Puget Sound Garden Fling: Paulsen Garden

 This post is a special treat. Tahoma Flora (@tahomaflora), the Puyallup home and garden of the wonderful Camille and Dirk Paulsen, was fortunately for garden Flingers a long, leisurely visit. Camille, one of the most excellent volunteer planners for this year's Fling, is basically a superwoman. The garden, divine; the organization skills, top-notch; the woman, warm, generous and gracious. Basically she not only co-planned this entire Fling but opened her own garden to 100 or so Flingers. That deserves a medal. It was a delight for this weary traveler to spend a couple of hours hiding in a cool nook beside a waterfall in this magical place. 

Many of you likely know or follow Camille on Instagram where her photos of her garden and travels around the Pacific Northwest and beyond are stunning. With a backdrop of Mt. Rainier, traditionally called Tahoma, her photos often make my jaw drop. This 3/4-acre property is kind of perfect while also feeling very personal. There is a huge variety of plant material appropriate for her region (wetter and milder than we), Camille knows plants. It is densely planted but tastefully so. I've wanted to visit her garden for a long time.  

From our guidebook: Located on a ridge above the Orting Valley, our garden encompasses many styles while retaining a strong Northwest feel. Mature Japanese maples, conifers and other trees add pops of color throughout the garden. The loss of a beloved Doug fir in 2015 led to a redesign of our front yard to create interesting and welcoming space. More plants! We removed most of the lawn and replaced it with a pergola, pond, waterfall and an array of sun-loving plants such as sedums, yuccas and dwarf conifers. In 2017, we transformed a patchy side lawn into an Asian-influenced shade garden, with Dirk's hand-built cedar Tori gate gracing the entrance. Features of our back garden include a woodland pond and waterfall, shade pavilion, greenhouse, raised vegetable and flower beds and a tropical area. Ferns and other shade plants line an arbor walkway while a massive log serves as a mini-stumpery near the driveway. Stone paths link the various "rooms" and and a unifying feel to the garden. We hope the mountain comes out for your visit! (note - it did).

A beautiful path with a mixture of shaped flagstones gently curves around the back of the house in a lush, shaded garden.

Eventually I wound up near the pool admiring a variety of potted plants, including this Opuntia.

Sanguisorba catches the afternoon light.

There she is, Tahoma, Mount Rainier with a forest at her feet. Recent wildfires made the air a little smoky.

In a hot-colored tropical border, deep colored dahlias stand tall.

Around the front of the garden near the driveway, conifers and sun lovers make for a tapestry of texture.

Around the other side of the house a beautifully gnarled log that they found and somehow got home becomes a vehicle for tucking plants into. 

A hanging log planted up with tillandsia, ferns and other goodies stole the show.

Hanging from chains attached to an arbor, it absolutely surprised me. I love this idea, another great take away from this trip.

So many shady lovers in there, including lots of ferns, Japanese maples and many rhododendrons.

This Japanese maple made me stop in my tracks. I wonder if the autumn color is interesting?

Foliage combinations are everywhere. Camille is a kindred spirit in her love of foliage. Against a stone wall this combination feels very Pacific Northwest to my eyes.

One of several carefully considered seating areas. We took advantage of the fact that we were here for a long time compared to the other gardens visited this trip. It was a respite from a super busy four days and we appreciated it.

A very festive and welcoming pavilion that had Flingers enjoying it the entire visit.

From up above near a lovely pavilion looking over the pool area and the landscape beyond.

More foliage combinations and hydrangeas.

In the back garden there is a lovely pond and waterfall where I sat for nearly an hour and took it all in.

The sound of moving water soothes the soul. This was so well done and naturalistic, I lingered longer than I should have.

Mixed plantings in what looks to be a part sun area next to the pond.

Rhododendron pachysanthum, I believe, a rhody I adore and have loved and killed.

Fellow Flinger and blogger and dear friend Anna Kullgren of Optic Verve admiring a very white hydrangea.

Another sexy rhododendron.

Hot colors in a sunny border near the pool.

Cotinus catching the afternoon light.

It was a hot day and the pool looked very inviting. Even in winter I imagine it brightens up the garden and adds an element of luxury.

Near the pool, a wider shot of sanguisorba with astilbe at its feet. Stairs lead up to a pavilion and to the right, a small greenhouse.

Containers near the greenhouse with hot colors. I love these planters.

Tetrapanax and dahlias in a tropical border near the pool.

A large and lovely Schefflera taiwaniana (syn. Heptapleurum taiwanianum) at the front of the home near the driveway.

Moving around to the front of the garden just off of the driveway is a second pond and another seating area under a pergola.

Sunny and inviting and stocked with koi.

Continuing around the side of the house, gabions mark the entrance to a shady path.

And this beautiful Torii gate built by Dirk that frames views of the mountain, though for some reason I missed that.

Back to where I started on the side of the house with that interesting path surrounded by shade foliage.

A round and rather lovely fern table planted with saxifrage, hostas and ferns.

More Asian influence with the Buddha head sculpture tucked in beneath a Fatsia japonica. This combination of foliage is simply lovely.

Incredible bark.

There were several bird baths scattered throughout the gardens. I particularly like this one for its simplicity.

Turning around and looking at the gate from the other direction.

And I heard the call to board the busses so one last quick shot of the front garden and its foliage magic.

And a few of us Portland Flingers including Jane, Linda, Courtney and Anna.

Parting shot of the land behind that fantastic garden with a bit of a view of the mountain beyond. To think this is what it probably looked like decades ago but is now a lush oasis in the heart of the Pacific Northwest.

There was so much more to this garden that what I have presented. I would love to visit when it's a little quieter and be able to really take in more details as well as the layout as a whole. It's kind of fun to visit gardens with 100 other equally enthusiastic plant geeks but this one I'd love to have to myself for a spell. I hope you've enjoyed a glimpse at a very special garden.

Camille, I did not get a chance to thank you for the incredible job you and Dirk did for all of us Flingers. Your hard work and dedication were so appreciated by me and so many of us. And thank you for opening your enchanted garden and allowing us to linger our tired bones for a few hours.

That's a wrap for this week at Chickadee Gardens. As always thank you so much for reading and commenting, we do love hearing from you! Happy gardening!