Colman Park

A Morning Garden
(submitted by a Colman Park P-Patch gardener)

Colman Park is one of the Seattle Parks designed by the Olmsted Brothers. The P-Patch is located in the same spot as an old Parks nursery and meanders down to Lake Washington Blvd. The garden plots terrace down a hill and gardeners pride themselves in growing vegetables even though many plots get more sun then others. The heaviness of the air, laden with blackberries, lures the whole neighborhood into Colman Park. Summer is at its peak.

Wander through and enjoy the views: each terrace of the site reflects a different gardening style. One gardener experiments with exotics - saffron crocus, water chestnuts, wine grapes, and a heavy mulch/no weeding method. Down one level is a highly productive, meticulously weeded garden where one can see the latest methods for increasing yields - floating row covers, trellises, cloches, weed barriers. Just a little way down the hill is the herb specialist, followed by the flower devotee, and a Midwestern garden with straight rows of corn. Colman Park faces east, toward Lake Washington, and wakes early. The birds sing at the first pink light; neighbors walk their "leashed" dogs. The dew rests lightly, and by late afternoon the blackberries call out to be eaten, "Pie", "Pancakes", "Cobbler".