The hidden haven


of Dianne and Barry Rasmussen Story and photos by Dorothy Dobbie


The pond is the focal point of this multi-faceted garden. I


t’s tucked away in a shady corner of a tiny bay in north Edmonton. A giant blue spruce shields a pair


of white-painted, wrought iron gates from the casual eye. There is nothing from this angle to hint at the marvels secreted behind the house. It’s all leafy and green, trellised and private. Innocuous as it looks from the street,


though, through those ornate gates lies a cool, outdoor summer home belong- ing to Dianne and Barry Rasmussen. This is a lifetime home, a place where three boys grew up in its backyard and became agents of its change over time. The shape it has taken now, in fact,


resulted from an action of the young- est son, Tyson, who decided, one time while his mom was away, to dig a hole


localgardener.net


and create a surprise pond for her. Most of the changes in the garden subtle


were and happened and the slowly,


though. Gradually, the deck and then the sandbox disappeared; the raised beds were built


courtyard


took shape, brick by brick, over time. The trees and shrubs grew up and vines were trained over fences and arbours. Hostas and hydrangeas, ferns and daylilies are content to grow in the dappled shade with calla lilies and Jacob’s ladder. The pond, which now sports a foun-


tain and a bridge, is the focal point of this multi-faceted garden. The garden unfolds along a meandering brick path and flows into a courtyard, furnished with antiques and quiet sitting places.


Dianne has a design background and used to work for Ethan Allen, which specializes in high end furniture and antiques and her background shows throughout the space. Here and there are examples of


another one of Dianne’s passions; her artwork. She has used some of her oil paintings to punctuate the greenery and help set the mood. That creative pursuits are ingrained in this family is clear and not surprising given Dianne’s background in design and when we learn that Barry was the Barry Allen whose single, Lovedrops, went Gold in 1966. Barry eventually bought the recording studio, HomeStead Record- ers that started K.D. Lang on her career in 1979.


Beautiful Gardens 2015 • 23


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