Flowers and veggies
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.
Inviting focal points
A blue Adirondack chair, backed by a splash of bright yellow blossoms and accented by tall sunflowers, beckons from the garden's far end.
Green screening
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).
Raised beds
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.
Generous paths
Wide enough to accommodate wheelbarrows, the gravel paths ― laid atop landscape fabric ― stay mostly clean and weed-free.
Floral camouflage
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)
