Our first storm of the fall season was supposed to land today, bringing heavy rain and gusty winds up to forty miles an hour. It still may. But this morning I decided to brave what looked like ordinary rain and headed to Soos Creek Botanical Garden for a walk.
I’m so glad I did. It was exquisite.
~ Susanne
One sunny day earlier this summer my husband had to be in Bellevue so I hitched a ride and had him drop me off at the Bellevue Botanical Garden. He was longer than we thought he would be, so I got to enjoy a very leisurely 3 hour visit, strolling through the garden at a snail’s pace, starting with the centerpiece, the Perennial Border.
The award-winning Perennial Border has year-round displays of flowers and according to the brochure, “is an example of a distinctively American-style-mixed-border and a living demonstration of what works best in Northwest gardens.” I walked the paths through this living work of art admiring the variety of plants, their unique shapes and sizes, textures and colors.
I wandered through the Waterwise Garden and the Fuschia Garden,
the Native Discovery Garden and the Yao Garden, pausing to enjoy the hydrangeas along the trails that took me from one to another.
From the Lost Meadow Trail, I was delighted to discover this.
A nature trail through pristine woods, complete with a 150 ft suspension bridge over a steep ravine where you enjoy views of native understory and second-growth forest without trampling the forest floor. Oh, there is nothing like the Woods!
As much as I love cultivated gardens, I am partial to the Northwest Woods. I was happy to wander alone on the peaceful paths under a canopy of big leaf maples and western red cedars, where birds and other wildlife make their homes undisturbed. I was thankful these woods had been preserved and added to the Bellevue Botanical Garden. And I couldn’t help but wonder: what if the 22 acres known as the Tiffany Park Woods in Renton, those woods that were recently razed to the ground so ninety plus houses could go up; what if those woods had been preserved for all to enjoy, even as these woods in Bellevue had been? I guess we will never know.
I continued back up the trail and waited for my ride and promised myself I would come back again to this wonderful place.
~ Susanne
After the rain showers this week, I visited the lovely Soos Creek Botanical Garden today. It was a rather spontaneous decision, made while drinking my latte at the Starbucks next to the gym where I was supposedly headed next. But the rain had stopped. Fresh air and a walk would be better than the treadmill, wouldn’t it? Of course it would! And I’d only been to the Soos Creek Garden once before, even though it’s only a thirty minute drive down the road. Time for another visit.
A few volunteers were the only ones I saw as I walked through the Carlmas Long Borders promenade, the centerpiece of the garden. The grass was still wet and the flowers fresh with raindrops from the day before. Beautiful color exploded on each side.
Afterwards I wandered on paths through native woods, including a cedar grove and alder grove, and made my way down to the creek.
I headed back up to where I started, to the top of the expansive lawn where the Schaefer Pond Garden was peaceful and serene.
Soos Creek Botanical Garden is 22 acres of garden and woodlands, exactly the size of the Tiffany Park Woods that are currently being destroyed in my neighborhood. I guess it’s some consolation to know I can visit the lovely Botanical Garden for a safe and scenic walk in the woods.
Before leaving, I bought some plants, dropping my money in the donation box, and went home to find a place for them in my yard.
Much better than the gym I have to admit.
~ Susanne
I woke up this morning to the sound of another torrential downpour and after much consideration over a steaming latte decided I would not be deterred. There would be enough breaks in the rain and places to shelter; I would proceed with plans to work in the garden.
I would target my herb bed where the rosemary had become a tree crowding out everything else. Out he would come to be replaced with a smaller version that hopefully would be contained. I would add another variety of lavender to the bed and surround it with some new varieties of mint. One simply cannot have too much lavender.
I would plant the fuschia starts along with some basket stuffers and hope they do better than last year. Isn’t spring gardening (like spring baseball) all about hope?
And I would stop to admire the delicacy of the azalea, the faithful and often underappreciated workhorse of the Northwest garden.
That would have to do for today.
~ Susanne
Today is sunny, the sky a heavy blue, the temperature a frigid 26 degrees; a great day to visit Seattle’s relatively unknown Kubota Garden.
Kubota Garden was the dream of master landscaper, Fujitaro Kubota who wanted to display the beauty of the Northwest in a Japanese style. Mr. Kubota, who immigrated to America in 1907, acquired the land to build his garden in 1927.
It was already a designated historical landmark when the City of Seattle purchased it from the Kubota family in 1987. According to the City’s website, “The Gardens are a spectacular setting of hills and valleys, interlaced with streams, waterfalls, ponds, bridges, and rock out-croppings with a rich array of plant material.’
Indeed. We wander alone through the park, save for one friendly walker who wishes us a happy new year, savoring the quiet and beauty of the trees and ponds and bridges and even the boulders left from the last glacier 12,000 years ago… .
My favorite spot is Heart Bridge crossing Mapes Creek, which feeds many ponds in the area. Here I take too many pictures and am not sorry at all.
There are many other ponds in the park, this one frozen over….
After our short, invigorating walk we head to the car but not without one more picture for the road…
Then on to the nearby bookstore where over lattes, hot chocolate and pastries we plan our return this spring to see the garden in bloom and in color …
Happy New Year! 🙂
~ Susanne
I first heard this word as a child when we ‘said grace’ before meals.
“Bless us O Lord and these thy gifts which we are about to receive through thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen.’ Granted it was spoken hurriedly by us kids, the words all run together so we could move on and dig into the delicious dishes on the table (for it was mostly said before holiday meals.) Few of the words were contemplated or understood by me at the time. But it is never too late.
Through Thy Bounty
Bounty speaks of generosity and liberality. Of abundance and beauty, like a garden overflowing with life. Bounty realized, understood and appreciated elicits thankfulness to the Giver.
~ thoughts on Bounty, Susanne
I saw the little rose was still blooming outside after a week of freezing cold and snow. Since she had survived so long I brought her into the house and added her to this Winter Bouquet.
