The botanical garden not only had many flowers and plants like a standard garden, but many other innovative and appealing exhibits.
Washed Ashore takes flotsam and jetsam from the beaches and the sea and uses it to make sculptures. This movement started in Oregon.
The Artula Institute has a mission: To build and exhibit aesthetically powerful art to educate a global audience about plastic pollution in the ocean and waterways and to spark positive changes in consumer habits.
From May to September, 2025, sculptures are on display at the garden.
It seemed appropriate to start with the Sturgeon. Each exhibit asked "which of these things can you find in this sculpture?" The list of things might include flip-flops, toys, plastic water bottles, bottle caps, beer cans, and much, much more.
This fierce eagle looks ready to pounce.
A life-size sea turtle is munching on a jellyfish made entirely of plastic water bottles.
A close-up of the sea turtle shows bottle caps, wheels from toys, phone cords, and other detritus used to give it shape and character.
Unusual plants included this yellow peony. There were peonies in every imaginable color.
I had never seen a double Siberian iris before.
This is just a small part of an extensive "fairy" garden.
These sculptures call attention to the plight of endangered native bumble bees.
The children's garden was a popular site because of scheduled story time. Most of the kids and moms were already hunkered down waiting to start. The mom of this little one was trying to hurry him along with little success.
I think the gateway is intended to suggest the Northern Lights.
Let there be no mistake about the intended audience of the children's garden.
Another sculpture tucked into the woods. This proud peacock was make of enameled metal.
I don't know about you, but I've always felt guilty about throwing away all those identification stakes that come with new plants. And the mesh bags containing bulbs.
The workers at this garden have let their imaginations run wild. This is just one of several such decorations.
One of our final stops was the memorial garden. The sculpture contains the famous lines from Ecclesiastes about a time for every purpose under heaven.
The names of those memorialized were engraved on the uprights holding the verses.
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