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Washington State University

Other Great Public Gardens in Washington

Bellevue Botanical Garden

Comprises 53 acres of display gardens, woodlands, meadows and wetlands, including a diverse selection of native plants. Bellevue Botanical Garden displays the best plants and gardening practices for healthy, beautiful Northwest gardens. Visitors are encouraged to participate in Garden volunteerism, events and programs that are engaging, educational and inspiring. The Master Gardener Foundation of King County is proud to be a partner organization of BBG.

12001 Main Street, Bellevue, (425) 452-2750
http://www.bellevuebotanical.org

 

Bloedel Reserve

The Reserve’s 150 acres are a unique blend of natural woodlands and beautifully landscaped gardens, including a Japanese Garden, a Moss Garden, and Reflection Pool, and the Bloedel’s former estate home.

7571 NE Dolphin Drive, Bainbridge Island, (206) 842-7631
http://www.bloedelreserve.org

 

Carl S. English Botanical Garden at the Ballard Locks

The grounds combine the elegant lines and vistas of the romantic English landscape style with the original character of more than 570 species and 1,500 varieties from around the world, including local natives. The garden offers color, fragrance, and open spaces to awaken your senses all year long.

3015 NW 54th Street, Seattle, (206) 789-2622 x375
http://www.nws.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/LocksandDams/ChittendenLocks/BotanicalGarden.aspx

 

Covington Water District Waterwise Demonstration Garden

This garden showcases WaterWise gardening. Some areas never get water beyond what Nature provides.  Come stroll, touch and smell in this beautiful water-efficient landscape while picking up ideas for your own yard. Includes drought tolerant native plants.

18631 SE 300thPlace, Covington, (253) 631-0565
http://www.covingtonwater.com/

 

Ethnobotanical Garden at Daybreak Star Cultural Center

The Bernie Whitebear Memorial Ethnobotanical Garden is a learning garden that contains a treasure of over 60 species of native plants. These plants are key to supporting the health, welfare, and traditions of the Coast Salish and other indigenous people of the Pacific NW.

3801 West Government Way, Seattle (206) 285-4425
https://communitygarden.org/find-a-garden/gardens/bernie-whitebear-ethnobotanical-memorial-garden/

 

The Dunn Gardens

This Olmsted Bros. designed garden displays plants ranging from diminutive trilliums to towering Douglas firs. New and old intermingle, as plants dating back to the 1910s coexist happily with those just set into the soil. Woodland gardens, perennial borders, and great sweeps of lawn are just a few of the elements that make up the garden. Month by month, year by year, the garden grows and changes, while its historic quality endures. Tours may be arranged April-September.

13533 Northshire Rd NW, Seattle, (206) 362-0933 or info@dunngardens.org
www.dunngardens.org

 

Eastpointe Native Plant Demonstration Garden

Part of project of NATIVE (Native Appreciation through Indigenous Vegetation at Eastpointe), this garden uses volunteers to educate the public about native plants and their environmental benefits.

3600 – 136th Pl. SE, Bellevue, (425) 296-6602

 

Erna Gunther Ethnobotanical Garden at the Burke Museum of Natural History

Ethnobotany is the study of the plant lore of a people. The Gunther Garden displays many of the most useful plants in the Northwest; plant labels indicate traditional uses, as well as natural habitats and suggestions for use in wildlife enhancement, land reclamation, or waterwise gardens.

Corner of 17th Avenue NE and NE 45th, Seattle, (206) 543-5590
http://www.burkemuseum.org/exhibits/browse/ethnobotanical_garden

 

Highline Community College

Their campus in Des Moines has a Washington native plant habitat garden. Divided into four regions, eastern Wash, coastal, NW forest, and subalpine, about 100 representative species.

South 240th Street & Pacific Highway South, Des Moines, (206) 878-3710

 

Kruckeberg Botanic Garden

This four-acre public garden contains a unique blend of Pacific Northwest native plants and unusual exotics set in a naturalistic wooded setting. It may take multiple visits to see the more than 2,000 species, which include native and exotic conifers, hardwoods, rhododendrons, magnolias, ferns and groundcovers. Several trees are the largest or most rare in the state. Birdwatchers have identified over 40 bird species in the garden.

20312 15th Ave NW, Shoreline, (206) 546.1281
www.kruckeberg.org

 

Lake Hills Greenbelt Ranger Station Backyard Habitat Demonstration

A model for creating your own backyard habitat with native plants.

15416 SE 16th St Bellevue, (425) 452-6885 www.bellevuewa.gov/lake_hills_greenbelt.htm

 

Lakewold Gardens

Offers landscape architecture by Thomas Church surrounded by rare and native plants, State Champion trees, over 900 rhododendrons, 30 Japanese maples and stunning statuary. A Washington State historic landmark, Lakewold’s Georgian-style mansion and historic architecture complete the 10 acres. Tours available by reservation, walk-ins welcome.

12317 Gravelly Lake Drive SW, Tacoma, (253) 584-4106
www.lakewoldgardens.org

 

Olympic Sculpture Park

Transformed nine-acre industrial site into open and vibrant green space for art. This new waterfront park gives Seattle residents and visitors the opportunity to experience a variety of sculpture in an outdoor setting with native plants, while enjoying the incredible views and beauty of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound. Admission is free.

2901 Western Avenue, Seattle, (206) 332.1377
http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/visit/olympic-sculpture-park

 

Point Defiance Park

Thematic gardens, including a Japanese Garden, Rose Garden, Dahlia Trail, Rhododendron Garden, Fuchsia Garden, Herb Garden, Iris Garden, and Northwest Native Garden provide a wide variety of horticultural experiences for visitors. Tacoma Garden Club currently maintains the Northwest Native Plant Garden that offers visitors the chance to see native plants in cultivation, including rarities that the general public rarely sees.

5400 N Pearl St, Tacoma, WA, (253) 305-1010 ‎
http://www.metroparkstacoma.org/point-defiance-park/

 

Rhododendron Species Garden at Weyerhaeuser

Home to one of the largest collections of species rhododendrons in the world, the garden displays over 600 of the more than 1,000 species found in the wilds of North America, Europe, and Asia, as well as the tropical regions of southeast Asia and northern Australia. Conservation has come to be a primary importance in recent years with the destruction of Rhododendron habitat in many areas of the world.

2525 South 336th Street, Federal Way, WA  (253) 838-4646
www.rhodygarden.org

 

UW Botanic Gardens

The UW Botanic Gardens has many distinct gardens on its two main sites at the Center for Urban Horticulture and the Washington Park Arboretum. The north end of the arboretum features representative native trees and shrubs and a nature walk. The Soest Herbaceous Display Garden aims to help local gardeners select plants appropriate to a variety of site conditions commonly found in Pacific Northwest urban gardens. This garden features over 280 kinds of herbaceous plants that include perennials, annuals, and bulbs. Irrigation is applied using “water-wise” techniques to avoid wasteful runoff and evaporation.

3501 NE 41st Street, Seattle, (206) 543-8616
http://depts.washington.edu/uwbg/index.php

 

Woodinville Water District Waterwise Demonstration Garden

Waterwise demonstration garden includes NW native plants, providing visitors with information and techniques to achieve a healthy, waterwise landscape.  Each year a Spring Garden Fair is held, hosting seminars on waterwise gardening topics taught by local horticulture experts.

17328 Woodinville – Duvall Rd, Woodinville, (425) 487-4102
http://www.woodinvillewater.com/Demo%20Garden/Demo%20Garden.htm

 

 

 

Feature image by Alex B.

Updated Jan 2020

 

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