The 2008 Gardens
Serenity Gardens
Picture a Victorian mansion perched high among the firs with a circular drive hinting of what is to come. Mature natives provide a centering majesty while introduced cultivars coexist with simple elegance. Deer and the elements are informing the new direction of this garden, created just 12 years ago to provide an awe inspiring view of Mount Rainier and Puget Sound. Walk through the formal gateway and down an allee. The landscape conforms and then transforms … it is a delightful dance between European symmetry and Asian asymmetry, a dance that makes use of texture and form to create a serene fusion. A Japanese style arbor is your first sign that the formal European geometry is about to be challenged. Then a flowing miniature conifer garden captures your attention. Next, a 2,000 year-old pre-Columbian pot begs you to keep on questing for more clues to the spiritual center of this garden. Stroll across the small plaza past a gravel garden and around the gazebo to see edibles perched at the edge of a precipice. Marvel at the neighboring Earth Sanctuary's deep forest. A large statue of Kuan Yin looks across the koi pond, beckoning you to stroll past the weeping tree specimens and spectacular Sumac. Take a final pause to look out over the garden and beyond, and you will realize that this garden is an invitation to dwell in peace.
Features
- Miniature conifer garden
- Rock garden
- Kitchen garden
- Sculptural Sumac
- Pond