It’s hard to imagine that the parking strips alongside Mark and Ginger Garff’s Phinney Ridge Craftsman home started out as nothing but lawn when they began gardening on the property. The narrow spaces are now filled with an eclectic mix of plantings and a row of now-mature trees, a testament to the 15 years the couple spent on their Seattle garden. They recently sold the property and moved to Montana, but I was lucky to capture the space the summer before.
More from the gardeners, in their own words:
THE GARDEN AS TEACHER
“Gardening drives my practice in a few key ways - first it informs many practical considerations - nothing like a little trial an error on your own yard before trying it on a client's garden at their expense. Gardening teaches things you won't learn in school - patience for one. Managing your own landscape year after year really helps the designer see how plants, arrangements, compositions change over time. Gardens are in a constant state of change.”
HELLSTRIP NO MORE
“{We bought the home in} 2006. Originally the garden was an experiment, using new and different plants that we found interesting at nurseries or were discovered on trips. Our first project were the "hell strips" along the sidewalk. It was nothing but grass. Now there are six semi-mature oak trees and gardens below.”
PLANNING FOR ALL SEASONS
“I think over time my own plant tastes have shifted towards more textural plants in general, attempting to hold onto structure over the winter. Along with that living in PNW really brought home the importance of some early spring flowers to cheer up the darkness. Towards the end of our life in Seattle the garden was absolutely packed with bulbs - crocus, daffodil, hyacinth, tulip, allium - especially allium.”
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
“Thinking back, particular plants that we bought as tiny 2" pots that are now large shrubs or trees are very satisfying, one in particular, Red Fred hydrangea, planted in a 4" pot now 8 feet tall and blooms gloriously all summer.”
THE BEST LITTLE CORNER
“Oddly, one shady corner in the backyard under a giant lilac ended up being one of our favorite spots. It's private and from there you see many textures in the garden - from the raingarden plants to shady ferns to trees.”
MOVING ON
“I have 10,000 SF of Zone 4 Montana to green up and time is running out! That's the next project, another start from scratch garden.”
I can’t wait to see what Mark and Ginger do with their new garden! Check out Mark’s work at SCJ Studio here.