Garden Photo of the Day

GPOD on the Road: Bellevue Botanical Garden

Magic at a great public garden

close up of garden bench with mass planting of pink and white flowers surrounding

Friend of the GPOD Cherry Ong is taking us along today to visit Bellevue Botanical Garden in Bellevue, Washington.

tall yellow flowers in front of fluffy pink shrubThe flowers and glaucus leaves of Rudbeckia maxima (Zones 5–9) stand tall against a terrific backdrop of smokebush (Cotinus coggygria, Zones 5–8).

hydrangea with large white blooms next to spiky foliage plantA fantastic contrast between a hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata, Zones 3–8) and a yucca.

close up of container planting with red flowers and colorful foliageCherry says that seeing this and other spectacular welcome containers at the entrance made one her friends say, “We all definitely have to up our coleus game next year!”

colorful garden sculpture in amongst giant foliage plantA cool garden sculpture rises up over the huge leaves of a gunnera (Gunnera manicata, Zones 8–10). Gunneras have some of the biggest, coolest leaves of any garden perennial but can be difficult to grow in most climates, as they require both mild winters and cool summers to thrive.

three stacked stone sculptures in the gardenStacked stone sculptures with the cool, dangling flowers of Datisca cannaniba (Zones 4–8)

close up of bright blue flowersBlues for the garden are always wonderful, and this willow gentian (Gentiana asclepiadea, Zones 6–8) is to die for!

hydrangea with large blue flowers between ferns and other foliage plantsMore incredible blue from a hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla, Zones 5–9)

bright green Japanese forest grass along a garden pathSimple but effective: beautiful masses of Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, Zones 5–9)

cut arrangement of branches and seed headsA cut arrangement of branches and seed heads doesn’t need flowers to be perfect.

close up of garden bench with mass planting of pink and white flowers surroundingHuge masses of gaura (Oenothera lindheimeri, Zones 5–9) in the urban meadow garden surround a bench like hundreds of butterflies.

 

Have a garden you’d like to share?

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

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Comments

  1. User avater
    cynthia2020 09/08/2023

    Hi, Cherry. I enjoyed looking at all the photos and especially liked the one of the Oenothera lindheimeri and the shot of the Hakonechloa macra and the fence. Thank you for sharing.

    1. perenniallycrazy 10/28/2023

      Thanks. Looks like we all have the same favourites. Bellevue Botanical is surely worth a visit.

  2. btucker9675 09/08/2023

    What a beautiful garden! I especially like the photo of the Japanese forest grass along the rustic fencing, and that gaura floating around the bench. Lovely!

  3. User avater
    simplesue 09/14/2023

    Wow that Hydrangea is amazing! And the Japanese Forest Grass is too!

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