Growing Steady: A young plantsman's garden open

It's pretty amazing to know that I'm truly not alone in my quest for new, rare and unusual plants. A few weeks back, a fellow "Next Generation Gardener" opened his garden for his neighborhood to see and I was fortunate to have been able to help out and attend.

 

If people were worried about the future of ornamental home gardening, they should meet and see the garden of Justin Galicic in Normandy Park, just south of Seattle and west of SeaTac Airport. This guy's plant collection is absolutely superb and what's most remarkable about his space is he's pretty much designed and built most of the paths and structures that hold the landscape together and selected plants that represent the wide palette that we're capable of growing here.

Justin is in his early 30's and actually made a sound decision of not taking on horticulture as a career. Hehehe

In a way, it's kind of nice to have a main profession (he's an elementary school music teacher) and garden as a pure hobby. In five short years, he's been able to create a garden so lush and complete with various rooms and features that avid gardeners all around simply marvel at.



What's most remarkable about this garden is the fact that it's only 5 years old. It truly is amazing what he's done: From the sidewalk tropical garden filled with Dahlias, Cannas, various grasses and various other fine and bold textures, you can't help but stare in amazement and from a designer's perspective, it all flows and works very well together.  I'd say he's done a better job than some other well known designers out there!






He's got just about every type of garden he's got room for. Full sun tropical borders, a shade woodland, a warm desert region with hardy palms and succulents, a most striking water feature, the elaborate and productive vegetable garden, and a very effective and carefully maintained lawn to rest the eye and be used by family and friends for recreation.

It's also a great space to have an audience and have speakers such as Dan Hinkley and Kelly Dodson present talks.

Justin writes a blog called "Growing Steady" and is truly a young gardener you want to follow as his projects seem endless and plant buying non-stop!! I look forward to seeing him and his garden develop.


R