Betty Albers Garden

A sunny and meditative space, this garden is adorned with a drought-tolerant lawn, flowering trees, and shrubs, offering a peaceful retreat.

Betty Albers Garden

A sunlit haven designed for meditation and relaxation, the Betty Albers Garden features a drought-tolerant lawn surrounded by an array of flowering trees and shrubs. This space invites visitors to pause and reflect, with strategically placed seating areas allowing for quiet contemplation amidst the vibrant blooms and verdant foliage.

Key plants from this area are listed below by their botanical and common names to help inspire your sustainable garden designs.

Botanical Name

Common Name

Abies balsamea

Dwarf Balsam Fir 'Nana'

Abies koreana

Golden Korean Fir 'Aurea'

Abies koreana

Golden Dream Korean Fir 'Goldener Traum'

Acer japonicum

Fern-leaf Full Moon Maple 'Aconitifolium'

Acer palmatum

Manyo no sato, Omato, Tiger Rose Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum var. dissectum

Orangeola Lace-leaf Japanese Maple

Acer shirasawanum

Moonrise Shirasawa Maple

Arachnioides standishii

Upside-Down Fern

Aruncus dioicus

Goatsbeard

Asarum caudatum

British Columbia wild ginger

Baptisia

Blueberry Sundae, Pink Lemonade, Yellow Goldfinch, Ivory Tower False Indigo

Berberis thunbergii

Bagatelle Japanese Barberry

Callitropsis nootkatensis

Green Arrow Alaskan Cedar

Calluna vulgaris

Summer Red, Dark Star, Firefly, Spring Torch, White Coral, Yellow Beauty Scots Heather

Cedrus atlantica

Blue Atlas Cedar

Cephalotaxus harringtonia

Upright Japanese Plum Yew

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides

Hardy Dwarf Plumbago

Chaerophyllum hirsutum

Hairy Chervil

Chamaecyparis obtusa

Bess, Chirimen, Kerdalo Hinoki False-Cypress

Clematis armandii

Apple Blossom Evergreen Clematis

Cornus macrophylla

Large-leaf Dogwood

Cornus x rutgersensis

Cornus Constellation

Corylopsis pauciflora

Buttercup Winter Hazel

Crataegus laevigata

Crimson Cloud Hawthorn

Cryptomeria japonica

Barabit's Gold Japanese Cedar

Dierama pulcherrimum

Angel's Fishing Rod

Dierama pulcherrimum

Ginny's Dark Purple Angel's Fishing Rod

Epimedium x perralchicum

Frohnleiten Deep-Yellow Barrenwort

Fothergilla gardenii

Dwarf Fothergilla

Fragaria chiloensis

Chilean Strawberry & Beach Strawberry

Fragaria virginiana var. platypetala

Wild Strawberry

Fuchsia x

Aztec, Double Otto, Genii, June Bride Hybrid Fuchsia

Juniperus rigida var. conferta

Emerald Sea Temple Juniper

Leucothoe axillaris

Coast Leucothoe

Libertia peregrinans

Orange Sword New Zealand Iris

Malus x

Prairie Fire Crabapple

Narcissus

Mini Daffodil bulbocodium Golden Bells, Mini Daffodil Jetfire

Nipponanthemum nipponicum

Nippon Daisy

Papaver orientale

Brilliant Oriental Poppy

Parahebe catarractaue

Miss Willmott Parahebe

Penstemon cardwellii

Cardwell's Beard Tongue

Penstemon pinifolius

Pineleaf Penstemon

Phlomis lanata

Woolly Jerusalem Sage

Picea orientalis

Smee Witch's Broom Oriental Spruce

Pieris japonica

Flaming Silver, Mountain Fire, Valley Fire Pieris

Pseudolarix amabilis

Golden Larch (⾦ 钱 松 jin qian song)

Rhododendron impeditum

Cloudland Rhododendron

Rhododendron orbiculare

Round-Leaved Rhododendron

Rhododendron x

Blattgold, Macrantha Rhododendron

Sagina subulata

Golden Heath Pearlwort

Salix caprea

Weeping Pussy Willow

Salvia x

Fire Dancer, Golden Girl Salvia

Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis

Fragrant Valley Himalayan Sweetbox

Sinopanax formosanus

Huashen

Spiraea morrisonicola

Meadowsweets

Styrax hemsleyanus

Snowbell

Styrax japonica

Emerald Pagoda Japanese Snowbell

Taxodium distichum

Pévé Minaret Bald Cypress

Taxus baccata

Green Diamond English Yew

Teucrium cossonii

Grey Creeping Germander

Thuja plicata

Golden Western Red Cedar 'Cuprea'

Thujopsis dolabrata

Solar Flare Japanese Elkhorn Cypress

Thymus pseudolanuginosus

Woolly Thyme

Veronica catarractae

Waterfall Parahebe

Viburnum parvifolium

Hayata Taiwan Viburnum

Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum

Summer Snowflake Double-file Viburnum

Viburnum propinquum

Chinese Viburnum, Taiwanese Viburnum

Zantedeschia aethiopica

Calla Lily

Creating Tranquil Spaces

Designing meditative garden area to enjoy year-round

The Betty Albers Garden at Vista Gardens is a sunlit haven, meticulously designed to inspire meditation and relaxation. This serene space is a testament to the power of thoughtful garden design, where a drought-tolerant lawn is embraced by an array of flowering trees and shrubs, creating an environment that encourages visitors to pause and reflect.

In designing a garden for meditation, the key lies in crafting a space that feels both peaceful and invigorating. The Betty Albers Garden achieves this balance through the careful selection of plants that thrive in sunny conditions while also providing seasonal interest with their vibrant blooms and lush foliage. The drought-tolerant lawn serves as a soft, inviting foundation, while the surrounding flowering trees and shrubs add layers of color and texture that draw the eye and soothe the mind.

Strategically placed seating areas throughout the garden invite visitors to sit quietly and absorb the beauty around them. These spaces are thoughtfully positioned to offer views of the most striking plantings, allowing for moments of quiet contemplation amidst the garden’s natural splendor.

For gardeners looking to create their own meditative spaces, the Betty Albers Garden offers valuable insights. Selecting plants that provide year-round interest, incorporating elements that encourage stillness and reflection, and designing with both aesthetics and sustainability in mind can transform any garden into a peaceful retreat. This garden exemplifies how the thoughtful combination of form, function, and beauty can create a sanctuary for the soul.


Explore the next area: Mittsu no Shima

Asian-inspired with dwarf conifers, a pendulous Japanese maple, and succulents on granite-surrounded berms.

Vista Gardens
Info@VistaGardens.org
124 NE 31st Street
Bremerton WA 98310

Albers Marcovina Vista Gardens Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Federal Tax ID is 37-1546572