Our staff explore gardens in the Pacific Northwest

This fall, I had the pleasure of taking our garden leadership team on a remarkable learning trip.  Joining me were Erin Paxton, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden Manager, Andy Brand, Head Grower, and Jason Ashur, Landscape Specialist. Together, we visited a series of remarkable gardens and met with the thoughtful, generous staff who care for them. Each stop offered valuable insights into horticulture, design, and long-term stewardship. It was a trip that deepened our knowledge, strengthened our team, and reminded us why we love what we do.

This trip took us all the way to Washington State and the Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island. Kaslin Daniels, their Director of Horticulture & Design, guided us through portions of their magical 140-acre property: forested trails, meadows, a compost facility, and exquisitely maintained gardens.

“Bloedel Reserve shared many similarities with our gardens at the Preserve,” reflected Erin. “The opportunity to spend time with their horticulture staff gave us a behind-the-scenes look at their management strategies and operations.”

Kaslin showed us their Heritage Landscape Report, Bloedel’s version of a Cultural Landscape Report (CLR), written roughly ten years ago. She shared how grateful she is to have the cultural landscape history captured in a single document; one still referenced today.  Kaslin’s perspective was helpful as we prepare to develop our own CLRs at the Preserve. Read more here.

Also on Bainbridge Island, we visited Heronswood Garden created by renowned plantsman Dan Hinkley from specimens he collected from around the world. Now run by the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe, it is open to the public and still maintains Hinkley’s original vision.  “I had never been to that region before, and it was amazing to see the specimens they can grow there thanks to their climate and milder winters,” Erin noted, adding that this garden has been on her list to visit for years.

Heronswood Garden

Dahlia garden at the Bellevue Botanical Garden. This garden is managed by the local Dahlia society.

Compost facility that we toured at the Bloedel Reserve.

We loved the big trees. Erin with a Western Red Cedar.

Andy posing with a large leaf Rhododendron at the Rhododendron Species Garden.

Wouldn’t you love this to be your office? Amazon Sphere tropical plantings were amazingly curated.

At Heronswood, my one request was to show us your greenhouse!

Dry Garden at the Bloedel Reserve

Wonderful bridge at the Bloedel Reserve; I love the jog.

Japanese gate at the Bloedel Reserve, Cassie's favorite gate of the trip.

Beautifully framed approach to the estate home at the Bloedel Reserve. First floor can be toured.

Of course, you can’t travel to Bainbridge without exploring gardens around Seattle. We were fortunate to be hosted by exceptionally knowledgeable staff at the University of Washington Botanical Gardens, the Amazon Spheres conservatories at Amazon headquarters, and Bellevue Botanical Garden—places where we could let our plant-nerd selves run wild. The Seattle Japanese Garden was another standout, beautifully pruned and rich with classic elements of Japanese garden design.

“Trying to pick a favorite experience has proved more difficult than I expected,” said Jason, our very own Stone Ninja. “Every guided tour was excellent. Everyone was incredibly knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and charming.”

We also found time to explore the lush city landscapes and surrounding forests. “So much green!” said Andy. “City streets were lined with healthy, well-maintained beds, and it was mind-blowing to hike through the verdant forests of Douglas fir and western cedar.”

The Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden was another highlight for Andy, exposing us to an astounding diversity of plant material from around the world.

This turned out to be a successful opportunity to gain inspiration, knowledge, and to hear about the challenges and successes other organizations have faced with garden maintenance and facilities. For me, it was especially rewarding to spend time outside of work with wonderful colleagues, coming together around a common interest: gardens and plants. I am already looking forward to our next garden leadership trip.

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