Farmers’ Market–Style Garden

Raised beds, strategically placed shrubs and flowers, and generous paths give this Washington garden its unique style.

Click ahead to see what makes it work.

A blue Adirondack chair, backed by a splash of bright yellow blossoms and accented by tall sunflowers, beckons from the garden's far end.

Shrubs, sunflowers, and cosmos help conceal compost bins, while tall grasses partially hide a necessary picket fence (a public playing field lies between garden and beach).

Built of untreated cedar 2-by-12s, the beds are 4 feet wide by 9 feet long, and they drain better than flat beds during heavy rain. Soaker hoses irrigate each bed.

Wide enough to accommodate wheelbarrows, the gravel paths ― laid atop landscape fabric ― stay mostly clean and weed-free.

Exuberant blooms, including these nasturtiums, as well as cosmos, sweet alyssum, and sweet peas, sprinkle color among the vegetables and herbs.

Design Octavia Chambliss, Bainbridge Island, WA (206/295-2979)