We were looking for the Moss Garden at the Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island during the Seattle 2011 Garden Bloggers Fling. The map had been studied and the docent had been consulted.
There was moss everywhere. We felt confident that the Moss Garden was just around the bend.
It was raining, hard, but we had umbrellas. The misty, shadowless forest was emanating magical vibes that were being received by my daughter Semi and me. She had accompanied me to Seattle to partake of the gardens and meet the folks she had heard so much about.
Oh, look! Someone has carved a green man face in this tree. How cool!
Let’s zoom in to get a closer look. Too blurry, let’s tiptoe closer…
Do you, dear readers, also see an old bearded man’s face, just to the left of Semi’s green umbrella tip?
Continuing onward, the real Moss Garden was located, with help from the docent who drove by on the way to the visitor’s center where lunch was to be served.
It was hoped we could find our way to the house, for magic and mystery were sucking us in at every curve.
Find it we did, thank goodness, for wandering this forest primeval* had made us hungry.
On the way back to the bus, after the David Perry photography class and after Victoria had soothed and entertained us with her piano playing and songbird voice, Victoria and I walked the path that went by the magical tree so I could show her the face in the tree trunk.
But the lighting had changed, it was nowhere to be found. I couldn’t even find the tree again. But the photos are proof, and there were two of us who saw it. And now you have seen it, too.
* * *
*Excerpt from Evangeline
A Tale of Arcadie
by Henry Wadsworth LongfellowTHIS is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks,
Bearded with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in the twilight,
Stand like Druids of eld, with voices sad and prophetic,
Stand like harpers hoar, with beards that rest on their bosoms.
Loud from its rocky caverns, the deep-voiced neighboring ocean
Speaks, and in accents disconsolate answers the wail of the forest. …
***
Other Seattle Fling posts:
Art And Artful In Seattle-Birrell And Tucker Gardens
Art And Artful In Seattle- The Dunn Garden
Art Of Seattle 2011 Fling-Day 2
Seattle Fling 2011 Day 3-Onward
Seattle Fling 2011-Grand Finale
Frances
Lovely!
And I think the misty weather added to the effect. What a beautiful spot.
This place looks so unreal, misty and mysterious.
Eileen
The Bloedel Reserve was indeed a magical, mystical place. A special garden and one of the highlights of the fling
A magical place. Obviously the man in the tree didn’t want a lot of company. He chose you and Semi to appear to. Did you want to just lie down on all that moss?? I think it looks so cushy. I can’t wait to see more of your tour.
Frances, That was so very cool! I could definitely see his face. I will never forget the Bloedel Reserve~it was mystical, magic and marvelously beautiful. it was also very difficult to photograph in such low light! I am sorry I missed Victoria playing and singing. xxoo gail
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Oh, Frances, I can feel the mist and rain! I hope I can take it with me out into the humid NE Alabama morning. I know my face, at least, will be dripping… Love the Green Man. Love the magic. Love the moss. I’m so glad I also love my current property – it too often has magic drifting through it. Thanks for the the lovely closeup of the Bloedel Reserve.
Frances, I am so glad it rained that day … the rain brought out the beauty of Bloedel in a way that sunshine never could.
I saw the green man. Good work sneaking up on him and capturing him in pixels.
An evocative post – in many ways 😉
I am curious about your use of the word docent, which I’ve never heard or seen and don’t find in Websters, an American Dictionary. On internet Merriam-Webster gives the meaning and etymology: from Latin via Old German. What interests me is that the Afrikaans word for ‘lecturer’ is ‘dosent’ – which would be via Dutch from Old German. Is it a typical word where you come from? Was it the word officially used in Seattle? I’m fascinated.
Thanks for getting back to me, Frances – seeing your use of the word in today’s post reminded me to check for your response. Really interesting – I’m amazed that its use has escaped me all these years! 🙂
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I was also fascinated by that upended tree root. Of all the days of our trip, it was the best one to have rain for. Definitely enhanced the mood.
Such beauty and magic….looking at your pictures, I could feel myself there
I have to admit, I don’t see the face in the tree. But on a previous visit to Bloedel I did see a tree trunk that was nothing but eyes. It was pretty creepy.
Great post about Bloedel, I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Don’t you love being humbled by the forest? Thanks for the tip that next year’s will be in Ashville. That fling may be douable for me, and Ashville is one of my favorite places. We honeymooned there.
I love the poem. That sums up Bloedel exactly, especially on a day like that. I’m sorry we couldn’t find the tree, but I can see the face so clearly in your photographs. If you screw your eyes up, you can just see it in the close-up too. Thank you for being so kind about my playing. I’m always delighted to perform for such an appreciative audience! With lots of love, Victoria xxooxx
That was an actual Green Man you saw, a spirit of the forest primeval. You are truly fortunate.
I can indeed see the old bearded man: great shot and great post! There were lots of fairies, wood sprites and elves at Bloedel. I didn’t see them all, but I could certainly sense their presence.
Such a magical place for sure. I did too see the green man. Awesome. I’m so glad you took us on this tour. So enjoyable. Thanks.
Sweet story beautifully told Frances. Loved the Bloedel Reserve myself.~~Dee
The rain just made it better, don’t you think? (easy for me to say as I drool over the images from the dry and comfortable a/c) The rain just gives it that special, mysterious aura.
From an magical elexior of light and air that transformed stumps into old men to a hell hole – this might suggest that the trip was not quite long enough? Or perhaps you’ve got our weather x10 to the power of 42. Loved reading and seeing what you did in the enchanted forest.
Hi, Frances…it was so nice to meet you at Bloedel! Debbie and I thoroughly enjoyed our visit with your lovely daughter. Hope her trip to Seattle had a beautiful ending.
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