MUKILTEO — Susan Davison loves dahlias.
Looking at the rows and rows of them in the backyard of her idyllic Mukilteo home, that much is plain to see.
Photo books on every table are bursting with photographs of dahlias of every size, shape and color. Even her garage is lined with alphabetically labeled containers she uses to store the potato-shaped tubers in the winter.
That, however, is only the tip of the iceberg. As Davison walks from plant to plant, gravel crunching under her feet, it is clear this garden is her passion project.
And right now, her garden is abuzz with life of both the human and plant variety.
Davison’s backyard is full of people preparing for the biennial Garden and Quilt Tour, a two-day event for people to come enjoy the fruit of their labor: six gardens full of 117 quilts in a vibrant display, carefully curated by members of both groups.
Photos of dahlias on display for tour-goers on Tuesday, July 2, 2024 in Mukilteo, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
The event is a partnership between two groups. Davison is a member of the Mukilteo Way Garden Club. They are joined by several members of the Mukilteo Lighthouse Quilters. The nonprofit’s members make quilts and donate them to charities like Hand in Hand, Homage and Meals on Wheels.
“It’s a unique combination,” said garden club co-chair Kathy Wisbeck. “I mean, you’re not seeing quilts and gardens. You see art and gardens. You see music and gardens. But this is unique, and it’s a nice combination.”
These tours happen every other year. The last three have sold out.
“People really appreciate all the different kinds of gardens,” said Lynette Gardiner, another member of the garden club. “It’s really amazing.”
Each garden stands out in its own way. Some have koi ponds, some are Japanese gardens, some are wildlife sanctuaries.
Davison’s garden is made unique by the many ceramic sculptures arranged throughout, many of which she made herself. She took up ceramics in 1978, and now has adorned the exterior of her home with countless sculptures, like the row of pottery masks hung on her fence.
A pottery mask hangs on a fence on Tuesday, July 2, 2024 in Mukilteo, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Her favorite part of the garden, though, is “where the wild things are.”
In the furthest shady corner, a small, leafy nook hides two small monster sculptures.
“My grandson, many years ago, we were hiding from mom coming to pick him up from me babysitting,” Davison said. “We’re hiding back there and he goes, ‘Grandma, this is where the monsters live.’ So I went up to Pacific Stone and got a couple of them.”
You can see each of the six gardens later this month.
Tours are offered from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $25, and in advance for $20 at participating retail locations and online at https://www.mukilteogardenandquilttour.org/purchase.html.
This year’s tours are likely to sell out, so the organizers recommend getting tickets in advance.
“Here’s a quote that I just now remember,” Davison said. “A garden is a thing of beauty and a joy forever.”
Connor Zamora: 425-339-3037; connor.zamora@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @cgzamora02.
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