The Bloedel Reserve, on Bainbridge Island just across from Seattle, WA. is an amazing place to visit. It covers over 150 acres and is a mixture of native gardens and cultivated gardens including a Japanese garden, the famous reflecting pool found in many architectural and garden design books, delightfully hidden garden areas, ponds and the family mansion which is open to the public. Both the gate house and the family mansion are staffed by a master gardeners who are happy to answer any questions. Admission is controlled to limit the number of people in the garden at any one time, making this a wonderfully peaceful experience. You will need to make a reservation in advance. (The gardens are also wheel chair accessible for the main part.) For gardeners, plan on allowing yourself a good 2 to 3 hours to tour this garden!

Check out their web site at www.bloedelreserve.org .

Also, if you are in the Seattle area, both the Seattle Arboretum and the Bellevue Gardens are well worth a visit.