From Our Backyard to Yours

August 2021 — Your “virtual visit” to Bloedel Reserve

Want to learn more about what is happening behind the scenes and around the grounds at Bloedel Reserve?  Use the links below to explore Bloedel Reserve from wherever you happen to be. And be sure to check back regularly for new stories throughout the month.

Posted: 08/27/2021

CREATIVITY & INSPIRATION

Music in Nature: A Talk by Peter Wyer

Composer Pete Wyer, who was to be our September Creative Resident, cannot come to Bloedel Reserve due to COVID restrictions on visitors traveling from the UK. We are rescheduling him for the second time into 2023! (He was already rescheduled once due to the onset of COVID in 2020.)   But… he very kindly sent us a film he made of himself talking about how aspects of nature inspire his compositions. Take a listen here.

Posted: 08/27/2021

ASICS Wowed by the Wonders of Bloedel Reserve

Earlier this month, we were pleased to host a team from the well-known athletic shoe company ASICS. The team captured images around Bloedel Reserve as well as from other locations around Bainbridge Island. Did you know ASICS actually stands for “Sound Mind in a Sound Body” in Latin? ASICS will use the photos in an upcoming fall ad campaign, which will include posts on Instagram and Facebook, print ads, and point-of-purchase marketing materials.

The new campaign is embraces themes of sustainability and the importance of connecting with nature (paralleling Bloedel Reserve’s commitments to conservation and nature and well-being). We can’t reveal any details about the new footwear yet. But we can tell you that the ASICS team was incredibly impressed with the beauty and the variety of landscapes at the Reserve. And their donation to Bloedel Reserve (in the form of a shoot fee) lets us proudly include them in our roster of 2021 Founding Bloedel Business Partners.

Posted: 08/27/2021

PUZZLE ME THIS!

The Shape of Beauty

An essential part of Prentice Bloedel’s vision for the Reserve was to create plant groupings that varied not only in color but also in shape and texture. This little “still life” demonstrates this horticultural concept  very well. Solve the puzzle.

On your next trip to the Reserve, take some time to see the wide range of shapes and textures that add depth and variety to the view. Book your tickets today.

Posted: 08/13/2021

HORTICULTURE & DESIGN

What’s In Bloom:  Your August Garden Guide

Each month, we provide you with a downloadable reference sheet to let you know what is at its blooming peak at the Reserve. Here is your August guide to the plants and shrubs making a colorful show this month.

Posted: 08/13/2021

SEPTEMBER TICKETS!

You can now book tickets for the month of September using our Timed Ticket system. Please note that with the coming of fall (yes, really!) we will be changing our closing time to 5 PM beginning September 1st. Also, we will be open on Labor Day, Monday, September 6. Book your tickets today and come enjoy a walk around the Reserve on your day off.

NEWLY ADDED: Members Only Sunset Walks
Friday, September 10

Our Summer Sunset Walks have been so popular with members that we’ve added one more. Members may sign up for early evening walk times for Friday, September 10. Click on Timed Tickets to book your visit today.

Posted: 08/13/2021

NATURE & WELL-BEING
Register Now for September Strolls!

Registration is now open for September Strolls for Well-Being sessions.  Strolls for Well-Being is a FREE program of 12 self-guided, themed walks designed to give participants time for personal reflection while immersed in nature.
There are four different sessions to choose from and participants receive a six-month membership to the Reserve as part of the program so they can complete the walks on their own schedule.
woman walking the garden

Posted: 08/13/2021

PUZZLE ME THIS!

Sometimes just changing your perspective gives you a fresh take on a familiar place. Here’s a different angle on a favorite Reserve location. When you’re walking the trails at the Reserve, take a moment to stop and look back. The new view might surprise you. Solve the puzzle!

Posted: 08/05/2021

CREATIVITY & INSPIRATION

Symphonic Forest: An Immersive Sound Installation
August 12, 12 noon to 4 PM & August 13, 10 AM to 2 PM

Scott Kildall is in residence at Bloedel Reserve during August. A new media artist, Scott explores the many ways art, nature, and technology can connect and inform how we see the world. Scott’s Symphonic Forest is an immersive, outdoor installation on the Bloedel Reserve grounds that will allow visitors to experience the life of trees in an entirely unexpected way.

Read more about it here. Then book your tickets and hear it for yourself!

Posted: 08/05/2021

HORTICULTURE & DESIGN

Plant of the Month: Chilean Holly

Horticulture team member Sean Peterson has picked a vibrant specimen to highlight for the month of August. But you don’t have to travel to South America to see it. Read more about this prickly beauty here.

Posted: 08/05/21

CONSERVATION & STEWARDSHIP

The next in our series of Impact Reports is the 2020-21 Conservation & Stewardship Impact Report.

One of the biggest accomplishments of 2020 and early 2021 was the completion of a state-of-the-art compost facility at the Reserve. This report will tell you more about ways in which the new facility is contributing to our green horticultural practices.

Want to delve deeper into the science and practice of composting? Check out these articles: Composting, Part 1 and Composting, Part 2.

Posted: 08/05/21

Your Generosity Counts!

Did you know that 60% of our operating funds comes from donations? This summer, our goal is to raise $600,000. You can help us get there. You’ll see signs around the grounds with with QR codes. Use your smartphone and the QR code to donate on the spot.

Or make a donation online using the link below. With your support, this remarkable place will continue to be here for many summers to come.

Make your donation here.

Posted: 08/05/21

Puzzle Me This!

Our Creative Residents will recognize this locale. If you are lucky enough to be selected for the Creativity Residency program at the Reserve, you will call this place home. Solve the puzzle. 

Want to know more about the Creative Residency program? Want to apply? Click here for complete details.

Posted: 08/05/21

CREATIVITY & INSPIRATION

Pulling Prints from Nature with Catherine Alice Michaelis
A Drop-In Experiential Event
Sunday, August 29, 12 noon to 3 PM

Stop by the Bloedel Reserve Sheep Sheds on Sunday, August 29, between noon and 3 PM, and pull your own print from a tree round! Catherine Alice Michaelis, an artist and printmaker, has prepared multiple tree round surfaces for printmaking. This particular technique is one she developed while she was a Creative Resident at the Reserve this past spring.

Try your hand at printmaking and leave with a one-of-a-kind memento of your visit to the Reserve. For more details, click here.

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