Bainbridge Island WA – Best Things to Do
Little & Lewis, the garden of George Little and David Lewis, drew droves of visitors to Bainbridge Island from 1992 until it closed in 2008. The pair are famous for their concrete garden sculptures. Today, George and David have a garden gallery on the island. Martha Steward is a fan.
Bainbridge Island , a 35-minute ferry ride across Puget Sound from Seattle, is not on the “to do” list of most visitors to the Northwest. But maybe it should be on yours. The rustic/chic community is home to affluent commuters and retirees, not unlike Del Mar, just north of San Diego, and Carmel-by-the-Sea in Northern California.
Sunset magazine says this community is “home to writers, artists, craftspeople, and the most passionate gardeners in the world” and I know from personal experience that this is true. I visit frequently – to see my sister and to enjoy great garden experiences.
Ferries connect the city of Seattle and Bainbridge Island.
Bainbridge Island in Bloom
“Bainbridge in Bloom” is the Northwest’s version of The Secret Garden Tour of La Jolla and, as with the SGT, it provides a unique opportunity to go beyond the gates that surrounds the area’s most intriguing homes and gardens and get a sense of the local lifestyle.
As I said earlier, garden tours are perfect for travelers who want authentic – not touristy – contact with a destination because they provide opportunities to meet local people and are a good introduction to the history, horticulture, climate, and architecture of a destination.
In 2015, Bainbridge in Bloom, a tour of five private gardens on Bainbridge Island , will take place July 10 and 11.
Beautiful gardens bloom across Bainbridge Island, Washington.
Bloedel Reserve
If those dates don’t work for you, don’t despair. The 150-acre Bloedel Reserve is open Tuesday to Sunday year round. At this Bainbridge Island botanical park, thousands of perennials, bulbs, and wildflowers bloom among the rhododendrons in late spring and early summer. In the fall, more than 10,000 cyclamen plants get all the attention. My favorite spot is the sweeping lawn where towering weeping willows provide a backdrop for flocks of Canada geese.
Well maintained trails wind through 84 acres of second growth forest, and the grounds also include ponds, meadows, and a bird refuge that is home to trumpeter swans. The reserve was once the home of the Bloedel family, and their French-style mansion on a bluff overlooking Port Madison Bay is open to visitors.
A stately mansion, flocks of Canada geese, and walking trails are popular features of Bloedel Reserve.
Bainbridge Gardens
One of my favorite places on Bainbridge Island isn’t a tourist attraction, but a garden nursery. Popular Bainbridge Gardens is open daily and offers a free-of-charge feast for the senses. Here I enjoy a wide range of plants, including mature Japanese red pines grown from seeds brought from Japan in 1908. With winter rains, summer sun, and temperatures similar to southern England, the climate of Bainbridge Island supports hardy Mediterranean, tropical, and native flowers, shrubs, and trees.
The nursery sprawls over seven acres, and it takes me several hours to take it all in. Along the way, I stop at the New Rose Café sited in the middle of the nursery. This delightful spot offers creative salads, sandwiches, soups, and irresistible pastries.
The New Rose Cafe at Bainbridge Gardens is a cozy place for a light lunch or cup of tea.
If you go to Bainbridge Island
The Eagle Harbour Inn in the town of Winslow is walking distance from the ferry terminal. My very favorite place to eat is the Harbour Public House, which serves great pub meals and a beautiful view over Eagle Harbour Marina. Sweet tooth? The Blackbird Bakery on Winslow Way makes yummy muffins and the best carrot cake I have ever tasted.
Diners at “the Pub” on Bainbridge Island enjoy a view across Puget Sound to the Seattle skyline.
Garden tours and related places are a great way to get to know a destination. I think you’re really going to enjoy getting to know Bainbridge Island .
Have fun!
Category: garden visits, Washington
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We just came back from Seattle and Bainbridge Island…and the ferry ride over! Beautiful Island and a great place to visit!