August 21 was the date of the Fourth Annual Coastal Garden and Art Tour in Brookings - a benefit for The Curry County Master Gardeners Association. Members of Manley Art Center demonstrated their creative processes in the gardens and had many items for sale, including original paintings, prints, cards, jewelry, weaving, painted rocks, wind bells, handmade lighthouses, and other garden art items.
Ann Ostrowski photographing a flower in the Seikel garden. Many people take cameras on the tour, some to record ideas for their own gardens, others for the opportunity to photograph gorgeous flowers.
Ann took many of the photos you'll see here.
Dahlia in the garden of Janet Siekel. Photo by Ann Ostrowski
Christina Olsen was working on one of her Glass Backwards pieces in the Siekel garden. Photo by Ann Ostrowski
Here's the back side of the glass - the side that is painted. In the background, a mixed plot of flowers and vegetables. Only a couple of years ago this backyard was overgrown with blackberries. Now it produces bushels of vegetables and gorgeous flowers. Janet Siekel gave a gift of a purple bearded iris tuber to each visitor on the tour.
Ken Barkema's garden includes much handcrafted garden art. The bird houses above are models of real buildings. Look on the far left for The Capella -- can you identify the others? Photo by Ann Ostrowski
Deer Scarer and water fountain, also in Ken Barkema's garden. Photo by Ann Ostrowski
Ken Barkema uses bamboo throughout his garden to protect and camouflage sprinkler heads. Photo by Ann Ostrowski
Brenda Stafford demonstrated watercolor flower painting in the Barkema garden. In the foreground is a handcrafted lighthouse by Brenda's husband, Bob Stafford.
Brenda and Bob Stafford with some of the handcrafted items they had for sale; wind bells they collaborate on, light houses that Bob makes, and Brenda's famous painted rocks.
A waterfall that flows under a handcrafted arched footbridge, and into a little goldfish pond.
Irene Mareno offered lovely "garden art" cards at the Barkema garden.
Ken Barkama created this lighthouse to cover a water fixture in the front yard.
The garden of Sue and Rich Butler has been featured on the tour before, but was included again by popular demand. Sue's collection of garden art in the backyard is extensive and very often whimsical and amusing.
If this were on the Road to OZ - what would you name it? Photo by Ann Ostrowski
Birdfeeder in the Butler garden. Photo by Ann Ostrowski
The Butler's tulips. Photo by Ann Ostrowski
I know you're going to ask... Kandi Legg denies that this mermaid is a self portrait.
Kathy Huxley set up her oils in front of an unusual bench in the Butler garden and before long had a finished piece of art.
MoJoes offered coffee and desserts at the Butler's. Photo by Ann Ostrowski
At Cindy Gallagher's garden Lorelei Hanna and Dale Wells shared a tent where they showed Lorelei's driftwood creations and Dale's Watercolors.
Lorelei with two of her driftwood planters and a driftwood bird house. Lorelei uses a nail gun (not glue) to create these lovely pieces - she wants them to last forever.
Driftwood planter by Lorelei Hanna
The daisies in Cindy Gallagher's garden inspired Dale Wells to paint them.
Dale took a break from painting daisies to sell a card with a print of one of his paintings.
MoVino's table at Gallagher's was popular.
Charming waterfall in the Gallagher garden.
In spite of a record cold July in Brookings, Peggy Goergen and Linda Gibney have succeeded in growing beautiful, healthy vegetables in this shared garden plot.
Visitors to the vegetable garden lingered to talk to the gardeners to learn more about growing vegetables in our coastal climate.
Jean Johnston showed her popular one-of-a-kind necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.
Everett Carpenter of Open Mind Designs showed some of his creative glass and mirror pieces at the entry to the Goergen and Gibney vegetable garden.
Up the Chetco River at the garden of Paul Otto and Alan Waddell, we saw enough unusual plants to fill up a book. There was a bog garden, alpine areas, and rock gardens. Photo by Ann Ostrowski
And great use of familiar plants too. Photo by Ann Ostrowski
Wish my apple tree looked like that!
Honeysuckle arbor - view from the backyard. Photo by Ann Ostrowski
Dana Nelson showed a variety of her work at the Otto/Waddell garden.
Dana's daughter Aykia brought some of her colorful work to show also.
Jane Opiat demonstrated how she weaves her "wearable art".
Surrounded by succulents in the Otto/Waddell garden, Sara Broderick discussed her current work with visitors.
For the past two years Sara Broderik has painted flowers during the Garden Tour. This year she was working on a dog portrait.
Kathleen and Rich Dickson's Community Supported Agriculture Farm features vegetables and fruit grown in a chemical free, intensive, raised-bed system. Those are the biggest squash plants I've ever seen on the coast! Photo by Ann Ostrowski
Acrylic artist, Bonnie Loewen, set up at the Dickson's and painted a garden scene that included a quaint little shed.
Karen Vogl welcomed visitors to her garden and offered her colorful and creative hand-made cards. In the background a waterfall drops between birches and ornamental grasses.
Inside the gate, near the Vogl's front entrance, another waterfall!
View from Karen and Joe Vogl's back deck. Photo by Ann Ostrowski
Katrina Parke set up her acrylics on the deck to take advantage of the Vogl's spectacular view.
Ann Ostrowski couldn't resist photographing the Vogl's view.
There's more! The path to Shangri La begins from the Vogl's deck. Photo by Ann Ostrowski
The 2011 Coastal Garden and Art Tour is already being planned. You won't want to miss it!