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August 11, 2024
One among my favourite gardens on the Fling tour final month was that of Camille and Dirk Paulsen. As one of many co-planners of the Puget Sound Fling, Camille not solely devoted a yr of volunteer effort to convey Flingers to her area, however she managed to have her backyard in tiptop form for 100 guests to get pleasure from for just a few hours. It was our longest stretch of time in a personal backyard, for which I used to be exceedingly grateful. It gave me time to do my ordinary obsessive photographing of the whole backyard — I made two perambulations — after which have an opportunity to sit down down and simply get pleasure from its magnificence.
I observe Camille on Instagram (@tahomaflora), so I used to be ready for her spectacular view of glacier-crowned Mount Rainier (an energetic volcano, by the way in which), often known as Tahoma. However what a deal with to see it in particular person on a cloudless summer season day, floating above a hazy blue skirt, seemingly shut sufficient to achieve out and contact. It’s solely 30 miles away, in keeping with a wayfinding signal on the again deck, which provides instructions to different well-known peaks all over the world.
Camille and Dirk designed and constructed a lot of their Puyallup, Washington, backyard themselves. In response to a function about their backyard in The Seattle Instances, the couple inherited a whole lot of good bushes after they purchased the home. Over time they nibbled away at areas of garden to backyard up the whole back and front yard, which in the present day features a front-yard pond and patio, an Asian shade backyard, a colourful patio backyard by a swimming pool, a contemplative pond backyard, a hideaway underneath a weeping elm, a fireplace pit patio, a shade pavilion on a sunny garden, and extra.
Camille’s creativity and eye for magnificence is on show all through the backyard. Check out the birch log (above) that she wired with moss, orchids, and staghorn fern and hung from an arbor. A stunning point of interest, it distracts from a view of the home subsequent door, which opened up when Camille misplaced a tree, if I recall accurately. Genius!
Let’s begin our tour within the entrance backyard, the place I wandered over — undecided if it was time or not — after being dropped off with my busmates at two of her neighbors’ gardens whereas the opposite bus arrived at Camille’s place first. The primary busload had already labored their manner into the again backyard, so I had the entrance to myself.
Timber, shrubs, and a strolling path encircle the front-yard fishpond.
As you method, you’re greeted by a curlicued elf’s hat of a tree — a weeping Serbian spruce, I consider — and different conifers underplanted with golden groundcovers. You possibly can inform that is going to be a gardener’s backyard.
Alongside the pond, a big arbor encircles a spherical patio, which overlooks…
…a waterfall and stream flowing from the entrance of the home towards the pond, accented by a sleek Japanese maple and Japanese forest grass.
Sedum colonizing a mossy rock
Basalt birdbath tucked underneath a Japanese maple and blue conifer
A bronze pot within the middle of the spherical patio is sort of a stone dropped right into a pond, inflicting outward ripples.
Following a flagstone path to the facet of the home, you come to a gateway. Gabion pillars topped with pots of annuals mark the transition.
As you enter the again backyard, a phenomenal torii gate constructed by Dirk frames a view of Mount Rainier. Howdy! What a showstopping entry.
The flagstone path is fantastically constructed with a delicate S form and a mixture of geometric and raw-edge stones.
Wanting again towards the torii gate
A mossy lantern alongside the way in which
The Asian-style stone path
From the shade you emerge right into a sunny patio backyard round a curvy swimming pool. Camille skilled a weeping blue Atlas cedar that drapes like a dwelling curtain over the metallic security fence. Blue pots and spheres add shade and curiosity amongst patio seating.
Dahlias and blue Atlas cedar absorbing the solar poolside
Sanguisorba cascades over a slope, backed by a burgundy Japanese maple.
A few my fellow Flingers have been wanting fairly blissful on the patio, and shortly sufficient had their ft within the pool — a Fling custom.
Potted tropicals add summer season shade and daring foliage.
Simply previous the pool, an etched birdbath attracts the attention amid a romantic tumble of crops, with purple clematis color-echoing a hydrangea.
Clematis closeup
Past, a tranquil shade backyard reveals off beautiful foliage underneath a cover of Japanese maples and different bushes.
Japanese maple leaves catching the sunshine
It’s an intimate woodland backyard, with hanging wire ornaments within the bushes drawing you on.
A pond — its mirrored floor reflecting the bushes — occupies the middle of this house. A mossy boulder within the water makes a contemplative island. Past it, two chairs perch on the fringe of the backyard, going through Mount Rainier.
As I got here via the backyard once more a bit later, I noticed two Flingers having fun with that view.
Lengthy view throughout the pond towards a small waterfall spilling into it
Close to the pond, a weeping Camperdown elm hangs a inexperienced curtain of foliage all the way in which to the bottom. Parting its branches, you uncover a secret hideaway…
…with this view of Mount Rainier and acres of forest. Stupendous!
Wyatt Emig wanting blissed out by the magic of this house
A trio of Flingers — Patterson Webster, Michelle Reimert, and Judy Hertz — having fun with the view
As I rotated, I noticed different Flingers on a bench overlooking the pond. So many good spots to sit down and revel in this backyard!
Crossing a stone bridge over the waterfall…
…I headed for stairs main up-slope. The densely planted backyard gives a lot to understand alongside the way in which, together with flames of inexperienced glass amid the foliage.
A bamboo handrail follows the stone steps…
…tufted on the backside with a waterfalling mound of Japanese forest grass.
The steps lead as much as a fireplace pit patio, the place a tribe of Flingers was all smiles, even earlier than the sorbet arrived.
Talking of, Valley Social Gelato was quickly serving scoops of tasty strawberry rhubarb sorbet from a cart within the driveway.
However again to the backyard exploration
A good-looking shade pavilion overlooks the valley and Mount Rainier and was a well-liked spot to sit down and chat.
The pavilion and a small garden sit excessive above the swimming pool, degree with an elevated again deck.
Wanting down, I noticed a contingent of Flingers soaking drained ft within the pool.
Chocolate mimosa, crocosmia, and Mexican feathergrass make a reasonably combo on the slope, as seen from beneath.
And right here’s that mimosa and feathergrass as seen from above on the garden. Arching metallic artwork echoes the rusty foliage.
Jim Bishop from San Diego having fun with the shade pavilion
Valerie Smith, a brand new Flinger from Charleston, South Carolina
A palm, cannas, and different solar lovers add tropical taste alongside the garden.
Dahlias provide one other splash of crimson.
Alongside a boulder-terraced wall, an Asian-flavored planting of forest grass, fern, and Japanese maples graces a cobble path resulting in the driveway.
Closeup of stone, forest grass, fern, and maples
Extra foliage shade
Camille planted up a gnarled outdated tree trunk, which she discovered and introduced into her backyard, to make her personal model of a stumpery.
Close by, her fabulous hanging log drips with grey tendrils of moss.
Another view
Hosta, fern, and forest grass mingle with fuchsia.
Sanguisorba and fuchsia are fairly in pink.
Camille’s backyard is just spectacular. Wyatt’s expression sums up how I felt too — grateful for the chance to essentially expertise it. Camille and Dirk (and your daughters), thanks all for sharing your lovely house and backyard with us!
Up subsequent: Exploring Lakewold Gardens earlier than the Fling banquet dinner. For a glance again at two of Camille’s gardening neighbors, click on right here.
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Digging Deeper
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