Sunny MeadoW

Ascend three large bluestone steps and pass through a bamboo gate into an unexpected landscape that appears to have more in common with the southwest than the traditional gardens of the northwest. This professional landscape designer has created a drought-tolerant, full-sun garden with unique shapes and colors in plants.

Trees, such as willowleaf pear (Pyrus salicifolia), gingko, Japanese maple and Japanese snowbell (Styrax japonicus) create a canopy while maintaining sun exposure for the understory. Drought-tolerant plants thrive in islands surrounded by crushed gravel pathways that emanate heat.  Many of the plants are labeled so that visitors can glean ideas for their own drought-tolerant spaces. 

Wysdom’s current favorite plant is the moon carrot (Seseli gummiferum) with silvery blue, lacy foliage and continuous generous blooms midsummer through fall. Other unusual plants include Michelia, in the Magnolia family, wood melick (Melica uniflora), sea kale (Crambe maritima), alpine mint bush (Prostanthera cuneata) and silver feather grass (Stipa barbata) that shimmers in the breeze.

The garden constantly changes as plants grow and new plants are added. The beds have expanded and the gravel pathways narrowed as the plants in the meadow-like design have matured. There are intentionally placed viewing points that provide different and unique perspectives on this different and unique garden.