Something Old, Something New

A grand garden surrounds a grand historic home built in 1906 by Joseph Standley, founder of Seattle’s ‘Ye Olde Curiosity Shop’. Standley’s showpiece garden attracted visitors from all over the city in his time and still includes a century-old monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana).

Covered in ivy and not so grand in 2005, the garden needed renovation, enthusiasm, and plenty of hands-in-the-dirt work. Katy drew inspiration from her green-thumbed grandmother Marjorie, her love of the natural world and the peace and joy that creating and living in a garden brings. Ivy removal began in 2008, revealing existing plantings that indicated what the garden may have been. With the ivy gone, Katy and Erik enlisted the help of a landscape architect to design a new garden. Katy shaped the garden over the ensuing years “with much trial and error; gaining confidence in my own plant and design choices”.

To experience Katy’s vision, follow the walkway to the left and enter a lush garden surrounding a family patio and a wonderful spot to relax “with gin and tonics”. Hydrangea, Japanese maples and fig trees are inter-planted with spiky forms of New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax), red hot poker (Kniphofia), and yucca to great visual effect. Gently dripping water lures you to a fountain providing water for the bees that Katy keeps in the lower portion of the garden.

From the fountain, meander downhill traversing rock-walled terraces layered with pink-flowering dogwood, sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum), giant dogwood (Cornus controversa ‘Variegata’) aspen, eucalyptus, crepe myrtle, roses, and magnolia trees along Ferry Avenue.

Katy would like visitors to know that “with love, dedication and our whole heart, all of us can create something beautiful – even something we've found covered in ivy. This is my art – my means of escape and expressing my best self to the world.” 

No stairs; narrow paths in back garden