Today we’re in the garden with Betsy Bakker.
I would love to share with you pictures of my garden that I have been working on for the past 27 years. I live on Vancouver Island and with our mild winters can grow things so well.
My husband and I have brought in every stone ourselves, spending our weekends out in the bush collecting them. He even made a crane for the back of our truck to make lifting them a little easier. We have tried very hard to reuse items, such as the wood for the gazebo, which came from recycled pallets long before it was popular to recycle them.
I have a passion for hostas and rhododendrons, with my collection getting larger every year.
Hope you enjoy the pictures.
All that hard work picking out and moving stones has clearly paid off in the form of this beautiful stone patio and steps. A copper-leaved weeping beach (Fagus sylvatica ‘Purple Fountain’, Zones 4–7) forms a natural archway over the top of the steps. Numerous shrubs and lush hostas fill the garden, while a tall hedge encloses the space.
A kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa, Zones 5–8) is covered with star-shaped white blooms, while below it a pink peony (Paeonia hybrid, Zones 3–8) tumbles gracefully out over a stone wall.
Stepping stones guide you through the lush lawn, while lilies (Lilium hybrid, Asiatic group, Zones 4–8) bloom in delicate pink-and-white under the bird feeder.
A lush, perfect lawn makes a perfect counterpoint to the planted beds, trees, and shrubs.
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Comments
Beautiful!
Nice work. In my next life I want to live in Vancouver.
Re: live in Vancouver
I was thinking about that this week...
Betsy - your seating area is really something! And the lawn is so green and the edges of the beds are so neat. I love the curve those low purple flowers make near the steps to your summer house(?). Hopefully we'll see more of your garden from different angles later this year!
That kousa is out of this world!
That weeping beech is beyond beautiful as is the rest of your garden. You and your husband have done an excellent work of gardening art.
Betsy, that's a lot of large stone you have moved! Would love to see more of what you have done with it as well as your gazebo. Then I want to come sit on your patio and enjoy the views!
The title of the article is incorrect. The garden is located on Vancouver Island, which is a totally different entity than the city of Vancouver.
Ohhh that is a beautiful garden, and I love how you collected your stones for your garden...you really are an amazing gardener besides having a beautiful amazing garden...just love it!
Yes, how lush and lovely!!! My favorite is that sitting area with the weeping beach and stunning stone work! I can't begin to imagine the hard work you and your husband have put into your beautiful landscape!
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