Meanwhile, back on the Northwest Perennial Alliance Gig Harbor garden tour with Alison and Annette... I'll let Peggy's words guide you through the garden. " We have lived here for 26 years, but didn't start creating the garden until 13 years ago. Our long narrow piece of land slopes down to the water in a series of separate garden areas. The upper area is mostly undeveloped but has a greenhouse, a few fruit trees and a vegetable garden." In the "mostly undeveloped" upper area, not far from the large greenhouse, we came across this pot ghetto. Alison and I smiled at each other and I exclaimed, "She's one of us!" We all admired the red new growth on this filbert-looking small tree. There was a nice paved driveway but we chose to take this interesting path downward. And arrived at this lawn in front of the house. "You'll see a small lawn with Japanese forest grass and other shade lovers hugging its uphill side, and roses and other cottage-garden favorites filling the sunny bed opposite." "On the right, a pond lends some movement and the sound of water. The way the stones were imbedded in the pavement and continued down to line the pond was especially pleasing to my eye. "On the far side of the house, the garden continues its way down to the water with paths, decks and steps, terraces, and a rockery." When Peggy and Bill's children were small, they asked what this ash door on the outside of the chimney was and they told them that it was a door for (the borrowers, tiny people, or garden fairies, I don't remember) anyhow they made a small garden for the inhabitants and it remains even though the children are older now. I admired these pebble mosaic pots! Alison making another friend. So many paths to explore. A grand staircase with berberis newel posts and hakonechloa cascading down one side. We wend our way closer to the water. This was the lowest tide of the year but most of the time the water is much higher and has even done damage to the lower garden during winter storms. "A seating area with a fire pit is tucked in just up from the bulkhead. Planted with grasses and salt-tolerant rosa rugosa and cistus purpura, it makes a wonderful place to watch the waterfront activity and the sunsets." "Be sure to walk out onto the dock pier to get a great overview of the rockery and terraces." "Look for 'color vignettes' that have been tucked into different parts of the garden to punctuate or define certain areas. Treasures tucked between the cracks of the rocks as the steps lead onto the beach. Looking up another path. Exquisite pot and plant combination! Echoed here by more lavender. "Our north-facing Puget Sound site, with its microclimates and slope, can be a challenge, but it's also a rewarding and very pleasant place to garden!" I'll say! The thought of moving those heavy pots, huge bags of compost, potting soil, etc. up and down the many steps had us all tired just thinking about it! Peggy told us that at one point, one of the beds had been washed away and was rebuilt, requiring yards of soil to be brought in. Yikes! The garden is breathtaking and certainly worth every sore muscle! Thank you Peggy and Bill for opening your garden and being such nice hosts! All too soon it was time to head on up that gorgeous staircase and be off to the next garden.