SPRING CALENDAR

Photo by Erin Fisher

WELCOME WEDNESDAYS

Continue to look forward to monthly pay-what-you-wish community days. On the first Wednesday of each month, all are welcome to explore our trails and gardens and experience the transformative power of nature.

LETTER FROM OUR DIRECTOR

Dear Friends, 

Celebrate Earth Month by becoming a Member this April at Bloedel Reserve! 

At the Reserve, every day offers an opportunity to connect with nature. We believe that beauty and environmental sustainability go hand in hand. That’s why 80%+ of our plant species are native to the Northwest, and why we’re careful to select the right plants for use in the right places in our gardens. Also central to our sustainability efforts is our new Compost Facility. Since we started using compost at the Reserve twenty years ago, we’ve reduced our application of pesticides and fungicides by 90%. The new facility allows us to make higher-quality compost three to four times faster than before. 

Come see all that great work on display every day here at the Reserve. In addition to our beautiful spring landscapes, enjoy the gardens on the following special event days: 

• April 5 – Welcome Wednesday. Pay what you wish for our first conservation-oriented Welcome Wednesday. Pick up a laminated guide at the Gatehouse to learn more about native plants and wildlife at the Reserve!
• April 15 – Our Creativity & Inspiration pillar is the focus of our new Plein Air Painting Program.
• April 20 & 22 – Learn more about the horticulture and design of the Japanese Garden and Guest House with 38-year Bloedel Reserve veteran Bob Braid, Caretaker and Japanese Garden Specialist and Horticultural Expert John van den Meerendonk.
• April 26 – Connect little ones with nature through our partnership with KiDiMu, the Kids Discovery Museum on Bainbridge Island. Kiddo-centric guided tours of the grounds are engaging and affordable. 

In addition to the festivities here at the Reserve, 30+ activities are happening throughout the month of April across the Bainbridge Island. Visit our friends at Sustainable Bainbridge to learn more about how and when you can participate.   

See you this spring in the gardens!

Ed Moydell

The Richard A. Brown President & CEO

HORTICULTURE & DESIGN

FOCUS WALKS

Our Events Calendar shows the most up to date offerings and a link for timed tickets to join the walk.

Focus walks are monthly opportunities led by a Bloedel Reserve Staff specialist or Volunteer. Seasonal topics range from pollinator meadow design to irrigation and mulching, to pruning. These walks are a chance to go deeper, ask an expert, and enjoy the gardens in a new way. Each month brings a new topic aligned with our Horticulture & Design Pillar.

CONSERVATION & STEWARDSHIP

WOOD DUCK BOXES

Last week, we moved one of our wood duck nesting boxes, donated last year by philanthropist and woodworker Carl Westphal, from the Buxton Bird Marsh Pond to the Swan Pond, located across the road from the Rhododendron Glen’s waterfall overlook. The nesting box was not used by wood ducks last year and was much closer to the box that was used than the recommended minimum distance of 600 feet. Adult wood ducks were present on the Swan Pond and nearby Mid Pond last year, and we believe the addition of a nesting box to the expanse of attractive habitat around this section of the grounds might entice a breeding pair of these beautiful native waterfowl.

CREATIVITY & INSPIRATION

JORI LEWIS

Jori Lewis joins us as April's Creative Resident. She writes narrative nonfiction about the environment and agriculture, mostly in the Global South. Her reports and essays explore how people interact with their environments, focusing on the intersections between nature, history, and culture. 

Jori will be speaking about and reading from her book, Slaves for Peanuts on Thursday, April 13 at 6:30 PM at the

Bainbridge Island Public Library.

This event is free.

Meet all our 2023 Creative Residents and Community Creatives!

PLEIN AIR PAINTING PROGRAM

Plein Air is a French word meaning “in the open air.” The technique is about leaving the four walls of the art studio behind and painting and drawing in the landscape.

The Bloedel Reserve Plein Air Program is pleased to bring together some of the finest Plein Air artists in the region. In 2023, the Reserve is offering four days of painting on the grounds and two days of Masterclass mornings with afternoon time to paint on the grounds. All levels are welcome, with beginners encouraged to come on April 15, when Nora Masters will be available to answer questions.

NATURE & WELL-BEING

VOLUNTEER VOICES

HELEN MUTERSPAUGH

We had an opportunity to meet with one of our longstanding volunteer docents, Helen Muterspaugh. Helen came to the Puget Sound area from Colorado, where she was also active as a volunteer. After Helen retired from her over 20-year-career with Hewlett Packard and moved to be closer to her daughter, one of her first decisions was to seek an opportunity to give back as a volunteer. Her search soon took her to Bloedel Reserve. Says Helen, “I love gardening and I love history, and so Bloedel Reserve was a natural fit for me."

Read more about Helen and our volunteers on the Volunteer Voices blog.

WORDLE

Don't know how to play Wordle? This animation will show you how. Each month we feature a new word!

PUZZLE ME THIS

A splash of yellow greets you this month in the Pollinator Meadow.