Bay Vista was one of the first large residential towers in Belltown, and the developers gave over the entire sixth floor (the division between commercial space below and 28 floors of condos above) to common space — most of it outdoors — for residents. Landscape architect Robert Chittock's raised-bed plantings, put in nearly 20 years ago, have transformed the sixth-floor rooftop into a park. Pine trees thickly underplanted with ferns shade the barbecue area. The swimming-pool deck overlooks a wisteria arbor, peonies and stands of fragrant white stock. Climbing roses lace the fence around the sport court. Nadine O'Donovan of the garden committee explains "there's a little bit of everything in the garden — people here add things in."

Dedicated pea-patchers have taken over one side of the deck, providing the joggers and walkers — eight times around the roof makes a mile — with edibles and herbs to snack on and sniff as they work out. Residents apply in February for one of the raised wooden containers, and the garden committee assigns space. Barbara Sheldon, a retiree from New Jersey, says she wants a pea patch closer to the hose next year — she's tired of dragging it the length of the deck. The ripe tomatoes and colorful gerbera daisies in her plot attest to the fact she's been watering.
 

Now In Bloom Boltonia asteroides 'Snowbank' looks like an overgrown aster, growing to a willowy 5 feet tall topped with dainty, daisy-like flowers. It blooms for a month beginning in September, its white flowers lighting up the garden and contrasting beautifully with the rich tones of autumn. A dependable perennial, it prefers full sun and moist soil, and the flowers are long-lasting cut for bouquets.

Gardening is a challenge so high in the air. Every side of the deck has its own weather conditions, all plantings are in containers, and drying winds and sunshine are intensified. Everything needs frequent water, and the pea-patchers add fresh soil and zoo doo early each gardening season. Maintenance crews take care of the larger, permanent plantings.

Howard Weiner hasn't been able to contain himself to his allotted box. His plantings have spilled over into dozens of terra-cotta pots flowery with snapdragons, nasturtiums and petunias. Weiner also cares for a long row of pots across from the patches, full of roses, variegated ivy and fruit trees. By late August he has already harvested a crop of 'Frost' peaches. Weiner points out his "Frankenstein" tree, with five different kinds of pears grafted to it. He has lived in the building for 16 years, and loves the fact that right here in the middle of Belltown he can sit beneath shade trees to rest.

Every patch has taken on its own character, showing off each gardener's interests, skills and hungers. Zucchini are taking over by late summer, strawberries are still producing, and red peppers are turning color.

O'Donovan, who could never ripen tomatoes in her shady Mercer Island garden, appreciates the unobstructed sunshine that turned her container into a riot of nasturtiums, geraniums and petunias as well as ripe tomatoes. She uses her patch as a nursery bed, digging up whatever looks best to pot up for her condo balcony, returning it to the patch to recover once it has flowered out.

"Some people move down here to get away from lawns and gardening," says O'Donovan, "but it is hard to leave a garden behind. You just want to keep your hands in the dirt."

ARRANGING FOR REBUILDING

The Seattle Garden Club will be "Raising the Roof" Oct. 19 and 20 at its annual Flower, Horticulture and Photography Show. Club members will compete with arrangements that interpret the theme of construction in various categories such as "plumbing and pipes." Since this year's show is dedicated to rebuilding the Center for Urban Horticulture, the event will take place there, at 3501 N.E. 41st St. in Seattle. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Admission is free and includes a tour of the Union Bay Natural Area on Sunday at 2 p.m. On Saturday, topiary or container classes are $10 each. Call 206-685-8033 to sign up.

Valerie Easton is manager at the Miller Horticultural Library. Her book, "Plant Life: Growing a Garden in the Pacific Northwest" (Sasquatch Books, 2002) is an updated selection of her magazine columns. Her e-mail address is vjeaston@aol.com. Jim Bates is a Seattle Times staff photographer.