“Go, sit upon the lofty hill,
And turn your eyes around,
Where waving woods and waters wild
Do hymn an autumn sound.
The summer sun is faint on them—
The summer flowers depart—
Sit still— as all transform’d to stone,
Except your musing heart.”

~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning (popular English poet of the Victorian era; 1806 – 1861)

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)

“This is my rock
And here I run
To steal the secret of the sun;
This is my rock
And here come I
Before the night has swept the sky;
This is my rock,
This is the place
I meet the evening face to face.”
~ David McCord (American poet, author, and editor; 1897 – 1997)

Gladly shared by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (& grateful for plenty of rocks to go around!)

The goldenrod is yellow;
The corn is turning brown;
The trees in apple orchards
With fruit are bending down.

The gentian’s bluest fringes
Are curling in the sun;
In dusty pods the milkweed
Its hidden silk has spun.

The sedges flaunt their harvest
In every meadow nook;
And asters by the brook-side
Make asters in the brook.

By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer’s best of weather,
And autumn’s best of cheer.
~ Helen Hunt Jackson (1830-1885; American poet, writer, activist)

Wishing you joy in your garden and surrounding landscape during this beautiful time of year! We’d love to help–give us a call (717-653-1271)!
Shared by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (& joyful ‘all-season’ enthusiast!)