“Leave a place better than you found it.” That’s what my mom always said before leaving our campsite. My folks took us all over the country exploring the natural wonders of 45 states. We were five small kids spilling out of a station wagon, a terrifying sight at any campground, but mom had us well trained and organized. Everyone had a job, getting water, gathering firewood, setting up our camp kitchen and washing station. My favorite job was finding a centerpiece to adorn our picnic table. It could be a special rock, a shell, a cone or a feather. No matter how small, mom would make a big deal out of it. It became a conversation starter at dinner. In the morning, after we packed up and were ready to go, we'd circle around the campsite to look for litter, even if WE didn’t drop it. “Leave a place better than you found it,” she’d say. Words to live by. It's great to live in a community of folks who are doing just that. Volunteers work on trails, restorations projects and pick-up litter on a regular basis. You may be one yourself. One couple dreamed of creating a woodland garden. They started back in the 1960s installing rhododendrons, azaleas, flowering trees, even giant Sequoias on their wooded property near Greenbank. They had a special interest in hybridizing rhodies and collecting interesting specimens from around the world. They worked for decades to make their vision a reality. Ann and Max Meerkerk certainly left this place better than they found it. Now it’s maintained with help from volunteers. And the public can visit for a $10 entry fee. I met a friend at Meerkerk Gardens on a cloudy afternoon. It seemed quiet and almost secretive as we passed through the stone gatehouse. Red rhodies bloomed on one side and a pallet of blossoms greeted us on the other. Pastel pinks and purples drew us along the gravel path. The deep greens of tall conifer branches sheltered the colorful flowers and shrubs below. My initial impression was one of peace and awe. As we moved along, I began to notice the small things which tickled me with delight. The last of the golden daffodils hovered above a cloud of blue forget-me-nots. We passed a grove of flowering trees with a constellation of flowers shimmering in a sea of green beneath them. On one path, a council of well pruned shrubs seemed to lean in whispering. In the Secret Garden a fairy sat on a toadstool, a gnome stood on a swing and a stone sparrow splashed in a bird bath filled with flower petals. We wandered by the plant nursery to the gazebo and enjoyed the view across the water. I recalled being here for the fall festival and Mother’s Day events when there was live music, picnicking and plant sales. On this quiet visit the concert was offered by chickadees, juncos and kinglets. We took the trail down toward the ponds and then crossed over to the nature trails. The half mile woodland loop led us by old fire scared stumps, nurse logs and the more subtle forest flowers of pink salmonberry, yellow skunk cabbage and trillium's pearly white petals. Returning to the ponds we wandered between huge rhodies with fluffy white petticoat blossoms. Bees buzzed between them. This woodland garden is inviting for people and wildlife. A chestnut backed chickadee called from a branch just over my shoulder and asked me to take a picture. I was happy to oblige. We all do things to “leave a place better than we found it”. In April, during Whidbey’s Earth and Ocean Month, there are dozens of opportunities to join a crew for trail work, restoration projects or picking up beach litter. For details on walks, talks, special events and volunteer projects, click here. Peak Bloom Season tours at Meerkerk Gardens, 1:00-2:00 Saturday, April 20. Mother's Day Event May 12th. For more about Meerkerk Gardens click here. Directions: Take Highway 525 to Resort Road, 2.3 miles south of the Greenbank store. Turn east onto Resort Road and in a half mile turn north on Meerkerk Lane.
By Bus or Bike: Take the Island Transit Route 1 bus on the highway to Resort Road. (The Route 1 bus sometimes goes down Smuggler’s Cove Road instead of the highway, so make sure you take one that will travel on the highway by Resort Road.) Here's the bus schedule. Walk a half mile east to Meerkerk Lane and turn north. The Gardens are a short walk farther. Two bikes fit on a bus bike rack. Resort Road and Meerkerk Lane are quiet roads, but there is no shoulder so please wear something bright while riding or walking on the road or flagging down the bus. Mobility: The gardens have well-groomed, almost level paths of packed gravel. The woodland loop trails are more narrow. There’s a short, steep hill between the gardens and the woodland trails.
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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
May 2024
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