Garden Revival

A renovated landscape’s cottagey beds brim

with flowers— and vegetables.

BY ERIC LISKEY PHOTOS LAURIE BLACK PRODUCED BY LAURALEE WENGER

With sports-minded children

to run, Marion and Steve Ekberg had little space to indulge in

gardening, instead devoting most of their yard to lawn plus a small

patch for vegetables. As the kids grew up, however, they relin-

quished their grip on the yard and Steve and Marion laid claim

again, filling it with cottagey, picket-fence style.

The Seattle-area site already had good “bones,” boasting a mix

of mature trees with an understory ideal for shade-loving plants.

The couple took advantage by planting rhododendrons, hostas,

hydrangeas, and many other favorites under the protective canopy.

Steve and Marion

Ekberg,

above,

built a

fence, arbors, and paths

for cottage character.

They use boxwood,

right,

to bri ng order to

their otherwise-

informal garden.

146 APRIL2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS