Nestled beyond the shorelines of Bainbridge Island sits 150 acres of meticulously cultivated land. The land began as the property of Prentice Bloedel, son of a prominent lumber company owner, and his wife Virginia. While Bloedel followed in his father's footsteps and took over the MacMillian Bloedel Timber Company in the 1920's, Bloedel eventually chose to retire early in 1950 to focus his attention on creating a peaceful retreat within the land he owned. After dedicating decades to the planning, creation, and care of their gardens, the Bloedels had gardens worthy of sharing with the world. In 1986, the Bloedels generously donated their home and land for the public to enjoy for years to come.

Legend has it, that Bloedel began marking trails on his property by clearing brush with a machete. He was incredibly articulate and created each garden with a distinct purpose. No signs or nameplates were ever installed within the garden to describe exactly what plants were in the gardens. Bloedel instead wanted visitors to focus on the garden itself instead of being preoccupied with latin definitions of plant names. Bloedel wanted every turn to be a surprise and for people to enjoy the garden as a whole.

The Bloedel Reserve has been kept much like the Bloedels left it in the 1980's and is run as a not-for-profit charity. The public gardens include a Japanese Garden, Moss Garden, as well as a Reflection Pool. The Moss Garden is the newest of the gardens and was created in the 1980's around the time the Bloedels donated the land. It began with 2,000 flats of Irish moss being planted temporarily while the native moss grew and took over. Today, there are about 40 different species of moss within the garden. The Moss Garden has many brilliant shades of green covering almost everything in all directions and even drooping off of trees. "It kind of looks like a fairy land," said Erin Jennings, Marketing and Outreach Manager of The Bloedel Reserve. "It truly does look incredibly magical."

The Reflection Pool was created as a formal setting combining the basic elements of earth, sky, trees, and water. Their inspiration for the pool came from their travels to Europe and the fine gardens that were found there at the time. The water within the Reflection Pool is ground water as no water is pumped into any pool or pond on the property. The Reflection Pool became a favorite for the Bloedels for the peace and tranquility they found within their creation. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bloedel's ashes are marked with a memorial stone on one end of the Reflection Pool.

An interesting fact about Mr. Bloedel is that he was colorblind. While creating his masterpiece garden, he tended to focus on the textures of plants and mixing those textures to create something beautiful. Mrs. Bloedel favored many different types of flowers. Her taste in flowers can be seen throughout the reserve within the various gardens. During the spring, the magnificent Rhododendron are in season near the Waterfall Overlook. Red, pink, and white blooms as big as a human head are a beauty hard to miss.

The Bloedel Reserve has become a place of peaceful retreat for many locals as well as tourists. "People come here to connect to nature in a deep way," said Jennings. "It can be a very holistic experience." While guests often do visit in groups, many visitors also come by themselves to unplug and recharge within nature. Due to the peaceful atmosphere that guests find inviting, guests are asked to observe and respect Garden Etiquette. This includes keeping your cell phone use to a minimum and voices quiet.    

The Bloedel Reserve is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am-4 pm with special extended summer hours. Adult admission price is $15 and senior, military, and student discounts are available. Children ages 5-12 are $5 and children 4 and under are free. Group and guided tours are available at no extra charge. For additional information, please call: 206.842.7631. The Bloedel Reserve is located at: 7571 N.E. Dolphin Drive, Bainbridge Island.