July 2020 Newsletter

By John van den Meerendonk

Photographs by David Gibson

In February of 1999, the groundbreaking of the Fern Display garden began.  But this story actually began in 1996 with the complete reconstruction of the Bainbridge Library, which doubled its former size and provided a new modern library for the community. Bainbridge Island’s library is unique in that the Bainbridge Island community owns the Library building and grounds, is supported by volunteers and donations, and is part of the Kitsap Regional Library System.  Construction of the new library began in September of 1996 and opened on July 6th, 1997.  The library’s interior is decorated by beautiful artwork, through a coordinated effort with donations from many community artists. 

 

The library’s beauty is now complimented by three unique Gardens that surround the building.  In the spring of 1997 began the installation of the Haiku Japanese Garden on the south side of the library building. All the materials, the plants, the planning and outsourced inputs of this garden was a gift of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American community as a gesture of appreciation to the Bainbridge Island community and to honor their ancestors The Installation of the garden was done by community volunteers of which I was one of many. It was a wonderful community experience with as many as 50 volunteers showing up each day to create the Garden. I oversaw the installation of the extensive natural sandstone paving that traverses the space, cutting each piece to fit as a mosaic and supervising the installation.  It is a beautiful garden with large stone placements, sculptured trees and plants, pond and waterfall, setting the stage for the fourteen Haiku poems spread throughout the Garden. This garden was completed in time for the grand opening.  

In 1998, renown garden writer, guru and Bainbridge resident, Ann Lovejoy, lamented the sorry state of the library grounds other than the beautiful Haiku Garden on one side of the building.  She began recruiting garden volunteers into a group called the Friday Tidies, to install and maintain the mixed perennial beds that now encompass the Library’s main entrance, and the entire south side of the library surrounding the main parking area. Ten years later the Library doubled the south side parking area and Ann and the garden volunteers extended the mixed perennial borders around that area. All the plants were donated by volunteers and local nurseries. Today the Mixed Perennial Garden is a riot of texture, form and color that dazzles the eye and soothes the soul throughout the year. The Friday Tidies work every Friday morning, adding to, editing, and maintaining this much-loved garden and assisting in the maintenance of the Haiku and Fern Display Gardens.

The entire east side of the Library grounds was a neglected no man’s land of weeds, blackberry and brambles. A real sore spot between the library building and the adjacent Safeway grocery store. This side of the library also served as the lower level entrance to the Children’s library. The area encompassed a space approximately 400 feet long and 50 to 70 feet wide.  I was asked by the library staff and board what could be done with this space. Towering above the space are large Douglas Fir providing shade.  With the shade provided by the tall firs, I was able to see the potential for a fern garden. I was serving on the HFF board and knew that with my affiliation with HFF, I could realize this vision. Fellow HFF board members and Bainbridge Island residents, Anne Holt and Jack Doctor, provided whole-hearted assistance and support.  We first petitioned the HFF board’s support for this endeavor which we enthusiastically received. With a preliminary plan, we then went to the B.I. Library board of directors to present a proposal to establish a fern display garden. We received their permission to move ahead, for anything would be an improvement for this area.                                 

Beginning in February of 1999, with volunteers and my company’s landscape installation crew, the weeds, brambles and brush was cleared, chipped up and returned to the earth. Over the next few months my company installed the structure of the garden. First, we re-routed the existing bio-swale that receives storm water from the large south parking area, into a more meandering natural looking stream enhanced with bolder placements. We found out in our research that many ferns species work wonderfully in removing pollutants from storm runoff.  Paths were established, two bridges installed, construction of steps and rock walls flanking the entrance to the Children’s Library, small water feature, irrigation installation, soil preparation, planting of select trees and shrubs, and finally the design and construction of the rustic Gazebo that sits in the heart of the garden. Later that spring, on a Saturday, 500 ferns representing 50 species and varieties, were planted by volunteers from the community and members from the Hardy Fern Foundation.  Most of the ferns were donated by HFF and HFF members and from Sundquist Nursery from Poulsbo that specializes in growing ferns.

In 2000, the Bainbridge Public Library won first place as the most beautiful landscaped library in the U.S. sponsored by the Friends of the Libraries, U.S.A. and Storey Book Publishing.

It is hard to believe that twenty years have passed since the first fern plantings.  The fern collection has waned and grown through the years. The first fifteen years were difficult because of time consideration due to my involvement with my landscape design and build company.  Basic maintenance was about all we barely had time for.  The last few years, with the assistance of fellow HFF board member and B.I. resident Dave Gibson, the garden has been improving. Now retired, I also have more time to improve the growing conditions and to add to the fern collection. A beautifully grown mature fern species is a sight to behold and there are some beauties in the garden. Dave has 200 plus fern species and varieties in his personal garden which is a motivation for me. There are approximately 80 fern species and varieties now present and Dave and I have plans to significantly add to this collection and to make this a world renown fern display garden. Future plant labeling and continuing education are the next integral part of the ongoing plans.  There is space for growth. Happy fern gardening.