Gislason Family Garden - Page A-3

The Gislason Family Garden Nears Completion

October 3, 2001
by Drew Gislason

Lita Helping with the Garden
Lita helping planning the garden.

The Gislason family is building a garden. A garden with golden fruit. At least, given the price of the garden, "the fruits and vegetables might was well be made of gold", said designer and chief architect, Drew Gislason. However, the pleasure this garden will give for years to come will soon make up for the tremendous effort and price put into it.

The garden is a formal geometric raised bed garden, complete with automated watering system, brick-lined paths and white picket fence. The garden involved the combined effort of many people and many thanks go to the entire Gislason family. Alicia, Drew, Lita and Genevieve worked most of the summer on this project.

Brad Gislason and family also put in work on the garden, installing the pipe for the irrigation system. Yet the real benefit Brad offered was the use of his tool shop: chop saw, table saw and various other specialty tools contributed greatly to the construction of this formal garden. Thank you, Brad!

Special thanks go to Papa Derry, who spent many hours working with Drew to install the posts, create and fill the raised beds, install and paint pickets and generally offer up his expert advice and wisdom. Often, it was Papa Derry's effort that kept the project going during the most difficult times.

Papa Derry hard at work.
Papa Derry operates the complex machinery.

The garden fence was completed on October 3, 2001. The planting shall begin spring of 2002. We expect to plant Blueberries, raspberries, a good island mix of greens, corn, lots of herbs and even a few artichokes.

Other plantings will include a formal rose garden in the center bay, and a ring of flowers around a watering fountain as a centerpiece of the rose garden. The french deck from Drew's office overlooks the arched trellis leading into the garden.

Inspiration for the garden came from a variety of sources. Probably the primarly influence for the fence design came from an existing fence in the town of Friday Harbor. The home-owner was kind enough to allow us to take measurements from his design and to photograph it from a variety of angles. I think he originally thought we were theives, casing his home.

Other inspiration came from raised beds visited from the WSU gardner's extension tours. These tours were often informative, such as learning how to build a drop irrigation system, or learning to prune trees in winter.

The design of the drip irrigation system came from Brian Lambright. Basically, it is divided into 3 zones, one for the rose garden, another for the vegitable garden, and a 3rd for berries and trees.

Inspiration for picket fence Inspiration found close to home.

Two spots were designed for garden benches to sit beneath a tree on a hot summer's day and admire the beauty and serenity that surrounds you. We hope to spend many hours in that spot.

If you have any requests for vegitables next year, place your orders now. And come help weed!


Bracing Garden Posts
Bracing the garden posts.

Gates are difficult
Gates are the hardest part (they still don't fit right!).

Garden near completion
The garden nears completion.