Saturday, 12 August 2017
Astoria Garden Tour:
a benefit for the Lower Columbia Preservation Society
garden two: a hillside garden
I try to remove the owner’s surname and address from the program, which leads to some awkward deletions at times. I want you to see, though, how thoroughly the program covers the garden features. Also, take note of how the garden designers and workers are given credit throughout the program. This is unusual and much appreciated.
Note the rubber ducks. The box is the Little Free Library, making it clear people are welcome to walk into the garden. There is even a drinking fountain on the left by the chairs, and it works.
Allan’s photo
The public drinking fountain is this side of the free library on the left.
Allan’s photo
Allan found a garden map and plant list on the lower patio. I completely missed it.
Looking up; the beloved banana is to the right.
I carefully plotted out a knee brace and cane and sore foot accessible path. I figured I could go up the gravel path and come to a resting point on a terrace halfway up, where I could see a woman standing, and then walk back down the sidewalk on the north side of the garden.
When I got up next to the middle terrace, I ran into a problem that could be so easily solved. I knew I could not do the railingless stone steps.
railingless stone steps going in two directions (Allan’s photo)
To my right was a jumble of rocks between me and the lawn. I couldn’t go back down the slippy gravel, couldn’t go up the steps, and couldn’t step over the low pile of rocks to the lawn. I was stuck. My only solution was the impolite move of stepping into the garden and then getting a hand from the woman on the lawn to get me over the rocks. That makes them sound mountainous. They were low, but with no way through for a disabled person. Just moving one rock to make a clear passage to the middle terrace would be better for old folks. There’s nothing like navigating a garden with a cane to make one think of easy fixes like that.
Allan telephotoed the view. You can see Tongue Point.
I walked over to the north sidewalk and was easily able to access the upper lawn terrace and look down from the top of the stone steps.
looking down
Allan’s photo, looking up. The third step up is where to turn right and take more steps down to the grass of the middle terrace.
The patio behind the arborvitae is this garden’s garden retreat. Garden writer and designer Lucy Hardiman would call the welcoming hillside garden a “garden advance”.
Allan’s photo
Allan’s photo
Another garden guest was able to make her way up the north sidewalk to the upper garden.
attaining the middle terrace (Allan’s photo)
deer proofing (Allan’s photo)
I appreciate the generosity of this grand gift to the street.
Next: a garden by Jessica which was my favourite of the tour.
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