Gardens at Sunnybank

I have had the pleasure of visiting the historic Sunnybank home on 6Th Street in Traverse City, Michigan on several occasions. It is a wonderful place created by an English woman named Dee Blair. The home is open to the public most days except when events are taking place. She makes her wonderful gardens available for small weddings and other small parties. Sunny Bank is a large Victorian Queen Anne home set on a beautiful cobble stone street. Every home is unique and gorgeous on 6Th street. When the home was built it had a clear view of Grand Traverse Bay but the area has since grown up and no longer looks upon the water.

Upon arriving at Sunnybank you are struck by the homes beauty. The well manicured lawn and small garden beds are perfect and ever evolving. Each time I visit there is something newly created by Dee.

To enter the garden you must walk the path to the left side of the house. There you will see a beautiful garden door complete with garden bell and visitor instructions. You must ring the bell before entering to notify Dee that a visitor has arrived.

I have never seen such perfectly kept gardens. The flowers and plants are all clean and dead headed daily. All beds are weeded and mulched and the grass is perfectly edged. The garden colors are soft and inviting and the garden walls are a soft green created by Dee as well. This water fountain is one of the first features you encounter when you enter the garden door.

A quiet resting place.

Another water features surrounded by hostas.

A sundial rests in a sea of Irish moss.

Another archway in the garden.




Another house on 6th ST. This one has been converted into a funeral home. It's my favorite house on the street for obvious reasons.


Here is a link to the Traverse City newspaper with small articles by Dee Blair. http://www.record-eagle.com/deeblair