Garden Bucket List

For quite some time, James has been wanting to visit some of the notable gardens in the Pacific Northwest, one of them being the Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island, a short ferry ride across the Puget Sound from Seattle.

Early this year, we were thrilled to receive an invitation to attend the wedding of one of our son’s college friends and to learn that the wedding venue was, of all places, the Bloedel Reserve!

In July, we flew to Seattle in time to visit the Bloedel Reserve the day before the wedding. We spent part of a glorious sunny day strolling the beautiful grounds, through wildflower meadows and woodlands, around the Japanese teahouse gardens, and over emerald lawns to the estate house where the wedding set up was taking place, overlooking the sparkling waters of the Puget Sound. What an unexpected delight to be able to privately preview the wedding venue as part of our garden tour!

Named one of America’s top 10 public gardens, the Bloedel Reserve was the perfect choice for a wedding! Surrounded by towering trees, meticulously-maintained lawns, and sweeping vistas across the Puget Sound, friends and family gathered for a most exquisite celebration. What a rare privilege it was for us to be witnesses of Ben and Sara’s lifetime covenant in the gardens of this spectacular estate!

Joyfully shared by Betty Hanselman

Gardener’s wife (& delighted garden tourist)