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Roses In The Garden - a book review

Roses In The Garden by Ngoc Minh Ngo Photographer Ngoc Minh Ngo celebrates rose gardens throughout the world in this beautifully produced book.  The author photographed a total of 11 gardens across the globe (Italy, Morocco, Spain, USA, UK, and Japan). Beginning with the Italian garden Ninfa (often referred to as the most romantic garden in the world), her photographs have a dreamy quality that transports the reader to these exotic locales. Closer to home, Floret Farm in Mount Vernon, Washington, is included in one of the chapters. All types of roses are included in the gardens but the majority feature old rose varieties. Many of the gardens have roses growing in wild abandon, intermingled in hedge rows, spilling over walls and fences and surrounded by pastures and rolling hills. A pictorial index lists all the roses and the gardens where they reside. This stunning book was published by Rizzoli Books and is available on Amazon and in bookstores. Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, ...
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The Beck Garden in Gig Harbor

 


After touring the Gray garden, we stopped for a lunch break and then headed on to the second garden of the day. This is the garden of Karen and Larry Beck in Gig Harbor. Here is the description from the garden owners:

"One sunny acre on Point Fosdick started out with one hydrangea and clematis twenty years ago. Now we have all the gardens we could have ever wanted! Formal rose garden, perennial gardens, cutting gardens, raised vegetable & herb beds, over 3,000 spring bulbs of all kinds, specimen conifers, waterfall with Koi and carnivorous sarracenia. Larry built one of the two greenhouses for us six years ago and it is the nursery to many of the plants in our garden; the art of propagation is a never-ending joy. Two years ago we added an all "white garden" and have lots of garden art."


The sun had come out by now and it was getting warm. In fact, our first day was the warmest on the trip. There was something about this garden that reminded me of being out in the country back in Alabama. It was very quiet (no traffic noise), and the property was secluded enough that it gave you the impression that you were miles away from anyone else. I kept thinking that this would be a nice spot for an afternoon nap.


I said that it was quiet but there was one sound, aside from the birds singing, that lured us like a magnet. It was a beautiful waterfall and a large pool filled with koi. Above the waterfall was a perfectly shaped magnolia. Larry showed us before-and-after photos. This was a big project and it is absolutely beautiful.

A shady pathway leads up behind the waterfall where there is a secluded sitting area -


 

You may have noticed the palm trees -


And a tetrapanax -


Heading back down the path and out toward the sunny lawn area, we passed some raised vegetable and herb beds and this beautiful greenhouse -


The interior -


Sprinkled around the property were artful containers and smaller buildings -







 


 


 


Wrapping around the back of the house (or maybe it is the front) were beautiful perennial borders -


 

And the largest crocosmias I've ever seen -

Such a beautiful and relaxing garden!

Our day wasn't finished as we loaded up and headed to our next destination - Heronswood!


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

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  1. GRACE PETERSONJuly 19, 2021 at 6:42 PM

    That waterfall is amazing. It looks like a beautiful place.

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  2. chavlinessJuly 22, 2021 at 10:00 AM

    Spectacular garden. I'm enamored by the orange/red fabulous pot, the bench, the door... And such a beautiful greenhouse with fancy chandler.

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  3. AnonymousJuly 26, 2021 at 9:18 AM

    Thank you for sharing these gardens with us Philip. All are stunning and so inspiring, full of ideas. And "ferry rides" are the
    best aren't they!. Cheers, Gail P.

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