Work of Art

Some people paint. Others sculpt, quilt or cook.

David Dickerson gardens.

“If you give me a canvas, I cannot paint,” he said with his muse, wife Katie, smiling at his side. “You can give me a yard, and I can really express myself.”

Dahlias, asters, chrysanthemums and maples in fall’s hottest colors are the dramatic brush strokes here with their brilliant reds, oranges, purples and hot pinks. Dwarf conifers and rhododendrons, meanwhile, are subtle splashes of green, gold and burgundy throughout this living work of art.

The Dickersons’ acre of high-bank waterfront sits at the mouth of Penn Cove. Their home on the hill is warm and inviting with a curvaceous, mixed-border driveway that slopes ever so slightly toward their new home.

In the back yard, plants cover a cascading half-acre of botanical discoveries, tier upon tier of treasures large and small, waiting to be admired up close – and not just at the height of spring or summer.

Now.

There are more than 75 Japanese maples, more than 75 dahlias and about 300 rhododendrons, all installed by the Dickersons. Bearded irises, though they’re quiet now, number more than 75, too.

The Dickersons – he’s a retired attorney, and she’s a retired elementary school principal – discovered Washington when two of their daughters attended the University of Washington.

Whidbey Island lured them instantly, especially the rain shadow of rural Coupeville, where they ultimately settled on a spectacular view lot.

It was a big change from their Sacramento climate, however. They found themselves abandoning roses for rhodies and maples, which never seemed to thrive in the hot, dry climate of California.

It’s hard to believe most of this garden took shape in the past three years, with the obviously more mature front yard established in 2003, shortly after David Dickerson retired, and the backyard oasis born in 2004.

Though Katie is somewhat limited by back problems, David has worked unbridled, designing and building their extensive plantings, long stone paths and large rock patios.

He’s had only a little help from friends, neighbors and a backhoe and tractor crew on some of the heavy lifting, but the rest – and there is a lot of it – has been his labor of love.

“This is a do-it-yourself yard,” he said. “The vast majority of the rocks and sand stones each weighed less than 125 pounds, so I could lift them without a great amount of effort. I used a wheelbarrow to transport them. I also used a wheelbarrow in mixing mortar or concrete.”

Dickerson also built an elaborate irrigation system, planting nearly two miles of half-inch vinyl tubing hooked up to smaller drip hoses that release set amounts of water to specific plants.

Katie Dickerson said their expansive yard, which also includes fruit trees and an array of perennials, has surpassed all of the gardens they’ve shared in their 36 years together.

“It’s been a beautiful yard every place,” she said. “But this one is on a whole different level. He’s making me a park.”

It is indeed parklike here, where stone paths weave in and out of plantings, and there’s a remarkably realistic creek bed David Dickerson created along with the large, raised stone patio that has a built-in open-fire grilling area as well as built-in planters.

Down the hill a bit farther, Katie’s Point invites. This small circular courtyard, designated with an official black plaque with gold lettering, is a common lunch spot for the couple.

Their garden is classic Northwest in many ways with its eclectic mix of plants. But it’s also a one-of-a-kind menagerie, a plant collector’s paradise, where every turn delivers a surprise and a story.

Dickerson avoids so-called “drifts” of matching or color-coded plants, and instead sprinkles the grounds with specimens in the name of contrast, excitement and serendipity.

“I think it’s more pleasing to the eye,” he said. “I like individual plants. Almost every spot in the yard is a different picture.”

The Dickersons travel throughout Washington and Oregon to find rare and interesting plants, especially in the rainy months of the year when being in the yard for days on end isn’t as fun.

“This has been my boat, this yard,” David Dickerson said, adding that he feels like he should be “contributing to society” instead of being a constant gardener.

“I spend so much time in my yard,” he said, grinning. “I feel guilty.”

Reporter Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037 or sjackson@heraldnet.com.

Collector’s crop

Here’s a selection of David Dickerson’s favorite plants from what he calls “Katie’s garden,” named after his wife of 36 years.

* Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki,’ ‘Butterfly,’ ‘Villa Taranto,’ ‘Koto No Ito’ and ‘Suminagashi’ (Japanese maples)

* Parrotia persica ‘Vanessa’ (Persian parrotia)

* Picea orientalis minima ‘Skagit’

* Disanthus cercidifolius (red bud hazel)

* Cestrum elegans ‘Smithii’ (red cestrum)

* Fothergilla major (large fothergilla)

* Fothergilla gardenii (dwarf fothergilla)

* Pinus nigra ‘Nana’ and ‘Aurora’ (European black pine)