Mill Creek tour showcases 6 beautiful gardens

Her name is Michael and she has a gardening problem.

She has flora and foliage, flying pigs and frogs.

“I’m a crazy gardener. It’s whimsical. It’s a lot like me,” said Michael Crawford, Mill Creek Garden Club president. Some people call her Mike for short. She was named after her great-grandfather.

Crawford’s garden is one of six on the Mill Creek Garden Club Tour on June 25.

“When people ask me, ‘So, what’s your yard like?’ I say, ‘It depends on where you are,’” she said. “If I like something, it’s in the yard. Parts are formal, parts informal.”

This is the first time her yard has ever been on a public tour.

“Mentally, it’s a hard thing to get ready for,” she said. “No one thinks their yard is good enough.”

Here’s her yard description in the garden tour booklet:

“Our little house is at the end of the gravel driveway. The garden does not look very big as you drive or walk up. There is a giant sequoia right out front. The fence, blown down by the wind, has not been replaced as my sister lives next door, and who would want to fence out their sister? As you walk along the side yard, suddenly it opens up to ‘Our Park.’ There are many shade loving plants, including rhododendrons from my mother’s garden. You will notice that we cannot resist hostas. And yes, that is our old bathtub over there underneath the trees. Our garden makes us smile, we hope it does the same for you.”

Other gardens on the tour are:

The House in the Woods: This wooded park-like property is almost 4.5 acres and is a constant work in progress. The gardener spends as much time in the yard as he can, year-round, rain or shine. It’s not uncommon to see his head lamp bobbing in the dark, or spotlights set up in the yard, as he works away well after dark. The gardener’s background in concrete work came in handy when he decided to make concrete planter boxes the length of his driveway to showcase more plants, shrubs and trees. The theme for the rest of this property is native. Garden art, mostly purchased at Sorticulture, is scattered throughout the back yard.

The Frog House: The theme of this woodland garden is frogs. As you enter the front garden, there is frog art to greet you and more as you stroll through the garden. A shade garden features stepping stones through moss, ferns and toadstools. The main feature is the little backyard pond. In the summer, it’s blooming with bright pink water lilies and purple hyacinths. There are real frogs sitting on the lily pads. A majority of the flowers are perennials, though 13 flower pots hold colorful annuals and hand blown glass leaves.

Cherry Pond: The owners fought “the good fight” against moss for too long, then finally conceded to a “no lawn” yard. The area has been transformed into a dry riverbed with the moss controlled at the “river” edge. The focal point of the yard is a magnificent, aged-lace leaf maple. It was the inspiration to adopt a Japanese style yard with simple grasses and a bridge spanning the rock river. The entry is planted with flowers and shaded by red bark cedars. A fountain constantly provides a soft sound of running water. In the back yard area is a beautiful overlook to Cherry Pond, a greenbelt with mature cedar and fir trees and native plants.

Secret Garden: Three French urns filled with seasonal bulbs adorn the garage. Boxwoods line the curved entry walk. A striking and colorful deciduous maple catches the eye from just beyond boxwoods. Walk along a series of randomly set flagstones and enter the gated arbor walkway with climbing purple and pink clematis. They climb alongside variations of hydrangea. The stands of arborvitae form a natural screen and defines the property line, creating a private garden oasis. The path invites you into the gazebo with oversized chairs, gas log fire pit and soft lighting. The patio of raised stones is set with multiple tables and seating. Bird feeders and a variety of birds adorn the center area.

Bird Refuge &Giving Garden: This native themed wooded yard is focused around a large evergreen tree providing shade to many native plants and a rock rose garden. The yard acts as a wild bird refuge for all types of local and migratory species, including the occasional larger birds and hawks. The grounds are planted with hundreds of assorted perennials and annuals which flower all season long. Six raised beds are fertilized with organic aged coffee grounds. The beds are for raising vegetables to provide to the community.

— Source: Mill Creek Garden Club

If you go

The Mill Creek Garden tour, featuring six gardens, is 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 25. The tour benefits Mill Creek Garden Club’s “Giving through Gardening” school grants, civic projects and club operations. Tickets are $15 at Li’l Sprout Nursery, 17414 Bothell-Everett Highway, Mill Creek. More at www.millcreekgardenclub.com.