Redmond's Symphony of Gardens coming June 29

Joanne White’s stunning garden is one of two Redmond properties to be featured in the eighth annual Symphony of Gardens tour, a benefit event for the Bellevue Philharmonic Orchestra, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, June 29.

Garden enthusiasts can buy tickets ($25) to tour a total of five gardens in Redmond and Kirkland, including four that have never been open to the public. Tickets are available at the Gray Barn Nursery, 20871 NE Redmond-Fall City Rd.; (425) 898-8265, as well as the Bellevue Nursery, Wells Medina Nursery and through the Bellevue Philharmonic office, (425) 455-4171.

White has no connection to the Bellevue Philharmonic but served on the board of the Bellevue Botanical Garden for six years. From her experience, she’s found that homes on the Symphony of Gardens tour are selected “because somebody knows somebody who knows somebody,” she said.

When she and her husband, George, moved to their six-acre property in 1979, “we were at the end of the line — we were the only house up here,” in a Union Hill neighborhood that is now very populated.

A unique feature on the Whites’ property is an Artesian spring that feeds water into several ponds and miniature waterfalls. The water features are surrounded by walking trails, trees and flowers of every size and color, places to sit and reflect, and a fantastic collection of bird houses and sculptures.

“Garden art can get too cutesy. There should always be surprises,” said Joanne.

The flora and fauna will look different by the time of the Symphony of Gardens tour, she added. The changing landscape throughout the seasons is what makes the garden so interesting.

We asked Joanna if she came from a long line of garden gurus.

“Not at all,” she responded with a laugh. “My grandmother had a vegetable garden. That was about it.”

She holds a degree in home economics from University of Washington and taught in Oregon for a couple of years. She also worked as a bartender and sold restaurant and hotel supplies for several years before joining her husband’s business. She currently works as a computer programmer.

Describing her journey into serious gardening, Joanne said, “I went on a couple garden tours, started with rhodies and azaleas and some weed killer. That went on for about 10 years. Like any disease, gardening starts out small and it gets larger and larger.”

After various arboretum tours and activities with Bellevue Botanical Garden, the Northwest Horticulture Society and Northwest Perennial Alliance, she was hooked on the hobby.

“When you first start out, you put in whatever plants you like — then you become a plant snob,” she joked.

The Whites’ home was featured on a Woodinville garden tour in 2004, with about 1,000 ticket holders for that event. “Garden tours are a validation of your work. We’re always happy and surprised to see a lot of young people who come through the garden tours,” she said.

Contact Redmond Reporter Reporter Mary Stevens Decker at mdecker@redmond-reporter.com or (425) 867-0353, ext. 5052.

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