Town and Country Gardens tour: family garden

Saturday, 22 July 2022

Elma, Washington

WSU Master Gardeners of Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties present:

garden four: A Garden Grows Around Family

The grand entrance to Matthew and Kerry’s country garden…

the grand pavilion

steps to the playground field

Here is a closer view of the garden on the left at the top of those steps.

Looking over the fence behind a narrow garden at the edge of the gravel expanse, we could see a kitchen garden far below.

The gravel turned to a wide path or road that led us along the foundation garden by the house to the left…

and to the top of a waterfall on the right.

The lawn wrapped around the other side of the big island bed.

The grassy route had been easier to go down with a rollator, which sticks in unpacked gravel.

At the bottom of the hill was the kitchen garden and the chickens and greenhouse that we had seen from above.

Past the kitchen garden was a new orchard…

…and off to the side were chickens.

We were pleased to see Wendy, just arriving to help out with the tour, whose lovely garden was on the first Master Gardeners of Grays Harbour garden tours that we attended (and we haven’t missed one since).

We went back up the gravel road beside the enormous raised island bed…

…and had another view of the waterfall.

Then on we went to garden five, another large country garden.

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an artist’s retreat for sale

Saturday, 25 February 2017

After peering over the fence on Thursday at a fascinating property that Our Kathleen had told me about, we got a comment on our blog from Charlene that made me feel compelled to see inside.

“I was on that property, for a gathering, and it’s more than incredible. I walked around for a couple hours and still didn’t see everything. You would come upon a garden item, and stand and look, to see what he had repurposed to make it. He would go to Boeing surplus and buy all these ordinary things and come back and make magician garden areas and displays. He is a pure inventor. I just did not want to leave! If you get a chance to visit it, go.”

So I called the realty company today and said I don’t want to buy it (even if I sort of do) but that I would love to blog about it…and the listing agent was happy to show us around. Here is the  Artist garden link and the description:

“This is so much more than 4 vacant land parcels. Enter the gates and you enter a private garden like no other. 100s of plants in containers, a grove of bamboo, mature trees and beautiful one-off gazebos and garden features. All of this is anchored by a grand pavilion made from steel and found materials in the grand style of The Rural Studio and Samuel Mockbee. The site features a private well, 2 RV cleanouts, 100 amp power, sleeping area, kitchen and bathroom, and 40′ steel storage container.”  The agent is Mark Magee at 503-860-5596.

Samuel Mockbee’s goal was providing “shelter for the soul.”  I feel that here on this property.

On Thursday, the two big gates were closed.

Today, one was open.

the road in

Meeting Mark’s dog, Ajax.

sweet Ajax

The owner collected salvage and turned it into art. Mark told us that some viewers wonder what they would do with all that “junk”.  The sort of people I know would be thrilled to have it.

Allan’s photo

 

English ivy was the only horticultural problem that I saw.

Allan’s photo

and moles…  The construction to the left had fallen apart this past winter.

now (Allan’s photo)

Here it was in happier times.

At the center of the property is a large pavilion.

south end of the pavilion

 

Here are three photos of the pavilion from the real estate listing:

a party from the past

This maybe went back to before the pavilion was covered.

In the pavilion today. The glowing end walls are made of automative floor mats.

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

north of the pavilion

Allan’s photo

the north end of the pavilion

Allan’s photo

On the south back side of the property is the large storage container and all sorts of ingredients for more projects.  The entire property is fenced, tall enough to keep out deer.

Allan’s photo

storage unit and potential extra living space (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

lights (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo

fence (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

east end of the property

At the east end of the large property are two joined sheds.

a breezeway in between the sheds

center breezeway

woodsy view, close to the back edge of the property

One side has a working kitchen and bathroom.

bathroom (Allan’s photo); also has a shower

and a door to the outside

The other could be the sleeping space.

If I were, say, 40, I would still have the energy to say I could so easily live in this space.  We could convert the 40 foot storage container into more housing, or bring in an RV to one of the two RV sites.  To add an actual house, manufactured or stick built, one would have to have a new septic system installed. Earlier in my life, I’d have found it easy to live with what’s there now.

the view back out to the pavilion

built on a grand and massive scale

more ingredients by the sheds (Allan’s photo)

You might have to make a few dump runs if you couldn’t figure out how to use every last thing.

Clearly, many plans were unrealized here.

Allan’s photo

I can easily imagine a delightful alternative life here.  I can’t leave my home and garden to take it on….but maybe you can?

I asked realtor Mark Magee to please let me know if he has any more listings that are amazing secret soul nurturing hideaways like this. I would love to see them and blog about them.  After all, it was my blog posts about it that brought the perfect new owner to the original Tangly Cottage.

 

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