Rogerson: ‘It seemed to me like a retreat from a crazy world’
For Bruce Rogerson, the alpine oasis that is Ohme Gardens has provided a consistent and lush backdrop in the story of his life, documenting personal milestones and creating cherished memories.
He first saw the venue 33 years ago, later bringing family and friends to share in his excitement for the high desert garden. After proposing to his wife there, the garden grew into a regular road trip that brought his young family over the Cascade Mountains. And now retired and living in Chelan County, Rogerson is in the middle of his fourth season working part time in the gift shop, sharing the history of the Ohme family and encouraging garden stories from visitors.
“This place is alive,” he said recently while sitting on the garden’s main lawn. “This is the best office I’ve ever had. You can’t beat it.”
Built on 9 wooded acres, Ohme Gardens is perched on a hilltop above Wenatchee’s northside. Herman and Ruth Ohme started building the garden in 1929 as a retreat for their young family. Together they would transform rocky, barren landscape into a green oasis. Today, the garden is owned and operated by Chelan County. It features panoramic views, lush plantings, waterfalls, serenity pools and meandering stone walking paths.
Rogerson’s Ohme Gardens story began more than 30 years ago when he saw a photo of it in a magazine. Just a small photo of one of the stone walking paths, it captured his imagination and interest.
“It seemed to me like a retreat from a crazy world,” Rogerson said of the photo.
Living on the westside of the state and working in the specialty coffee business, Rogerson made his first visit to the gardens in May 1991, talking his sister into making the trip with him. When they arrived, the pair struck up a conversation with an 82-year-old woman working on her knees in the garden.
“There was Ruth Ohme, out there pulling weeds,” Rogerson said.
They talked briefly about the property transitioning from the family to Washington State Parks. Rogerson recalled Ruth was a little frustrated over the idea of metal guardrails being installed at lookout areas. She thought it would take away from the natural features, he explained.
Over the years, Rogerson made various visits to the gardens, bringing with him family and friends. Three years later, hoping to make his girlfriend Aleta his new wife, Rogerson knew exactly the spot for a romantic proposal. Aleta, the daughter of a landscaper, had been to the gardens herself with her father in the 1970s.
The Vista House, which resembles a lookout, is built on the highest point in the gardens, more than 600 feet above the Columbia River. Rogerson was looking for a beautiful view out over the wide river and where the air felt clear, he said.
In 1994, as Ohme’s summer season was coming to a close, Rogerson and Aleta arrived at the gardens, eventually making their way along stone paths to the Vista House. Inside the log-and-stone structure, he placed his cap on a bench. And under the cap a “humble little ring with a diamond.” After admiring the view, they made to leave. Rogerson asked his soon-to-be bride to hand him the cap. (“She didn’t know what to say,” he laughed.) They were married a year later, and soon the pair was bringing their two children to the gardens as well.
“It just became sort of seeded as one of our favorites places to go,” he said. “What kid doesn’t love this place? It’s like something out of a storybook.”
The storybook setting became Rogerson’s new office when he retired in 2020, and he and Aleta decided to move to eastern Washington. Ohme Gardens, with its easy-going pace and friendly visitors, was the perfect place for a job in retirement, Rogerson explained.
Many days, Rogerson’s is the first face that people see when they visit. He’s a great steward of the gardens, sharing stories of the Ohme family, its dramatic features, and the flora and fauna that call it home. Many visitors arrive willing to share their own stories of how the gardens have played a role in their lives, Rogerson said.
“That is the case for a lot of people who come here,” he said. “They are revisiting a memory. It’s holy ground.”
Last Updated: 09/10/2024 09:50 AM
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