Bloedel Reserve
Formal Garden · Bainbridge Island, Washington
A 140-acre garden on Bainbridge Island made by Prentice and Virginia Bloedel from the grounds of their house between the 1950s and 1970s - Prentice Bloedel ran one of the largest timber companies in North America and spent his retirement on the opposite proposition. It is designed as a sequence of moods walked in order rather than a collection of plants, moving from second-growth forest through a bird marsh, a Japanese garden and a moss garden to a reflection pool, and it is kept deliberately quiet.
7571 NE Dolphin Drive, Bainbridge Island, Washington, 98110, United States
Open Tuesday to Sunday in most seasons, generally 10 AM to 4 PM, and CLOSED MONDAYS. Timed entry, booked in advance - walk-up admission is not guaranteed and is often unavailable. Last entry is well before closing. Reaching the reserve means the Seattle-Bainbridge ferry or a long drive around, so check the ferry timetable alongside the booking.