Bloedel Reserve, Botanical garden in Bainbridge Island, United States.
Bloedel Reserve is a forest garden of about 150 acres on Bainbridge Island featuring wooded sections, open meadows, Japanese gardens, and reflection ponds. The plant collection combines native Pacific Northwest trees with cultivated garden spaces connected by a network of walking paths.
Prentice Bloedel, a timber industrialist, and his wife Virginia transformed their private home grounds into a public garden opening in 1988. This conversion from private estate to public access marked a shift in how the land was used and cared for.
Visitors come here to experience how nature can be artfully organized for reflection and learning about local plants. The Japanese garden and forest paths show how different cultures have shaped ideas about beauty in gardens.
The grounds stay open year-round, with each season bringing different natural sights to see. The paths are well-maintained and easy to walk on, making it a calm place to explore without needing special fitness or equipment.
A specialized moss garden section within the reserve displays an extensive collection of Pacific Northwest mosses, ferns, and shade plants often overlooked by visitors. This delicate collection showcases some of the region's most common ground flora rarely noticed on typical garden walks.
Location: Bainbridge Island
Website: http://bloedelreserve.org
GPS coordinates: 47.70830,-122.54800
Latest update: December 6, 2025 16:03
Washington holds far more than the well-known attractions of Seattle and Mount Rainier. Across the state, dozens of less-visited sites offer insight into the region's geological history, military past, and natural diversity. From waterfalls to ancient forests to historic lighthouses and military fortifications, Washington presents a substantial range of landscapes and cultural sites. Palouse Falls in Franklin County drops 198 feet (60 meters) into a basalt gorge, while Cape Flattery at the northwesternmost point of the continental United States looks out over jagged cliffs and the open Pacific. Ape Caves in Skamania County is one of the longest lava tube systems in the country, and Beacon Rock rises 848 feet (260 meters) above the Columbia River. The Trail of the Patriarchs leads through centuries-old Douglas firs and cedars, and Deception Pass Bridge connects Whidbey Island to the mainland via a 180-foot (55-meter) steel structure from 1935. Fort Worden in Port Townsend served as a coastal defense installation, and the Wing Luke Museum in Seattle documents the Asian American history of the Pacific Northwest. Dry Falls in Grant County shows the remains of an Ice Age waterfall that was once wider than Niagara Falls. Mima Mounds in Thurston County forms a field of hundreds of symmetrical earth mounds whose formation continues to be scientifically debated. These sites offer practical alternatives to the crowded main attractions and allow for deeper engagement with Washington's natural and historical features.
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