If I were to compare our trails to food, there’s no doubt, Meerkerk Gardens would be the dessert tray. If you have a sweet tooth like me, you'll salivate at the diversity of color, texture, size and structure. The smooth gravel paths that swirl between blooming flowers and shrubs were expertly planned to tempt visitors with a banquet of delicious colors and scents. From spring to fall the garden dresses up for company with all the charm of a Southern Belle offering a dish of peaches and cream. I once worked at a fancy restaurant. (No, I was most definitely not the cook.) I saw what the chefs dished up and they were not only edible, and tasty, but also, works of art. One dessert was a vertical tower of ice cream with a thin, triangular wafer leaning against it. (The chef brought his own PVC pipe to shape his creation.) Then he’d artfully drizzle raspberry syrup over the plate. The gardeners at Meerkerk are the master chefs of the plant world. They have not only the know-how and expertise as gardeners, they’re also artists. The five dollar entrance fee is well worth the experience of visiting this magical kingdom. I strolled between banks of enormous rhododendrons flaunting spheres of pink and purple puff balls. The delicate azaleas in their pastel attire were more like an apricot streusel or raspberry tart. Dainty bluebells and forget-me-nots were sprinkles on top. I came around a bend to find a conference of close cropped green shrubs leaning toward one another like the judges at a tasting competition. All around them were cheery flowers smiling brightly like the assorted flavors at a gelato bar. In springtime it's almost too brilliant to bear. As I moved back through the garden I was put at ease by a carpet of lush, green Lily of the Valley under tall evergreen trees. I found a bench under the largest tree on site, a Giant Sequoia that stood strong and silent in the chorus of color. When I continued, I felt as if I were leaving the tantalizing dessert counter and transitioning into the meat and potatoes of the place. Even here, there were appetizing garnishes, a bird bath in a secret garden, and a gnome swinging from a limb. There’s a nursery where one can shop for delectable delights next to a green lawn with a gazebo and a view of Baby Island. Three ponds separate the manicured garden from the natural forest to the west. Glassy, dark water reflects the tall trees around it broken only by a pair of mallards gliding by. A foot bridge led to a trail that climbed through the woods where I met Debbie and her beautiful dog, Bella, who live nearby. Debbie told me about the trails ahead, a mile loop if you take the right turn, she said. But when she tried to draw a map on the ground, Bella confiscated her stick. It wasn’t hard to find my way. Small directional signs were posted at turns. This forest is more like my regular fare of tall evergreen trees, old stumps and ferns. The mile walk went swiftly with short stops to savor the beefy snag that was charred a bit on the side and a log bridge over a salad of fresh skunk cabbage and ferns. I was soon returning to the entrance feeling satiated but wondering if I had room for just one more sliver of pie. Maribeth Directions:
Meerkerk Gardens are open 9:00-4:00 Daily. Admission is $5 per person; children under 16 are free. Come on a weekday morning to avoid crowding but bring a mask just to be safe. You can get there on the Route 1 bus. Just ask the driver to stop at Resort Road, and then walk a 1/2 mile following the signs. Resort Road is less than 2 miles south of the Greenbank Store or just under 6 miles north from WiFire in Freeland. Look for the signs on the highway and again at the turn onto Meerkerk Lane.
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Maribeth Crandell has been a hiking guide in the Pacific NW for over 20 years. She's lived on Whidbey and Fidalgo Island for decades. As a frequent bus rider she easily makes connections between trails and transit. Archives by date
April 2024
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