What Does It Take to Make a Public Garden?

Creating a public garden is much like creating a home garden, only on a larger scale. You start with an inventory of the site conditions: sun, shade, soil, tree roots, wind, and so forth. Then develop a garden design plan, amend poor soil, and make water available. The next step is physically installing the garden elements: grading, pathways, irrigation (or water access), plants, and mulch. This step is followed by ongoing maintenance: feed, weed, prune, groom, mulch, and sometimes deal with pests and disease. For the last eighteen years, all of this has taken place in the Buck Lake Native Plant Garden, resulting in the creation of a beautiful, serene, and educational community gem. It's our mission to be a resource for learning about native plants. We hope to encourage people to use native plants in their own home gardens.

About thirty volunteers work in the garden from April through October. In recent years, they have donated nearly 500 hours of time annually. Many others in our community support the BLNPG with tax-deductible donations made either through the Greater Hansville Community Center, or the Flotsam & Jetsam Garden Club of Hansville, or directly to the garden. The Community Center and the Suquamish Foundation, as well as local garden clubs and the Kitsap County Master Gardener Foundation, have supported the garden with grants and matching funds. Whether your personal gift comes in the form of volunteer labor or financial support, it is important to the garden and very much appreciated.

Over the years, donations have gone toward all the steps listed above. Special attention has been devoted to water drainage through building swales that connect with our rain garden. Ongoing expenses include plant purchases, irrigation and drainage, mulch, plant identification markers, and moving/shaping the land. Your continued donations make it possible for us to maintain and improve this wonderful place.

Come visit the BLNPG to see how using native plants in your garden can provide sustainable beauty and attract wildlife. Consider joining us to have a good time, learn about gardening with native plants, and connect with other gardeners.
Work parties occur on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month, from 9am to noon. For 2024: April 1 and 15; May 6 and 20, June 3 and 17, July 1 and 15, August 5 and 19, September 2 and 16, and October 7 and 21. Come for an hour or stay for three (all you need is gardening gloves and sturdy footwear--there are plenty of tools available). You can join us once or become a regular volunteer.
For what's happening from day to day, see our Facebook page (Buck Lake Native Plant Garden).

In the video below, made back in 2015 when the garden was younger (and so were we all), Sheri Kiley talks about BLNPG's beginnings and development. The rain garden, new at the time of the video, is now filled in with greenery and color—come see for yourself, or at least check out more recent pictures in the Gallery. (And if you're handy with video, help us make a more up-to-date one!)