Garden Conservancy "Open Days" Bainbridge Island

A memorial to the indigenous peoples of this island, the Suquamish led by Cheif Kitsap.

Bainbridge Island is a short ferry ride away from Seattle or Edmonds but is a world away from the hustle and bustle of city life. A rural community, Bainbridge offers farm fresh products and is a growing wine area within the Puget Sound AVA. The island's jewel is the Bloedel Reserve which provides excellent examples for locals to hone their garden design skills. I toured the island and The Garden Conservancy hosted Open Days gardens and came away with a new appreciation for this nearby island.

The Bloedel Reserve

The Bloedel Reserve Residence

The Mid Pond was created by Prentice Bloedel with advice from his friend and acclaimed landscape architect, Thomas Church.

My favorite part of the Garden is the Japanese Garden, the Guest House and Stone Garden. The Guest House blends features of a Japanese tea house and a Northwest Native American longhouse. It was designed by Hayden Kirk.

The Garden Conservancy Open Gardens

Each garden on the tour had features that were unexpected or unique and expressed the gardener's style. This is why I tour private gardens. I always find something to add to my own repertoire. 

The Victorian architecture of the Huntley house determined the surrounding perennial and rose beds and orchard complete with white picket fence. Although maintenance ---, I thought the use of ivy to soften the concrete fence was brilliant.

I found this hopscotch at Frogwit placed along a path in place of the flagstone and completely fell in love. Whimsy is my weakness.

Carved out of forested land, the Osmun garden is a shade gardeners delight. The abundant use of chartreuse made me feel as if the sun was shining even though it was a typical PNW rainy day.

What garden tour would complete without including a vegetable garden and small farm, especially in a rural area? On the lower slopes of this terraced garden Madison Hill's owner used the southwest facing hillside for her prolific vegetable garden taking full advantage of the summer sun.

Heronswood

Heronswood is located just north of Bainbridge Island on the Kitsap Peninsula across the Agate Pass bridge in Kingston. The garden was established by Dan Hinkley and Robert Jones in 1987 and the two created a display garden of plants they collected from around the world. Today, Heronswood has only been open to the public twice a year and recently has been sold to the Port Gamble S'Klallam tribe as preservationist for the garden.

Access to Heronswood will continue as special days throughout the growing season.

Chief Sealth

Cheif Sealth (Seattle) Grave site.

Seattle was named for Chief Sealth who's gravesite is located in Suquamish on the Kitsap Peninsula.

The Last Photo

The natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest is stunning. It's not uncommon to see Bald Eagles soaring, Great Blue Herons nesting, or Orcas cresting. Visit soon!