Happy Friday, gardening enthusiasts! As the week draws to a close, we travel once again to Mill Creek, Washington, nestled snugly in USDA Hardiness Zone 8b, for another exclusive look at the remarkable garden cultivated by Lila and her husband, Dave. It was only back in August that we last checked in with Lila, a seasoned gardener who shared the vibrant, multi-year progress of her ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ pineapple lily while simultaneously celebrating a magnificent milestone: her 60th wedding anniversary with Dave. Today, Lila returns to our Garden Photo of the Day series to unveil the quiet beauty, structural depth, and surprising lingering blooms of her October landscape.
Reflecting on nearly three decades of cultivating the earth in their home north of Seattle, Lila notes that they have been gardening for a very long time. Over the span of nearly thirty years, both the homeowners and the landscape itself have undergone a continuous evolution. Like many long-term gardening partnerships, however, this evolution has not been entirely without its creative negotiations. Lila and Dave famously maintain slightly differing philosophies when it comes to aesthetic vision. While Dave leans toward a neat, tidy, and orderly presentation for their plantings, Lila embraces a decidedly more wild and untamed approach, allowing nature to dictate its own winding paths.
A prime battleground in this stylistic household debate is baby’s tears ground cover (Soleirolia soleirolii, Zones 9–11). Lila loves watching this delicate, bright green foliage ramble freely over decorative stones and weave its way around the backyard fountain, while Dave prefers a far more restrained approach. The couple frequently engages in a good-natured domestic "battle" over just how far the low-growing carpet is allowed to wander before it crosses the invisible boundary of neatness.
The physical canvas of their property presents its own unique set of challenges and opportunities. The home sits on a remarkably unusual and oddly shaped plot of land, making it considerably larger than most yards found within their typical cul-de-sac community. Rather than viewing the irregular dimensions as an obstacle, Lila and Dave have leveraged the topography to create distinct microclimates across the property. The landscape features deep, shady areas with rich, fertile soil; sun-baked zones characterized by stubborn hardpan; and intermediate spaces that receive partial sun and partial shade alongside decent, workable soil.
This diverse terrain supports a wide array of life, designed carefully with local wildlife in mind. While Lila and Dave do not maintain an exhaustive wildlife sanctuary, they actively work to attract birds to their plantings by providing essential elements such as natural shelter, flowing water features, tall mature trees, and a robust mixture of resilient perennials and vibrant summer annuals. They also maintain dedicated hummingbird feeders, ensuring a steady stream of winged visitors throughout the active seasons.
Maintaining a lovely, cohesive aesthetic is a shared priority for the couple, and autumn brings its own distinct rewards. October proves to be a particularly magical month for their hardy fuchsias (Fuchsia cvs., Zones 7–10), prompting Lila to capture several striking photographs of them in their seasonal glory. Despite the transition into mid-autumn, the Pacific Northwest has experienced a notably warm autumn season, allowing the garden to retain a regular fuchsia basket in absolute full bloom well beyond the typical summer window.
Among the standout features captured in the October photo series is a hardy fuchsia specimen situated in a shadier microclimate. While it does not receive an abundance of direct sunlight, the plant continually manages to produce a flush of delightful, dangling pink and purple blossoms as the calendar turns to October. This late-season bloomer is nestled comfortably among lush hostas (Hosta cvs., Zones 3–9) and a delicate laceleaf Japanese maple (Acer palmatum var. dissectum, Zones 5–8), growing sheltered beneath the canopy of several towering mature trees that frame the yard.
The October vistas also highlight the stunning canopy overhead, capturing a brilliant blue autumn sky stretching across the Washington landscape. Below this expansive sky stands an ‘Olsen’s Frosted Strawberry’ Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Olsen’s Frosted Strawberry’, Zones 6–9), an eye-catching specimen that provides rich seasonal color. This cultivar is flanked dramatically by native western red cedars (Thuja plicata, Zones 5–8) and graceful vine maples (Acer circinatum, Zones 5–9), anchoring the Pacific Northwest aesthetic with a seamless blend of evergreen architecture and deciduous autumn brilliance. Wider views of the backyard reveal sprawling green lawns bordered by well-tended garden beds, accented with decorative hanging lanterns and framed by the tall silhouettes of established trees.
As we wrap up another week of celebrating beautiful residential landscapes, we offer a sincere thank you to Lila for sharing her ongoing gardening journey, her distinct design philosophies, and her stunning October imagery with our community. It is a testament to the joy of gardening that, after three decades together in the same yard, Lila and Dave are still joyfully debating the boundaries of baby’s tears and discovering new marvels in every passing season.
For readers inspired to share their own horticultural spaces, the Garden Photo of the Day series welcomes submissions year-round. Whether you want to showcase a sprawling backyard, a carefully curated collection of rare specimens, or a memorable garden you visited during your travels, the submission process remains open to all. Gardeners can share their work by filling out the official online submission form or by reaching out directly with a selection of high-resolution photos accompanied by background information on their local climate, gardening duration, triumphs, lessons learned, and favorite plant varieties.
