.  When you get up close to this room, you can see that the entire structure is strictly trees, no fencing or physical structure has been added to this.  Inside the garden there is a smaller knot garden.

Roman Arches

 

Driveway / Entryway

 

 After leaving the room of arches, you walk out the back and to the driveway that approaches the back of the house.  This large bed served as a strong focal point before your eye is drawn to the green arches of the room behind it.

 

 

 

 

Driveway Border

 

 

On the way back up the drive there is a long rectangular garden and a row of hedges creating a clear separation between the wild forest and the structure of the formal gardens.






 Peony Tree

On the other side of the road is a very large peony tree that had just finished blooming.  I'm not sure which made me more jealous - the huge peony tree or the large batch of darmara peltata growing next to it. 


From this point we wandered back into the woodlands and up to the Grotto before making our way through the wonderous forest to the old nursery space and plant sale.




If you've never been to Heronswood before, you owe it to yourself to go if the opportunity presents itself.