(This picture was taken in 1999. The other native garden bench was completed in early 2006.)

The native garden began with a bench made from native woods (below) from our previous homesite, and is gradually being complemented with various native plants. The lawn is now gone, a rotting tree supporting salal and huckleberry lies across the front, and Oregon grape and vine maple grow out of the openings in each end.

When a tree is forced out of verticle after another tree falls on it, it struggles to return to upright, and often produces a curved trunk in the process. This bench was created from four such trees in the forests at our former house : douglas fir--top arch; Pacific dogwood--bottom back arch; western hemlock--center armrest support arch; and western red cedar--cantilevered front double arch. An additional rear support of western maple is not shown. Seats, back, and armrests are 5/4 cedar decking. The 400 pound douglas fir arch is heavy enough so that the cedar double arch can be supported by a rock at each end and by one in the middle.

The crossed dogwood and fir are pictured above before they were cut. The dogwood was cut above the first large verticle trunk, and the tree is still thriving. The S-shaped cedar below forms the front of the bench.