The Rhodies are in bloom! A great time to visit The Arboretum in Seattle or the Rhododendron Gardens in Federal Way.
Many people from out of the area buy homes here with rhododendron plants and ask me questions about their care. The Seattle Rhododendron Society is a great source of info on the topic.
Here are some pics I just took of a variety of sizes shapes and colors in the front and back yard. Rhododendron are just one of the reasons Seattle “feels like home to me”.
Ardell, thank you for the timely post. My aunt lives outside of Seattle and LOVES these flowers (and it’s easy to see why).
It’s a reminder to everyone to get out and see it all…before it’s gone! 🙂 They are a short lived bloom. Glad you enjoyed them.
Ardell- I’m glad to see this kind of a RCG Post once in a while. It provides an opportunity to get away from the nuts and bolts of the Real Estate “Industry” and get back to the other, equally important aspects of owning a home- like the design of same. Here’s one of my current architect assignments- making this rather mundane stock pre-hung door entrance into a more interesting
EntryWay that better represents the extensive updating we’re doing to the rest of the ’65 house.
http://knol.google.com/k/-/-/246qxuxd260sm/nmb4t0/mcm-front-door.jpg
Here’s my design for the new Entry to the ’65 Mid-Century Modern. We’re bringing the new window wall out 4′, building it before we remove the old. This to minimize disruption of the household- always a good idea in alterationd and/or additions. Note the turned pole.
(Click) http://knol.google.com/k/-/-/246qxuxd260sm/nmb4t0/new-entry-sketch.gif
Jerry…you do realize that to most people…that looks like a tear down. Why would someone sink a lot of money into that?
Ardell- What looks like a “tear-down” may well be turned into something very liveable at reasonable total cost (low price plus judicious architect-guided improvements). Our own Mercer Island home as shown on my WebSite (below) is a perfect example. Jerry-
(Click) http://sites.google.com/site/jgropp2/alterationsanadditions
I think when we hear the word “architect” we think of very expensive cost…that could not be recouped because of the outdated “facade”.
I’m surprised we don’t see more exterior facade change outs on split entries and such…
Doesn’t help to look great inside, if it looks like crap from the outside. Right?
I have to send you one I just saw in Bellevue. Scary from the outside…and picture perfect, all new, on the inside. Scares me 🙂
A- Takes a lot to scare me. J-
A- Seems as though the architect makes less to design a home once than RE Agents make to sell it many times over. I’ve made a lot of money for the RE Industry. And curb appeal seems to be all. J-
These stacked comments are awful! We’re running out of space, Jerry 🙂
Agents don’t decide if curb appeal is “all”…but buyers do. Some houses just look “creepy”.
Ardell’s response to the above is entirely right: “Agents don’t decide if curb appeal is “all
A great Post Ardell! We have a number of very large Rhodies at our Mercer Island home which was built in 1955- definitely a Mid-Century Modern. It had eight owners before we bought it- some far better than others at gardening and/or maintence as shown on my WebSite. (Link herewith). Jerry-
http://sites.google.com/site/jgropp2/alterationsanadditions
My PI ReaderBlog on “Heritage Homes” carries the above Thread further-
http://blog.seattlepi.com/northwestmodernhomes/archives/189764.asp
Soothing and calming in a sea of chaos your Rhodie pictures are.
David,
That I can step outside of “my office” and see ALL of these in about 30 steps is pretty awesome. I wish Rhodie blooms lasted from April til September! Though I find “deadheading” rhodies when they start to fade very therapeutic.
Ardell- Our Mid-Century Modern home has lots of window walls bringing the Rhodie-filled garden inside. And that’s why I have a hard time appreciating the (usually builer designed) so-called “Craftsman” homes with their small, divided-up stock windows. J-
Thanks, Ardell. Beautiful. I’ll post a link on my FB blog.