Scared after reading (Seattle, Sammamish, Lynnwood: for sale, apartment, rent)

[Ira500]

Oh. bourganvillas and avocados and orchids won't grow outside here year round, and some varieties of tomatoes won't turn red, and melons need a lot of babying, but for the most part pwright1 is spot on. This is a zone 8 maritime climate, similar to much of the US South, meaning our lowest annual temperature is really not that low compared to many US places.
If you make the right connections, you'll be able to trade plants or find some kindly soul to allow you to take cuttings.

As far as affordability, maybe some compromises will need to be made?
Houses within a ten minute drive of Microsoft with four bedrooms are going to require a hefty mortgage payment, but...you could go a little further or a little smaller. There's great public transport to Microsoft, and Seattle's one of those odd places where millionaires take the bus. Microsoft also has it's own free shuttle, so you can save on "petrol" that way( we call it "gas" in these parts.
30 minutes from Microsoft you'd greatly expand your choices, and chances of finding something more affordable in a good school district.
Swimming? There are less expensive gyms or public pools, or a few brave(insane?) folks swim in Lake Washington even in the winter.
The weekly massage? Unless you patronize a massage school, an hour massage usually costs 60 dollars plus.
So to echo what everyone has stated: to do everything you'd want to do, you can't on 120K per year and live within 10 minutes of Microsoft. Renting would make things easier, or making some tradeoffs.
But it's not like you and your family will have to live in the gutter and have to live on canned beans and live in fear of violent crime because you have to subsist on only 120,000 dollars per year.

[seattlerain]

As far as vegetables, etc, I grow or have grown lettuce, spinach, greens of all kinds, peas, beans, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, tomatoes, corn, several types of squash, several types of peppers, lavender, rosemary...many different herbs and many other types of fruits and vegetables.

I have close to 100 different perennials and dozens of different annuals and many varieties of grasses, etc. All of this in Washington...

[jwb123]

I am not talking about veggie gardening, and I didn't say it couldn't be done - but Western WA gardens have a different flair than you will find elsewhere - more of a overgrown weedy, viney, grassy wildflowery look... and if you are into that sort of thing, then it's great for you.

Bulbs and perennials are great for that area, but a planting season of May - Oct is pretty limited.

I personally love the flowery show of my full sun beddings, and the gorgeous trees that I couldn't plant in the Seattle area.

By the way, climate zone and USDA Hardiness zones are different things.

Climate zone - ZONE 4 Cold-winter Western Washington and British Columbia
Growing season: early May to early Oct. Summers are cool, thanks to ocean influence; chilly winters (19 degrees to -7 degrees F/-7 degrees to -22 degrees C) result from elevation, influence of continental air mass, or both. Coolness, ample rain suit many perennials and bulbs.

Climate

[jwb123]

By the way, most major cities have Flower and Garden shows, along with Home shows, Wildflower centers, Some sort of special garden and whatever else. Those aren't specific to Seattle.

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by Jenbar

I am not talking about veggie gardening, and I didn't say it couldn't be done - but Western WA gardens have a different flair than you will find elsewhere - more of a overgrown weedy, viney, grassy wildflowery look... and if you are into that sort of thing, then it's great for you.

Bulbs and perennials are great for that area, but a planting season of May - Oct is pretty limited.

I personally love the flowery show of my full sun beddings, and the gorgeous trees that I couldn't plant in the Seattle area.

By the way, climate zone and USDA Hardiness zones are different things.

Climate zone - ZONE 4 Cold-winter Western Washington and British Columbia
Growing season: early May to early Oct. Summers are cool, thanks to ocean influence; chilly winters (19 degrees to -7 degrees F/-7 degrees to -22 degrees C) result from elevation, influence of continental air mass, or both. Coolness, ample rain suit many perennials and bulbs.

Climate

I have "full sun beddings" as well. There are very few annual type flowers that can't be grown here. Conversely, there are many annuals and perennials that we grow here that friends in Texas and other parts of the country would love to grow...however many of those don't grow well in Texas and other parts of the country.

BTW, pwright did not say that Flower and Garden shows were specific to Seattle.

[Woof]

Originally Posted by hdys

Hi! So I've read a couple of these threads and am now terrified of moving to Seattle this summer. I am a mom of two school aged kids and have gone back to school to get my Master's. I plan on going to Bastyr and my hubby and kids plan to come as well (obviously). We were planning on renting, but will be living on one income. I'm sure my husband will not be making $120K/year and am wondering if we can live anywhere relatively safe/clean. We are coming from WV where the cost of living is very low. Should I scrap my plans now?

hydys, this forum is loaded with people I would quite frankly consider to be wealthy, although they always claim that they are just scraping by. I've managed to get by on about $12,000 per year as a single guy .... a family of four might need $80,000 what with the extra expenses for the kids.

You likely won't need to pay for much child care, you can probably plan around your schedule in Bastyr. If your husband can get a night shift that would help. I wouldn't be surprised if Bastyr can help with childcare as there are lots of older women with kids that go there. In a few years you'll have your degree, I guess that would be naturopathy which is in high demand, and you'll be able to recoup any losses quickly and live a comfortable life.

[toughguy]

Originally Posted by Jenbar

I am not talking about veggie gardening, and I didn't say it couldn't be done - but Western WA gardens have a different flair than you will find elsewhere - more of a overgrown weedy, viney, grassy wildflowery look... and if you are into that sort of thing, then it's great for you.

Bulbs and perennials are great for that area, but a planting season of May - Oct is pretty limited.

I personally love the flowery show of my full sun beddings, and the gorgeous trees that I couldn't plant in the Seattle area.

By the way, climate zone and USDA Hardiness zones are different things.

Climate zone - ZONE 4 Cold-winter Western Washington and British Columbia
Growing season: early May to early Oct. Summers are cool, thanks to ocean influence; chilly winters (19 degrees to -7 degrees F/-7 degrees to -22 degrees C) result from elevation, influence of continental air mass, or both. Coolness, ample rain suit many perennials and bulbs.

Climate

For some reason I think xeraplants.com is off a little. 19 F to -7 F degrees in the winter? When was the last time it was 19 F degrees in Puget Sound, let alone -7 F? Where do they have their weather stations, at the top of Mt. Rainier?

[jwb123]

Full sun is 6-8 hours, direct sunlight, daily. I can't think of anything that I can't grow here, that I miss from Seattle. Frankly, there is nothing that can't grow here - and plenty of tropicals here, that I could never grow there. I did forgo the rhododrendron bush.... I had had enough.

The implication with the mention of all the special garden parks and Flower and Garden show, was that Western WA must be a GREAT place for gardeners, a gardeners paradise he said... if such events exist... and my point was that ALL major cities have these sorts of events... it doesn't mean anything specific about extrodinary gardening in Seattle.

[MichaelinWA]

Not sure how gardening became the subject of this thread.

[vnodak]

Originally Posted by Chenebe

So, hypothetically, do you think the following lifestyle can be recreated in Seattle on 120k household income:

- own comfortable home in good suburb, 4 bedrooms, gardens, views, etc (just about everything we wanted)
- 1 modest car using 1 tank of petrol a week on average
- 10 mins commute to work (housewife drops the husband off)
- eating almost exclusively organic food, almost all fresh, very little canned
- 1 husband who: works, has a computer hobby, does some sport, gardens (some unusual and pricy plants), buys expensive work clothes, loves entertaining friends at home at least once a week (big dinner, drinks, the lot)
- 1 housewife who: gardens (buys new plants almost every week), buys books, constantly buying stuff for the home (tea pots, cushions, linen, etc), occasionally buys clothes for herself, has a massage or facial once a week, lunches out or has coffee with friends 2-3 times a week, goes swimming 3 times a week, loves cooking gourmet meals and baking cakes, has wierd Art hobbies, travels overseas at least once a year
- 1 child who: has all the best baby gear (sorry, I'm a sucker, I know), wears organic clothes, goes to baby gym and baby music, goes to childcare 3 times a week, gets books and toys occasionally (am anticipating costs to go up as baby grows and goes to more activities)
- being able to give elderly parent some money to help out

You have me confused---I do not think this follows the original thread. But the answer to your question is no.