Circling back to one of the fabulous gardens I saw this summer while on a Tacoma-area “Garden Fling” with fellow bloggers and Instagrammers, let’s head across on the ferry from Tacoma to Vashon Island. Before arriving at the garden, as you can see Vashon is just as picturesque a seaside setting as you’d imagine, albeit with some of the invasive plants I recognize from my own country neighbourhood, far away in central Ontario. Yes, pink everlasting sweet pea (Lathyrus latifolius) and yellow tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) can be found near my cottage on Lake Muskoka – but those arching boughs of Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus) are sweet memories of my Victoria, B.C. childhood – even though I know they’re one of the very worst invasives in the Pacific Northwest. But let’s drive on to Maury Island, which is a “tied island” linked to Vashon via a man-made isthmus to visit my featured garden.

It’s a testament to the hard work and creativity of Whit and Mary Carhart that the photo below of textural shade plants flanking a generous path near the top of their garden is here at all. Why? Because this is one of the few almost-level areas sculpted from a steep forest hillside that would have tried the imagination and engineering capabilities of lesser gardeners.

A bed of treasured alpines retained with wooden ties traces the angles of the slope.

Moving up and down the hillside is challenging enough for a gaggle of garden bloggers. But actually working this garden would put stairmaster exercises to shame! (And these are just a few of the level changes.)

Let’s move down towards sea level and admire the Carharts’ skill with container plants – especially those that feature good foliage contrasts. Who needs flowers?

Understandably, most of the plantings are shade lovers like the rodgersia left of the colorful sculpture by Vashon mosaic artist Clare Dohna.

Arriving at the base of the hillside — and despite the difficult light conditions – I admired the cedar shake cladding and sprawling architecture of the Carharts’ home. Astilbes were in full summer bloom along the path.

A rich, teal-blue trim accents the cedar cladding.

On the porch is another whimsical Clare Dohna mosaic sculpture.

Adirondack chairs at the back of the house look out onto the bay view reflected in the window. I love the combination of small river rock and stone pavers.

This corten planter shows how a simple combination of colourful foliage plants – shrub, tropical, perennials – is handsome and effective. And the planter colour ties in with the siding.

The glossy brown pot at right also matches the house siding and features a soft colour palette and varying textures of plants including silvery Senecio candicans ‘Angel Wings’ and variegated ‘Tasmanian Tiger’ euphorbia (E. characias) with small-leaved Veronica pimeleoides ‘Quiksilver’, a hebe, at right.

I can imagine the sound of the grasses swishing in the wind as the family enjoys a meal on this patio.

My impression of the Carhart garden will always be “comfortable chairs everywhere”….

….. including a shady glade overlooking Quartermaster Bay where a series of colourful chairs are arranged in a conversational grouping.

The sunniest aspect around the house features a profusion of perennials and tall lilies.

What clever positioning of these fish swimming upstream on a waterfall of Hakonechlora macra ‘Aureola’…. to spawn, perhaps?

I’ve felt the same way at times. Glad to see someone thought to put it on a sign at this sweet playhouse, built by Vashon Islander Gary Sipple.

A good motto for this garden.

As a lover of colour, I appreciate well-considered vignettes like this, with the ‘Lucifer’ crocosmia echoing the persimmon of the bistro table and chairs.

What a great garden for a party – seating everywhere.

Chartreuse and lime are favourites of mine – I’d love this bench in my garden.

I ask Whit Carhart to pose for me. A retired doctor, he and his wife Mary have poured a lot of creativity, energy and love into this garden since 2000 when they started working on it. Though their property includes a large tract of natural Stewardship Forest, the cultivated area totals 2.5 acres. When Whit was developing his interest in gardening, he took a course at Edmond’s Community College from then-Horticulture Professor Dan Hinkley, whose wonderful garden Windcliff I wrote about recently.

Partway up the slope is the most naturalistic swimming pool I’ve ever seen. Designed in 2008 to evoke Japanese garden style by landscape designer Terry Welch, it is saltwater and fed by a waterfall. Surrounded by smooth rocks and low plantings, it even features a small island with an evergreen.

There are artful fish ‘spawning’ here as well!

As I head further up the slope, I pause at a lovely Japanese-inspired gazebo

Set into a cement pad in the floor at the front is a notation; water has settled around it, charmingly reflecting the foliage of the trees above.

Looking back down at the gazebo from the path above.

Moving up, I pass a container planted with handsome Fatsia japonica ‘Spiderweb’.

Further up, I spotted the brilliant blue of Salvia patens.

I wish I’d had time to move slowly through the plantings, which were exquisite. Two of my fellow bloggers captured much more in this garden than I did and I’m taking the opportunity to introduce them to you here. Pam Penick from Austin, Texas is one of the founders of this annual tour. Formerly called the Garden Bloggers Fling, it’s been shortened to The Garden Fling and includes Instagrammers, Tik-Tokkers and industry folk. Here is her blog on the Carhart Garden.

And California succulent guru Gerhard Bock also wrote a comprehensive blog on the garden here.