Windcliff, The Garden of Dan Hinkley and Robert Jones

I'm lucky to live only an hour drive from Windcliff, the garden and home of Dan Hinkley and Robert Jones.  Luckier still, the garden is now open to members of the Northwest Perennial Alliance and others several times a month and also by appointment.  I've been visiting the garden for  years now and it's been a joy to see this ever-changing creation of the force behind  Heronswood. Before visiting for the first time, I emailed ahead to ask permission to take photographs.  The reply came that taking photographs was perfectly acceptable but sharing them in any way was forbidden.  Respecting this request, I've heretofore not shown any images of the garden or its plants, other than those that I've purchased.   However, on a recent visit, talking with Dan, I asked if their policy remained the same and was told that it is now permissible to share images.  Having several visits worth of images, sharing them all at once would make a really long post.  Instead, I'll share the visits periodically. Today, images from a June 2014 visit with Vickie and Evan.



One never knows what he or she might encounter around the next bend in the road.  The garden gnomes here look so life-like!


This was the second time I'd admired this plant (Illicium anisatum 'Variegata') with it's stunning new burgundy growth.


Rhodocoma capensis which seems to be among the hardiest of the Restios in PNW gardens.  In severe winters mine get brown so they're now grown in large pots which I drag inside the greenhouse if really low temperatures are predicted. Here they seem to flourish with little protection.



Perfectly blending plant lust and design, Hinkley and Jones have created another masterpiece  which is a joy to visit.  Like Heronswood, this is a place that is both aesthetically brilliant and intellectually stimulating. (Okay, maybe it's more intellectually stimulating to plant nerds than to the general population.)

Dan once wrote of Heronswood, "Every garden needs an audience." The sharing of their garden space with the public while maintaining their privacy must be a delicate balance.  Did I mention that there are also plants for sale on site?


Romneya coulteri beginning to bloom.  I've not noticed these  here when they're not in bloom and mine always look dreadful in the fall and winter.  Do these get cut to the ground?

Incredible view.  In pictures from later visits, you'll see that on the left is the Seattle skyline and on the right is Mount Rainier.   Sigh.  BTW, there are a couple of parcels of land along this same  side of the water currently for sale!


Aloe polyphylla wearing Tropaeolum polyphyllum.  Both are grown in the well draining soil under the southern eaves of the house.

Waterside opuntia bring a smile.  Not what one might typically think about growing near water but the contrast is stunning!



There are outdoor showers on each end of the house, a perfect way to clean up at the end of a long day of gardening before entering the house.







The sun briefly shone on this combination which glowed like a black light poster!  The picture doesn't come close to capturing the vibrance.

Up the hill, beyond the sunny growing area and greenhouse is the shade plant propagation area sheltered by huge old trees.

I'll end this post with a shot of Davidia involucrata ‘Tricolor’ which Dan describes as, "A superb, extremely rare and choice form of the rarified Dove Tree, with foliaged bordered in intense tones of cream, green and purple in spring, fading in intensity by late summer. A somewhat smaller size of 30-40’ can be expected on this clone which is already ‘biologically’ enough." I was smitten with the tree but not the price.  Imagine my glee when, a few months later, their price had been cut in half.

Thank you Dan and Robert, for opening your garden so frequently to allow us to continue studying and learning about fabulous flora!