A sense of place: 2015 San Juan Island Garden Tour

Here’s a Garden Tour invitation for you from Fiona Norris and Linda Thompson…

Two gardens on the shoreline, one vintage home set in an oak grove, one whimsical house and garden, and a garden literally on the rocks.

These are the treats in store in the 2015 Garden Tour, coordinated by the San Juan Island Garden Consortium, Saturday, June 13, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

The two properties along False Bay are adjacent to one another, and share the same landscape designer, Steve Schramm of Island Gardens Company and construction contractor, Dan Lowe, of Lowe Construction. But, as you tour both, you will see, up close and personal, how very different two properties can be – the architecture, the layout, and garden design and the plantings. Yet both convey the sense of wholeness Schramm brings to all his landscape designs.

The Green property was purchased from renowned textile artist Amanda Richardson when she returned to England. The new owners built a stunning new home designed by Tom Kundig, an innovative Seattle architect known for his industrial style mixed with the vibrant crafts culture of the Pacific Northwest. He also built their guest house which you must not miss!

(follow this link for more about the gardens and ticket information)

Amanda’s garden was created to emphasize the beauty of its False Bay location and Schramm incorporated echoes of her garden plan in the new layout. Trees that could be saved were saved. Native curly Willow, Salal and Nootka roses were left be. The tall and stately, airy fence of metal stakes and reinforcement wire complements the house and landscape. This beautiful connection between land and sea, man-made and nature-created, exemplifies the work Schramm and his Island Gardens Company bring to all their landscape design work.

The Prentice garden next door is approached via a curved driveway that replaced the straight construction road to the new home site. Now, the driveway creates privacy and an air of mystery.

On the approach from the parking area, Schramm planted Oceanspray (yes, he did), and then trimmed it into a private tunnel that opens up to the front door of the house. Here he created berms, planted groves of trees and an easy-care bed at the right of the entry door, planted with heather mounds that layer into Salal and grasses. Pathways are created wherever they can be incorporated, providing numerous routes to the water’s edge and its magnificent viewscape.

As you visit Jim and Katy Nollman’s garden, be prepared to be taken by what is not only an interesting garden, but a garden that reflects the owner’s deeply held philosophy that advocates for “gardens as spaces for a genuine healing relationship between person and place.” — this from the jacket of his book, Why We Garden, Sentient Press, 1994.

Inside the fenced garden, practical, yet graceful, raised beds created with mortared stones are connected by similar stone pathways, imbedded with inset stones, glass, and other found objects.

This is an island on a rock, and these stones were all island-found, and the garden beds were built stone by stone. Jim knows and loves each plant for its special properties, but once he has planted it, he wants it to make its own way. Once a year he provides an application of steer manure and kelp to ensure a healthy jumpstart to Spring. Having a deer fence allows every plant a chance to be its best self.

Bring a notebook and pencil to take notes and do ask for the secret of making a Japanese-style moss garden.

At Portland Fair you will visit a landscape and home created with love and ingenuity — home and garden inseparable by design, and you are invited to tour both. What you will see was accomplished solely by the owners Susan Carnes and Bill Ray. Many plants were acquired at local sales, traded for, given to, or “found”. All are thriving.

The hardscape is an ongoing labor of love that meanders through the property with pergolas here, walkways there, arbors, a magical potting shelf with its own plant angels. The outer edge is planted with Sequoiadendron giganteum, and the usual suspects of Ocean Spray, Salal, and Douglas fir are plentiful.

The house was originally built by Scott Gates in the 1970s. Susan and Bill bought the property in 1996, and said the only things growing well were bountiful thistles and old cars. Come and see what they have achieved. Everything has been created by the owners, stained glass windows, paintings, woodcarvings and the meandering garden around the house with little treasures at every turn.

At end of Glen Oak Lane, a vintage house, once a successful bed and breakfast, is framed by towering Garry oaks. These native species oak, Quercus garryana, are a dramatic presence here. This oak can live to be 300 years old. It survives in grassy, savannah like conditions, meaning dry, gravelly soil. There are at least two dozen of these magnificent specimens here, though, sadly, one was lost this year.

The property has hosted a bluebird recovery effort aviary because it provides the exact habitat bluebirds prefer—stands of trees combined with open meadowland.

The “garden” consists of scattered beds and berms. Rosemary and Oceanspray mark the entrance. An oval bed on the left is anchored by a fat and sassy juniper and surrounded by iris, dusty miller and a volunteer peach tree. Toward the front of the house an angled bed consists of a low growing juniper, rhododendron, lavender, and blousy orange poppies. Foundation plantings are rhodies, hydrangea, candytuft, and a large Spiraea ‘Bridal Veil’.

This is not your typical “garden tour” garden. The beauty of this place lies in the beauty of the location, its openness and spaciousness. Views are to Griffin Bay and beyond, with Mount Baker on clear days. The trees shelter and envelope you, and also invite you to embrace their beauty.

The respite spot for lemonade was placed here so you will have time to let yourself into the wonder of this savannah of Garry oaks in this special place on this special island.

Please become part of our island’s summer tradition and tour these varied, special gardens. We are very grateful to the owners who have allowed us to include them on the tour and hope you will enjoy the day and take home lots of gardening ideas.

Tickets are on sale now, $15 per person, and proceeds will go to member organizations of the Consortium to be recycled into community projects like the WSU Master Gardener Demonstration Garden at the Mullis Center, summer hanging baskets in town and premiums in the Flower Hall at the County Fair.

You can purchase tickets at

• Griffin Bay Books
• Ace Hardware
• Browne’s Garden Center
• Roche Harbor Store

Directions to the five gardens are printed on the back.

Docents from the member organizations will be available to answer questions and full descriptions will be placed on the Garden Club website. Parking is available at or near all the gardens and a special offer this year is a lemonade stand under spreading oak trees. Come for a refreshing drink between visits to the other featured gardens.

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