{"id":16768,"date":"2025-08-13T10:10:39","date_gmt":"2025-08-13T17:10:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/depts.washington.edu\/hortlib\/?post_type=book&p=16768"},"modified":"2025-08-13T10:14:15","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T17:14:15","slug":"foggy-bottom-a-garden-to-share","status":"publish","type":"book","link":"https:\/\/depts.washington.edu\/hortlib\/book\/foggy-bottom-a-garden-to-share\/","title":{"rendered":"Foggy Bottom: A Garden to Share"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the summer of 2000, I visited England, intent on seeing gardens.\u00a0 One of the highlights was The Bressingham Gardens<\/a> in Norfolk, famous for its island beds of herbaceous perennials, allowing viewing from all sides.<\/p>\n

Almost as an afterthought, I visited the adjacent garden of Foggy Bottom, noted mostly for conifers.\u00a0 Here the island beds were more like continents.\u00a0 In my journal at the time, I wrote: \u201ca variety of textures and, notably, colors\u2026sometimes with subtle color combinations, other times more garish.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Today, I would look at this garden with different eyes.\u00a0 Fortunately, I can do that with the 2023 publication of \u201cFoggy Bottom: A Garden to Share\u201d by Adrian Bloom. \u00a0My impression now is a garden well-balanced between woody and herbaceous, conifer and broad-leaf, evergreen and deciduous.\u00a0 The brash colors have mellowed, as to be expected from a more mature garden and gardener.<\/p>\n

Bloom has a clear intent expressed through both images and narrative.\u00a0 \u201cYou, as a special guest, in going through this book, are being given a private tour by me, Head Gardener and owner of Foggy Bottom.\u201d<\/p>\n

At over four hundred large-format pages, this is a full-day tour, but very worthwhile.\u00a0 I first flipped through looking at Bloom\u2019s excellent photographs, but was easily drawn in by the conversational commentary.\u00a0 Each bed is observed and described from various angles, over many years, and in all seasons.\u00a0 Mistakes are freely admitted, as are unexpected successes.<\/p>\n

After taking this long view, Bloom examines the plants more closely.\u00a0 In part, this is by expected types such as ferns, grasses, and bulbs.\u00a0 Other groupings are by distinctive features such as bark, foliage in many hues, or plants that facilitate a design feature, such as creating rivers of foliage or flowers through other plantings.<\/p>\n

Most intriguing to me was the history of the garden, including photographs from the time of my visit.\u00a0 I was there on the eve of major change, as many trees were removed soon after my visit, and several beds completely redesigned.\u00a0 I have no immediate plans to travel to England, but when I do, a return to Foggy Bottom will be a must.<\/p>\n

Reviewed by: Brian Thompson on February 12, 2024<\/p>\n

Published in Garden Notes: Northwest Horticultural Society<\/em>, Spring 2024<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the summer of 2000, I visited England, intent on seeing gardens.\u00a0 One of the highlights was The Bressingham Gardens in Norfolk, famous for its island beds of herbaceous perennials, allowing viewing from all sides. Almost as an afterthought, I visited the adjacent garden of Foggy Bottom, noted mostly for conifers.\u00a0 Here the island beds were more like continents.\u00a0 In my journal at the time, I wrote: \u201ca variety of textures and, notably, colors\u2026sometimes with subtle color combinations, other times…<\/p>\n

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