4 // COASTWEEKEND.COM
CLOSE TO HOME
For the love
of gardens
These gentlemen are green-thumb pros,
and their garden is diverse, exceptional and
lovely. They have also dedicated thousands
uch of our great wilderness has
of hours to their passion.
been despoiled. A pioneer must
Steve talks of the pleasures of planting
be content with bits and pieces
seeds and watching “what they do.” These
of primal forests and free-rushing rivers,
are men with scholarly and exploratory
the shadows of what was, in older times, an
personalities. They enjoy challenges.
environment that remained stimulating and
John and Steve are deeply involved
mysterious.
in the American Rhododendron Society.
As one might learn from the diaries of
Their property unfolds like the blossoms
Lewis and Clark or early environmentalists
on their varieties of Rhodies, plants,
such as John Muir, primal dangers often
trees and flowers (another 1,500 or so), a
lurked in the deep abiding green, as did the
display borrowed from around the world.
opportunity for inspiration.
This includes a bridle vale
Nowadays, one may choose
of indigenous plants they
have cultured and sustained.
another option.
GARDENS
And one giant redwood to
Wander into the backyard
ARE SIMPLY
boot.
and lay a garden. Sculpt a
A CANVAS.
The garden of these two
green and nurturing environ-
ment. Contentment comes
FRUITING WITH men tumbles through a stand
in many shapes and sizes.
BLOSSOMS OF of Sitka Spruce, weaves
The best rise like the plants
along the shoreline and up
COLOR, THEY
themselves and evolve into
their driveway, a collage
INFATUATE.
buds of beauty.
of colors and serpentine
OF COURSE,
Last month the Long
arrangements, offering an
Beach Peninsula offered
invitation to what a visitor
VEGETABLE
another tour of some of the
GARDENS CAN perceives as a path into rich
best gardens in the area, an
territory. Manicured
ALSO SUSTAIN fertile
event called “Music in the
trails meander through it.
THE HEART,
Gardens.”
And wonderful shrubs, more
BODY AND
Seems as if I’ve always
than I am capable of listing.
SOUL.
been a bit too busy with this
Those plants, evergreen
and that. With at least a par-
trees and a vast array of hu-
tial retirement facing me, my
man and God’s handiworks,
family — led by my wife, Laurie Anderson,
enhance the shaded and delicate light that
and my son Jed Campiche — began to plan
swoons over Willapa Bay. To see is to
a garden, both with flowers and a smaller
believe.
plot with vegetables. Susan McCash — the
‘Natural high’
head gardener at the Shelburne Inn, our
What is it about a fine garden? Is this
beloved property of 40 years — helped with
an art or a hobby? Is gardening in the big
dedication and skill.
leagues an obsession or a raison d’être,
To see is to believe
a passion unleashed? And remember, we
But when I walked through the six
can travel a simpler path; we can become
properties on the garden tour, I realized that
followers of an indigenous landscape, fol-
lowers of the Tao of nature. Or, like Steve
I was playing softball in the minor leagues.
and John, we can combine both and double
I simply had to stop and marvel.
our pleasure.
Let’s focus on just one, a property of
several acres owned and manicured by
Continued on Page 16
Steve McCormick and John Stephens.
By DAVID CAMPICHE
FOR COAST WEEKEND
M
DAVID CAMPICHE PHOTOS
Portland property of Hank Langfus.
A koi pond in Portland.