Shortly before Alabama Street ends, take a left on Sylvan Street, head up a steep road, take a right and prepare to be immersed in a different dimension.
The name of this otherworldly setting is Big Rock Garden Park, and if you’ve never visited its 2.5-acre environs, you’re in for a visual and sensory treat. After entering through a tall wood gate — next to a sign reminding visitors the park is “a respite for the soul” providing “natural and artistic beauty in a serene setting” — pause for a moment to breathe in the natural beauty.
This time of year, the countless rhododendrons and azaleas dotting the meandering pathways are coming into brilliant bloom. Light filters through the evergreen trees, drawing attention to the dozens of sculptures found throughout the park. Artistic and aesthetic surprises can be found around every corner, as can small and large benches meant for sitting on to contemplate the scene.
While those who visit the park during an annual Mother’s Day gathering celebrating the 25th anniversary of its inception are likely to encounter more foot traffic than is typical, it’s for a good reason. The annual event hosted by Friends of Big Rock Park is a way for the volunteers who help keep the sculptures at the City of Bellingham-owned property in shape to tout the work they’ve done, and to ensure residents and visitors have an optimal experience when they visit.
Photographer and graphic designer Jack McBride is a newer “friend” of the park. Although he moved to Bellingham in 2016, it wasn’t until 2021 that he actually visited Big Rock Garden.
“I didn’t know anything about it,” McBride said. “I was blown away the first time I came here. I started taking pictures. At that time I had the idea of doing a book about Bellingham, but I was so enamored and struck by the landscaping here, and the sculptures and the whole setting, that I changed direction.”
As a result, he now has a photo book simply named “Big Rock Garden Park.” Within its 37 pages, large-scale images of the permanent sculptures are on display, as well as a brief overview of how the park came to be.
The basic history is this: George and Mary Anne Drake started Big Rock Garden Nursery on the Silver Beach property in 1981 with a focus on Asian plants such as rhododendrons, azaleas and Japanese maples. When they sold their 11-acre property to the city in 1993 for open space usage — which included the 2.5-acre park — it was purchased under contract from the couple. (The final note was settled after George Drake’s death in 2020.)
This arrangement allowed the Drakes to explore how to turn the nursery portion of the property into a sculpture garden. With help from the late Canadian sculptor David Marshall — whose works can be seen in a dedicated section of the park — the Big Rock Garden Park came into being.
“I met George in the mid-’90s and I joined Big Rock Garden sculpture committee in 1998,” Bellingham-based welder and sculptor Shirley Erickson said. “At that time we were doing a sculpture show every year and I helped with that and the installations with the artists.”
Erickson said the first time she visited the property was when it was still a nursery owned by George and Mary Anne. When it became a sculpture park and featured rotating artists, her work, “Positive Spirit,” was installed in one of the seasonal sculpture exhibitions.
“I was going to remove the piece at the end of the show but four women went [in on it] together and purchased it for the park,” Erickson said. “I donated half the price.”
These days, Erickson still visits the space. She loves taking out-of-town guests to Big Rock Garden, especially in the warmer months. She’ll be on hand for the Mother’s Day event, which will feature activities including live music, artists in action and a children’s passport adventure. From 1:30–3:30 p.m., acoustic music will be provided by J.P. Falcon Grady and Rick Baunach.
McBride will also be on-site at the event, where he’ll be selling his “Big Rock Garden Park” book and extolling the many wonders of one of Bellingham’s not-so-secret gardens. He’ll likely volunteer time before the event to spiff up the sculptures.
“I’m not doing this for my personal benefit,” McBride said. “I like this place a lot. It’s an asset.”
Celebrate the 25th anniversary of Big Rock Garden Park from 1–4 p.m. Sunday, May 14 at 2900 Sylvan St. Visitors are encouraged to walk or ride their bikes to the park. On-site parking during this special event is limited to wheelchair-accesible vehicles. A free shuttle will be provided from Bloedel Donovan Park. Info: 360-778-7105 or cob.org/parks-guide.
A previous version of this story misstated where Alabama Street ends. The story was updated to reflect this change at 1:16 p.m. May 7, 2023. Cascadia Daily News regrets the error.
