Toad-henge sculpture is king of the hill in garden made for entertaining

Steep lots, rocks, lush plantings, and upland views were a moving taxable astatine the Puget Sound Fling past month. The plot of Meagan Foley and Mac Gray acceptable close successful thematically, but it besides had america exclaiming wow arsenic we walked astir the location and spotted this anything-but-mellow-yellow patio garden. Supersized gunnera leaves, cascading mounds of Japanese wood writer and ferns, splashing waterfalls and fountains, elegant grey boulders terracing the slope and stream cobbles tying it each unneurotic — positive a immense chromatic Toad-henge sculpture astatine the apical of the elevation to gully the eye. Shazam!

The owners accidental the sculpture reminds them of an tremendous toadstool, and the similarity to Stonehenge is obvious, hence they telephone it Toad-henge.

Before we ascent uphill, let’s respect the splashing fountain and waterfall and sleeping look sculpture of the tiny pond astatine the ft of the slope, close adjacent to the patio.

A occurrence pit array and chairs connection a spot to bask the pond and garden. Were these Flingers to crook astir and look down them, they’d beryllium gazing consecutive retired astatine Tacoma’s Commencement Bay, portion of Puget Sound.

Climbing uphill toward Toad-henge, I spotted different mushrooms and solid ribbon creation on a dark-stained fence.

Orange-capped toadstools popular up alongside ceramic figures (one pill makes you small?).

A ligament giraffe was peeking retired too.

Toad-henge loomed above, beckoning maine on.

Fern texture

Golden and burgundy foliage travel on the boulder-terraced slope.

Getting closer

The terracing required to clasp this steep elevation is jaw-dropping, but acknowledgment to the lush shadiness plot planted here, it feels natural.

A stone-and-wire turtle joins the menagerie.

A adust creek of stream cobbles and palm-sized solid beads meanders on 1 conception of the hillside, greened up with ferns.

The iridescent beads brighten the shade.

Above a level abstraction astir three-quarters of the mode up the hill, a terraced plot of aureate wood grass, fern, and different shadiness lovers glows successful the shade.

A regimented grove of birch trees makes a ghostly bosque. The trunks are protected from critters with integrative netting. I can’t callback if the culprit was cervid oregon beavers.

Lined and peeling birch bark, portion of the tree’s earthy beauty

At last, Toad-henge!

The scroll-like upright stones punctual maine of scholars’ rocks successful Chinese gardens.

It is massive!

For a consciousness of scale, here’s Starla Willis of Dallas Garden Buzz posing beneath it.

Fern and ligularia, I think

And fern with Japanese wood grass

Such beauteous foliage, and rocks

A weeping bluish Atlas cedar undulates done the garden.

Farewell, Toad-henge

Along a broadside path, I recovered much ferns and different shadiness plants and chromatic plot accents.

Back astatine the patio, the occurrence pit contains a metallic starburst echoed by orangish bamboo poles successful the gunnera crossed the pond.

More orangish appears successful a globe airy hanging from a willow histrion and successful solid beads tucked into a tree-trunk-like sculpture.

I mean, look astatine this space! It’s beautifully planted and lit and accented.

I spotted Helen Battersby making her mode down the terraced stonework.

Smaller rocks person property too.

The patio successful grey and yellowish is sized for entertaining, and each 100 of america Flingers acceptable into this hillside plot easily.

The owners adjacent provided america with cookies iced with the Puget Sound Fling logo!

Happy radical each astir astatine this blessed hour, including caller Flinger Emily Joseph and longtime Flinger Loree Bohl.

These 2 Texans excessively — Andrea Fox and me (photo by Helen Battersby)

The plot continues retired front. Stairs pb down from the patio and location to a boulder-terraced hillside with different basalt fountain.

A cute small fig successful a planter on the stairs

The location is made for enjoying views retired implicit the bay.

But man, the rock-studded plot stole each my attention.

Streetside view

Train tracks tally betwixt the thoroughfare and the bay, and a bid was parked present during our visit. It’s each portion of the charm of Grit City — Tacoma’s nickname — on with the stupendous show of Mount Rainier connected the horizon.

Up next: A stumpery and bonsai astatine Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden and Pacific Bonsai Museum. For a look backmost astatine gardens and the formation astatine Point Defiance Park successful Tacoma, click here.

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