It’s official, Heronswood Nursery has moved to Pennsylvania. At the original Kingston site, the shade houses sit empty, the nursery stock is gone and the property remains off-limits to all but a skeleton crew. Yet, from this local Pandora’s Box of horticultural woe there emerges a growing ray of hope: the gardens may yet be saved.

The Pacific Northwest Horticultural Conservancy (PNHC) is a newly formed, non-profit organization with the mission of bringing a happy ending to the May 30 closing of one of the treasures of the Kitsap Peninsula. Though the 15-acre property is no longer a nursery, the botanically significant, five-acre display garden may have a future as an education center and public garden. Heronswood owner, W. Atlas Burpee & Co., recently reduced its asking price from $11 million to $9.9 million. PNHC hopes to begin negotiations early next year.

Hans Miller, vice president and chief financial officer of the W. Atlee Burpee Company, confirms that meetings have taken place with representatives of PNHC: “We have talked with them and (the sale) is a possibility. The group is still in its early stages and is working on funding.”

Burpee president, George Ball, asserts his willingness to work with the newly fledged conservancy group.

“I’d be delighted to work with them if they make an offer,” Ball declared. “They are deliberating about the proper way they wish to proceed, and I am encouraged by their efforts. Lee Neff expressed great interest in doing things the right way, which is with thoughtfulness and care.”

PNHC chairwoman Neff acknowledges that funding is the biggest obstacle: “We haven’t made an offer yet. It may take several months to get an idea of the money we can raise; we ought to know by spring. We’re already receiving donations. It’s not certain yet how PNHC can make itself most useful. Our first choice is to buy the property, but if someone else buys it we will work with them negotiate our vision. There are many ways to contribute such as time and enthusiasm. All will be welcomed.”

The group’s members include such horticultural heavy-hitters as radio and TV personality Ciscoe Morris, Portland writer Lucy Hardiman, author Val Easton and president of the NW Horticulture Society, Nita-Jo Roundtree. Kitsap County members include Linda Cochran, Nancy Heckler, Myrna Ougland, George Little and David Lewis, Maria Carlos of Agua Mansa and Richard Brown, director of the Bloedel Reserve. Though Heronswood founders Dan Hinkley and Robert Jones are not directly involved at this stage, Hinkley has said that he would like to see the gardens preserved as an educational resource.

PNHC wants to see the gardens managed as a research center with internship opportunities and accredited horticultural programs affiliated with the University of Washington and Olympic College. The vision includes classes and tours for beginning to advanced gardeners, and facilities for meetings, retreats and plant sales. In addition to acquisition funding, PNHC is looking to create a $2 million endowment for ongoing maintenance.

Connie Lammers, personal assistant to Hinkley, is hopeful that the gardens can be preserved.

“The effort is snowballing,” said Lammers. “There are numerous long-time supporters who have put in thousands of hours on this. The gardens are in good shape; the head gardener, Celia (Pedersen) is doing a great job.”

Though the last of the nursery stock was offered for sale last month to area nurseries, no plants have been removed from the gardens themselves, according to Ball. He reports that breeding programs continue at the Kingston site, including those of the famous Heronswood hellebores and the harvesting of seeds from the garden’s exotic taxa.

With approximately 10,000 plant species, many of them rare, the high-profile Heronswood gardens have received international attention. Founded in 1987, the nursery and gardens were sold to Burpee in 2000 for $5.5 million. In 2003 the company offered the nursery back to the founders for $2.5 million, which they declined. The Heronswood name has accompanied the nursery stock to three locations in central Pennsylvania and southern Delaware. The 2007 catalog will be on-line in a few weeks.

If the gardens remain accessible to the public, Neff foresees numerous opportunities for volunteers. “The garden is a wonderful resource for people in Kitsap County, and it’s a big draw for tourism.”

“At this point we’re being appropriately cautious, and appropriately aggressive,” Neff laughs. “I hope George Ball will come to see that he can be part of something wonderful.”

Pacific Northwest Horticultural Conservancy is a charitable organization dedicated to preserving the unique plant collection of the former Heronswood site. For more information or to donate, visit the PNHC website at www.weloveplants.org. Individuals and garden clubs from the Kitsap Peninsula are encouraged to contact the board of directors at info@pnhc.org.