Information provided by Seattle-Bergen Sister City Association

Last February, when the Seattle-Bergen Sister City Association (SBSCA) received a gift of ceramic flowers from the Flora Metamorphicae artists in Bergen, Norway, the immediate feeling was that the flowers should be seen by as many people as possible in and about the city. The exhibit had met rave reviews at the Nordic Heritage Museum earlier in the year, and it was if Ballard residents could not get enough of them. Fortunately for all, the sister city group is sending them on series of rotating exhibits before landing at Seattle City Hall in October, and one stop will be Secret Garden Books on Market Street.SBSCA member Gail Engler first got the idea to approach Christy McDanold, owner of Secret Garden Books, and the rest of the committee whole-heartedly embraced the idea. Engler, as well as SBSCA president Lori Ann Reinhall and secretary Julie Pheasant-Albright, all sit on the 17th of May Committee that organizes the annual celebration of Norwegian Constitution Day together with McDanold. “Christy is such a strong supporter of our community and we work well together, remarks Reinhall, “and we also want to support what she is doing. Beyond that, I couldn’t think of a better venue for the flowers than a beautiful display at Secret Garden Books.”

The bookstore takes its name from the beloved English children’s novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden (1911). The book itself has been interpreted a celebration of the rejuvenation found in nature, the story of a sickly and lonely young girl whose life is transformed through her experience of the beauty of a garden that comes alive in springtime and reaches full bloom in summer. On a metamorphic level, the magic of the garden parallels the magical discovery found in the world of books, as the experience of reading elevates and transforms our lives. It is this same transfigurative experience that motivated the Bergen Flora Metamorphicae artists. By capturing the beauty of nature, the flowers serve to elevate and enhance reality in a positive way. And like every book, each flower is unique, offering a new experience, a new perspective.

“In a city where brick-and-mortar retail bookshops seem to be disappearing by the day, there is something marvelous about being able to walk into Secret Garden Books, browse through the stacks and hold a book in your hand,” remarks Pheasant-Albright, a long-time Ballard resident, author of the book Early Ballard (2007). “Secret Garden is very much a living place,” adds Reinhall. “Christy is very creative and engaged with her community.” The storefront is indeed much more than a repository of books: there is the Book Blub for Adults, Young Reader’s Society, author signings, story hours, school book fairs and other literary events. With a knowledgeable and enthusiastic team, Secret Garden offers a personal experience not to be found online. The books you find are hand-picked and the staff works to find exactly the right book for you.

The Flora Metamorphicae flowers will be on window display at Secret Garden Books to celebrate the height of summer between Saturday, June 25, through the Fourth of July until Sunday, July 10. In typical Secret Garden fashion, a special array of books has been selected to compliment the floral installation, variations on the flower theme, books about gardening, floral display, stories about the botanical world. Conveniently located in the heart of Ballard at 2214 NW Market Street, store hours are Monday – Friday, 10 – 8, Saturday, 10 – 7, and Sunday, 11 – 5. For more information, contact Secret Garden Books directly at 206-789-5006 or visit their website at www.secretgardenbooks.com.