Thursday, August 26, 2010

Abkhazi Gardens...the Living Legacy of a Royal couple.

Gardeners love to visit gardens. We notice details, look at plant arrangements and combinations of plantings. We study the gardens "bones"... we look at how the gardener has tackled challenging areas. We observe the ornamentation and sculptures and where they have been situated. The style of birdbaths or statues, rock placements and water features...we soak it all in, some of us write notes or draw sketches.
(I take photos!)
We gardeners love garden tours and enjoy chatting with the gardeners themselves, there's a certain level of comfort and kinship in the garden that links us all. I suppose that's why so many of us regularly attend Horticultural talks and are card carrying members of Horticultural Societies and Clubs.
We appreciate the effort and hard work it takes to create and maintain a garden.
Large or small, gardens are a Labour of Love!

New plants are exciting!
Unusual colourings and varigations are coveted and eagerly sought after.
Trends are observed...currently grasses and drought tolerant plants are what the locals here are seeking.
Having said that, I must waste no more time blatthering on and get right down to the business at hand...

Abkhazi Gardens is one of my favourite spots to visit.
I would love to attend a wedding here...or a cocktail party on a warm evening in the summer.
I feel deeply moved when I am here...enriched and alive...
I feel the love of two people who claimed the space, worked side by side over many years and created this special garden...they have left us a legacy of loveliness...It's pure BLISS!

One meanders along the curving paths that weave their way through towering rhododendrums and azaleas.

Rocky outcroppings have dictated where the lawns and beds were established as evidenced by their placement as they sit today.

The garden is smallish at 1.4 acres, but one has a sense of privacy snug under the canopy of the Garry Oak trees with southerly views to the Straits of Juan de Fuca and the mountains of the Olympic Penninsula in Washington State.
A pair of resident turtles can be seen basking on the rocks in the sunshine.



 I am very passionate about it's history and the romance that made this garden what it is today.

Abkhazi Garden

The Abkhazi Gardens is best viewed in April and May as they are the peak times for the blooming of the rhodos and azaleas.
Lunch or tea can be taken in the original home or on the Terrace in full view of the lush garden.
It's a must see!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Hostess, One does, indeed, learn so much from visiting gardens and certainly they are an ideal way in which to gain ideas and formulate plans. And even if the garden is not to one's taste there is, I believe, always something to be learnt.

Here, as much as the garden itself, I enjoyed reading your introduction.

LPC said...

Interesting story. I'd love to see photos of the two of them.

Sydney Shop Girl said...

Hi Hostess
I love your take on visiting gardens, from the perspective of an avid gardener, I mean.

I will look more closely at 'the bones' next time.

SSG xxx

mette said...

I´m delighted whenever I see a beautiful garden. I am, however not especially interested in a very detailed garden. Mine would have to be largish, but simple, No exotic plants. I´d have to see this garden in person to decide how I really feel about it ; )

the gardener's cottage said...

hi leslie,

i'm with you. i love gardens and garden tours and if you get a peek inside the house too, then i'm done!

what a beautiful place you have shared with us. thank you.

~janet

Maria | Vintage Simple said...

Beautiful..! Thank you for taking us for a little walk around such a calming, lovely place.

Have a wonderful weekend,
-maria

FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com said...

I would absolutely adore a zen garden

materfamilias said...

Somehow, despite knowing about this garden for years and years, we have not yet managed to get to it. There always seem to be too many other distractions and errands when we're in Victoria -- but you remind me of its appeal and I'll have to move it up on the tourist-at-home list!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Edith Hope-I am flattered by your comment, I am in awe of your command of the English language as evidenced in your eloquent posts.

LPC-I found a few images by googling them!

SSG-I think garden "bones" might elude all of us at first look...it is only when we dissect the space that we can see them!

metscan-I see your garden as open and airy and a place for the dogs to romp and the horses to frolic!

The gardener's cottage-On the last garden tour I went on there was a house which enchanted me...I so badly wanted to go inside...but it was not to be...I did press my nose to the glass of all the windows that were accessable and it was even better than I had first imagined!

Vintage simple-How clever of you to pick up on the serenity and peace that this garden evokes...I hope that you have a great weekend as well!

FB@FabulouslyBroke-You now have me curious about Zen gardens.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

materfamilias-Maybe next May you can visit when the blooms are at their best...now that pater is retired maybe a mini holiday could be arranged!

Stephanie said...

Hostess - this is an off topic comment but I was literally blown away to see the hermes scarf in your sidebar, the elusive black and white op'H!!! I've been wanting one of those but could not find it in black and white. Congrats!

Stephanie

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Stephanie-Thank you! I bought it new at Hermes a few years ago, it came in several colour combinations...I wear a lot of black and white so it seemed to be the best choice.
Good luck in your search for one.