Visit to Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle

I first saw Dale Chihuly's glass sculptures at the Desert Botanical Garden near Phoenix some years ago. Later I saw some of his pieces closer to home at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. These displays were only a tease to entice me to see the largest collection of Dale Chihuly work on public view, Chihuly Garden and Glass, a museum next to the Space Needle in Seattle.

Dale Chihuly, born in Tacoma, Washington in 1941, is an internationally acclaimed artist who is best known for his fantastical glass works. Last month I traveled to Oregon to spend some time with my two sons who live on the west coast, and the three of us drove up to Seattle. The Chihuly exhibits were the highlight of our visit. Here are a few images to entice you, too, if you haven't already, to visit this wonderful museum. Most of these photos were taken outside in the Glass Garden, where it was sometimes hard to distinguish living plants from the glass ones:

Here is a view inside the Glass House, which can be rented for weddings and other special occasions:

Perhaps the most stunning displays are inside the museum. I will post this one additional image, and I hope you get to experience this amazing place for yourself!

Conquer a Hillside With Stone

What to do with a slope? Conquer it with stone and plant a garden, of course!

I love rocks, and I am deeply covetous of genuine stone walls and terraces. I love the ageless charm of stone that modern concrete blocks and pavers can't duplicate. I love its durability and its strength of character. So when I heard about Madlynn Morgan's backyard garden, I had to see it. 

Here is a picture of Madlynn's slope in spring. One walks through an arbor and up steps to different levels of the garden:A fence at the top of the slope was necessary to prevent deer from turning the garden into their favorite buffet.

Here is a recent summer image:

I like how garden tools are incorporated into the arbor:

The steps lead to a sitting area beneath a weeping Japanese maple, and then on up to a swing on the far side of the fence:

Now, as summer temperatures soar, colorful foliage complements the stone:Clockwise from top left: a view of some of the foliage; Nandina 'Blush Pink'; Abelia 'Kaleidoscope'; Acalypha wilkesiana 'Tiki peach whirl.'

Lovely decorative elements are incorporated throughout Madlynn's property, not just in the backyard garden:

I like this grilling area adjacent to the house:

Madlynn's garden is a great example of how hardscape can define and contain a garden. It is not a huge garden, but it is filled with interesting elements and lovely plantings and a few ideas I would like to copy!