Bloedel Reserve

Description:

• Formerly a timber baron's private home and gardens, this is now an exquisite 150-acre pastoral preserve. The French-influenced house has been turned into a visitor's center and wedding setting, but it's the ornamental gardens that you'll gasp over. Each garden has a different style. They include the reflecting pool, the Japanese Zen sand garden and teahouse, the moss garden, the azalea garden, the rhododendron hillside, and the forested and grassy wilderness areas. Reservations are a must, and for busy seasons (like Mother's Day, when the rhododendrons are in bloom), reserve months in advance. Sadly, no picnics are allowed on these beautiful grounds, so make sure you eat before you come.
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