Canters turn flat backyard into a stunning oasis

It’s amazing what a little dynamite will do for a garden.

Eight years ago, Donna and Stan Canter decided some of the explosives would create interesting features on their flat piece of property.

The result? A breathtakingly beautiful garden.

Area residents will get their chance to see those results – along with five other stunning gardens north of Spokane – during Saturday’s “Spokane in Bloom” tour.

Sponsored by The Inland Empire Gardeners, it will also feature artisans, musicians and food vendors.

At the Canter garden, 17516 N. Canter Lane in Colbert, the dynamite work created a large grotto-like area on the side of the rocky bluff where they live.

Visitors will enjoy the water garden that features a 13-foot waterfall and a school of colorful koi. Rock gardens in and around the pillow basalt rock formations are filled with attractive plantings of groundcovers, perennials, trees and shrubs.

All of this beauty belies the fact that the Canters have done an incredible amount of work over the years to make it happen.

“Having to garden on a bluff that gets full sun all day long, full wind and southern exposure has been hugely difficult,” Donna Canter admits.

“All we had to start with was rock so all of our soil was hauled in. Many areas of the yard only have six inches of soil so there isn’t much to hold the moisture at the plants’ roots.”

She loves growing tropical plants, admittedly a challenging task considering the growing conditions they have to deal with. Plants like canna lilies, Angel’s Trumpets, palms and fig trees are overwintered in their garage or greenhouse.

Despite the challenges inherent in this garden, Canter can’t help herself.

“I love gardening because it feeds the soul,” she says. “It is very calming and rewarding. My favorite thing is sitting out on the bluff and watching the rock chucks and the deer.”

But as most gardeners know, deer and gardening don’t mix very well. Fortunately, Stan Canter has surrounded their property with a deer fence which protects their plants. He also suspended some netting over the pond to keep ospreys from diving in for a fish lunch.

Other features of the Canter garden include a gazebo that can seat 48 people, a raised-bed garden, a whimsical two-story outhouse and many scenic vistas at different vantage points around the property.

The following gardens are also a part of the tour:

• Rene and Steven Goebel, 14815 N. River Park Lane, Nine Mile Falls – The Goebel garden has two water features, a fenced vegetable garden, a handmade arbor, hypertufa planters, mosaic artwork and a sculpture made by Harold Balazs. Like the Canters, the Goebels deal with the challenges of high winds, intense sun and deer.

• Kathy and Gordon Kaufman, 14020 N. Shoemaker Lane, Nine Mile Falls – The Kaufmans’ property along the Little Spokane River is located inside Riverside State Park. Their garden includes three ponds, metal artwork made by their artist son, a playhouse and hideaway for their grandchildren, and many perennials, trees and shrubs.

• Candy and Ray Lindquist, 9125 N. Seven Mile Road, Nine Mile Falls – The primary feature of this garden is the historic Nesbitt house, built in the late 1800s. The rock walls built by the Civilian Conservation Corps surround the front gardens, site of many events in the home’s rich history. Owners Candy and Ray Lindquist have restored and developed the gardens and enjoy sharing them with visitors.

• Shirley and Don Mitchel, 412 W. Hazard Road – This one-acre garden is also located along the Little Spokane River and features more than 500 hostas. The shade perennials, which have all been labeled, grow along a creek. Visitors will enjoy the collection of bronze statuary as well as whimsical garden art.

• Jeanne and Tom Davis, 918 E. Ballard Road, Colbert – This 5-year-old garden encompasses the natural setting in and around it. The many varieties of grasses and nearby wetlands attract birds, frogs and animals, which add to the serene tranquility of its location. Features include a 50-foot bridge suspended over a dry creek bed and a bog garden.