Vashon Center for Arts’ Garden Tour is a feast for the senses

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Vashon Island boasts some of the finest private gardens and nature oases in the Northwest, and every year, for two days in June, Vashon Center for the Arts (VCA) and a handful of dedicated garden owners welcome the public to enjoy verdant foliage, fragrant flora, colorful blooms, and masterful designs.

This year’s tour, proudly sponsored by Windermere Vashon, will take place on Saturday and Sunday, June 17 and 18. This year’s gardens include:

McConnell Property

Picture a garden bursting with colorful native plants, towering evergreen trees, and tranquil ponds. Imagine strolling through winding paths and stumbling upon unexpected sculptures that spark your imagination. This is the magical world of Mike and Liz McConnell’s 18-acre estate.

A paradise of plants and art, the property features two wooden horse sculptures to greet visitors, followed by gorgeous stone and teak gates that lead into the sanctuary of Mike and Liz McConnell, owners and caretakers of the former David Smith property here on Vashon. The McConnells purchased the property in 2019.

The garden features acres of Northwest plants including evergreens, ferns, and Japanese maple trees. Two imported buildings from Asia adorn the property. One of them is a 150-year-old teak house that Smith brought from Java and reassembled on the property. The other is a Chinese pavilion also imported by Smith. The property is a showcase of garden art, including ancient Asian sculptures, lovely ponds and magnificent views of the Olympic Mountain range.

Forest Garden Farm

Forest Garden Farm is a working flower and produce farm steeped in history and cultural significance. Visitors can wander the gardens and fields and talk to the farmer/owners Lisa and Chris, who moved across the Salish Sea from Seattle to realize a dream. Learn about environmental and regenerative farming such as low and no-till, cover cropping and interplanting of perennials. Visit the fields of peonies, sweet peas and other seasonal offerings planted alongside carrots, lettuces, peas and other spring vegetables and fruits.

The farm has a rich legacy of families who have worked hard to cultivate the land, from the Sx̌ʷəbabs Coast Salish peoples, who fished, hunted, and foraged food and medicine from its waters and forests, to the first non-native settlers who homesteaded the land in 1862, to the Fujioka family, immigrants from Japan, who farmed the land after internment during WWII.

The Fujioki family grew Vashon Marshall strawberries and lingonberries, and today, members of the Fujioki family still visit the farm each spring to harvest fuki, a traditional Japanese vegetable, grown by the pond.

LaSalle Reserve

LaSalle Reserve is a 19-acre property on Maury Island owned by Gar and Barbara LaSalle. The property boasts monumental sculpture gardens, large ponds, gazebos, waterfalls, a vineyard, and tree-lined walkways.

The property was purchased in 1978 with a vision to create an Italian countryside atmosphere blended with the rich culture of the Pacific NW. The landscape was designed by internationally renowned architect, Richard Haag, acclaimed for his design of Gas Works Park and the Bloedel Reserve. The house was designed by the award-winning Northwest architect, Wendell Lovett, displaying his link of art and architecture. The grounds also include a massive Trellis Garden with sculptural columns designed and fabricated by Northwest sculptors, Ion Onutan and Grigoriy Reva.

LaSalle Reserve is currently an event venue for weddings as well as private and corporate events.

A Victorian stumpery garden

Owner Walt Riehl’s magical, hidden forest of native tree stumps — the largest private stumpery garden in North America — is overflowing with fern, epimedium, hosta, woodland plants, and other large leaf plant material. The 10,000-square-foot garden is filled with stumps and roots as the main architectural element. As you descend into a ravine, you will pass through a tunnel covered with many stumps.

The idea of using stumps as a major garden element was first used in England in 1856 at Biddulph Grange. This design element was in reaction to the formal nature of gardens at the time and became part of the Romantic movement, which emphasized the beauty of nature. The interest in stumperies occurred at the same time as the Victorian fern craze. The first modern stumpery was created by King Charles at his estate at Highgrove. Pat Riehl was able to personally see both of these gardens and was inspired by them.

Inspired by these gardens, Pat collaborated with British fern expert Martin Rickard to transform a shaded ravine into a magical environment. As you walk along the winding garden path, the stumps will rise above you, blocking your view of what is beyond. The tree ferns will amaze you with the size of their fronds. All of this is understory to Douglas fir towering overhead.

Gardens continue to evolve and grow. In addition to the stumpery, look for the following: a bright green stump; a red tree; a watering can sculpture, a conifer garden with 75 dwarf and miniature conifers; seven planting beds, and a fern chair and two fern tables.

Goucher Garden

Tucked away on the very north end of the island is Janice Goucher’s secret garden of meandering trails, northwest natives, and unique specimens. Janice purchased the approximately half-acre property in early 2012 from Phyllis Clark, but the garden’s evolution started approximately 10 years prior when Phyllis graded the property and started from scratch. After the property changed hands, Janice and Phyllis worked together in the garden until the pandemic interrupted their joint work parties. As they say, “only on Vashon”.

Over the years, Janice has also called on the help of landscape architect Bob Horsley, and Melissa Shafer, of Shafer Specialty Landscape & Design, for the design and installation of new plants as well as the removal of invasive plants and replanting areas when Mother Nature has decided to participate in the evolution of the garden.

Interesting specimens on the property include a Chilean fire tree (Embothrium coccineum) that will likely be blooming and attracting hummingbirds on Garden Tour weekend. A contorted larch takes center stage in one of the planting areas near the home. Other distinctive trees include a new Dawn Redwood and another more mature sequoia. A large Tetrapanax tree can be found along the driveway. Janice also has several giant Himalayan lilies, which can take four to seven years to bloom. Will we be lucky this year? A swath of wild ginger is another delightful find.

The property is a certified wildlife habitat, as designated by the National Wildlife Federation, and Janice follows good environmental practices as much as possible, including using no pesticides, and only using nontoxic deer and slug repellent when necessary. Her goal is to create a welcoming environment and provide a habitat for pollinators, birds, and small mammals. Janice credits help from many mentors and associates, including her friends at the Vashon-Maury Island Garden Club. The result is a peaceful retreat layered with textures playing off of one another that is sure to delight visitors.

More Garden Tour highlights

VCA will be the central tour stop for Garden Tour visitors to collect their maps for a day of garden gazing — but be sure to give yourself time to check out all the featured activities awaiting you on the campus grounds.

Art treasures will be found on display in pop-up exhibits in the VCA atrium as well as tour locations. Featured artists will include ceramic artist and sculptor Alexander Kamola as well as Brian and Tara Brenno.

During the month of June, VCA’s Koch Gallery will feature a photo exhibition, “Monuments,” by William Rives, along with a Harbor School student art show in the atrium.

VCA’s parking lot will have a variety of food vendors on hand throughout Garden Tour weekend for visitors to grab a bite to eat, or step inside to take a restroom break, purchase a raffle ticket, and browse a handful of garden business booths.

The work of the Vashon Island Quilt Guild will also be on display in the VCA atrium, with a collection of more than a dozen beautiful, handmade quilts on sale.

The Garden Tour raffle returns with a selection of prizes donated by island businesses. Expect such items as garden tools, plants, garden art, and more!

Outside Vashon Center for the Arts, visitors can have a picnic lunch or stroll through Heron Meadow, a protected wetland area that serves as a field office location for Vashon Nature Center. It features the Vashon Audubon Mural, painted by island artist Britt Freda, showcasing birds found in the Judd Creek watershed that are threatened by our changing climate.

Vashon Nature Center staff and volunteers will be on hand to answer questions.

Get tickets to the Garden Tour online at vashoncenterforthearts.org or visit or call VCA’s box office from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, at 206-259.3007.