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“The grounds are quiet, restful,
and not dependent on formal floral
displays… Breathtaking views of
the Columbia River Valley below
can be seen through cedar and fir
trees, now more than 70 years old…
It is a photographer’s paradise.”
- Northwest Travel Magazine
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 In 1929 Herman Ohme and his bride Ruth purchased forty acres of
land for an orchard. Included was a craggy, dry, desolate,
rock-strewn bluff with a breathtaking view of the snow-capped
Cascade Mountains and the shimmering Columbia River valley.
The Ohmes loved to stand on the bluff and dream of flourishing
alpine meadows, shimmering pools and shady evergreen pathways
where the hot, relentless summer sun allowed only sage and scrub
desert growth. They set their minds on achieving that dream.
 Small evergreens were transplanted from the nearby Cascade
Mountains, native stone was hauled to form paths and borders,
desert sage gave way to low-growing ground cover, and pools
took shape adjacent to massive natural rock formations. It was
hard work, done mostly by hand, and truly a labor of love. In
the beginning, sustaining the Gardens meant hauling water in
five gallon buckets from the river valley below, but eventually
the Ohmes constructed an elaborate irrigation system that pumped
water to the site.
 Initially intended as a private family retreat, the interest
of friends and community members prompted the Ohmes to open
the Gardens to public visitations. The Ohmes continued to
perfect the Gardens for 42 years, until 1971 when Mr. Ohme
died at the age of 80. The couple’s son Gordon and his family
then assumed responsibility for the Gardens, and in 1991
Washington State Parks and Recreation purchased the Gardens
and surrounding property; it is managed by Chelan County.
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