John Mello will plant practically anything in his garden. If he sees something he wants, he finds a place for that item, be it animal, vegetable or mineral.

“I garden for myself,” Mello said. “I don’t pay attention to color or texture.”

As a result, his garden contains, in addition to an array of plants from sedums to sweet peas, twisted iron rebar, an artist’s discards, furniture and a kitchen garden. That area doesn’t hold rows of herbs and vegetables. In Mello’s kitchen garden, old cookware substitutes as plant pots. A rickety stove serves as an elevator.

While Mello’s taste in plant selection is varied, he does focus on one type of growth. Mello collects hardy ferns.

His shaded fern beds are filled with exactly what he said he pays no attention to — color and texture. Against a mulch of deep brown bark, every shade of green is represented. Fern fronds quiver in the slightest breeze. Some fronds are finely-cut, others are rippled. All are vibrant.

Many people think of ferns as moisture loving plants but Mello said once ferns are established, they don’t need too much watering.

John Mello doesn’t garden for anyone but himself. He plants what he likes.

He may not care what others think of his garden, but he’s hoping many people will be interested in taking a look during Saturday’s tour.

Fern lovers will discover that Mello is gardening for them, too.

Tour boosts

mule barn

Saturday, July 10, John Mello will open his Coupeville garden for tours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mello’s address is 441 Redwood Drive.

He’s asking each visitor to make a $5 donation. All proceeds will go to Admiralty Head Lighthouse which is raising funds to rebuild the lighthouse’s mule barn. But instead of housing mules, hay and farm equipment, the new barn will provide space for the WSU/Island County Cooperative Extension offices. Interpretive materials and the gift shop will also relocate.

Once the lighthouse is empty, volunteers will return the structure to its original purpose, that of a family home for the lighthouse keeper. Period furniture, diaries and clothing displays will allow visitors to glimpse the lighthouse’s glory days of the late 1800s and early 1900s.

But first the barn must be built.

To get to Redwood Drive, take Parker Road, south of Coupeville. Turn east on Kineth Point, then left on Redwood. Signs will be posted.