In many cities there are large botanical gardens to explore. The Pacific Northwest is blessed to have a number of such excellent, well known gardens. These include the sweeping Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island, the Seattle Japanese Garden near the University, and the Rhododendron Species Garden in Federal Way. However, it is also good to take note of the smaller community gardens throughout the region. These may not be so large and well manicured, but they can offer an opportunity to soak in the calm of nature without the long trek to one of the larger regional gardens. They are also usually free to explore which is good for your budget. Today I want to explore two such gardens at opposite ends Seattle.
The first community garden is south of Seattle in SeaTac. The Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden is unique in that it is supported by a number of local garden societies. The garden is located at the SeaTac Community Center north of the airport. Initially the community created the garden as a way to save the garden of Elda Behm. Her garden was slated for demolition to make way for the third runway at the airport, but the community got together and worked to save many of the plants to create the Elda Behm’s Paradise Garden.
This part of the garden centers on a running stream and a pond. There is also a shaded alcove with a bench and a little library, a perfect place to sit and enjoy a good book. This is a beautiful area with many flowers and a sense of tranquility. There is also a shaded garden path, however I didn’t explore the path. It is a more recent addition to the garden.
As visitors wander toward the far end of the garden, they will come to a community pea patch. Local residents raise produce, some in raised beds. During my early June visit it looked like the vegetables were off to a healthy start. Pea Patches are always a great addition to any community garden.
From the pea patches a trail leads down a hill to the Seike Japanese garden named after the Japanese family who founded it. The Seikes started a garden in the area, but they were interned during World War II. Fortunately a German family maintained the garden until they returned and took over again. They eventually designed a Japanese style garden and opened it to the public in 1961. Closed at one point and then reopened, it was also to be a victim of the airport expansion. Community leaders intervened here as well and moved the garden to the Highline Gardens.
The garden surrounds a pond which has a waterfall spilling down into it. There are bridges and walkways such that one can walk all around the garden. The garden goes up a hill on the west side of the pond. What impressed me the most were the evergreen trees. They were trimmed in such a way as to look like bonsai creations.
Coming from the back of the garden the path is pretty much straight down. Going up on the other side is a series of switchbacks. I had gone to the garden that day with my brother-in-law who was using a wheelchair due to surgery. The switchback path made it possible for us to get back up. Most of the paths here are crushed rock so managing a stroller or wheelchair can be a bit tricky.
At the top of the garden is a large lawn area surrounded by arches and columns with roses. This is the Seattle Rose Society Celebration Garden. The roses were lovely. They seemed to plant the same rose on opposite sides of the garden creating a symmetry. The community can use the lawn area for events. While we were visiting two graduating seniors were there getting their photos taken among the roses. In June it was the roses who were the stars of the entire garden.
Around the central area are some other areas of specific plants. These were smaller than I had anticipated. Because they are plant specific, they can be quite seasonal. In the back is the area of the Puget Sound Fuchsia Society. For our visit it seemed we were a little early in the year. Most of what I saw were the upright bushes, and the flowers were mostly in bud stage and quite small. That area should be more spectacular later in the summer.
Two raised flower beds sit near the fence on the entrance side of the garden. The King County Iris Society filled one of the beds with a wide variety of irises. On our visit the iris were definitely on the late side of flowering. There were a few flowers, but the majority had seen better days. Despite the lateness of the season, I enjoyed the iris as I love the many colors and unique shape of the flower. God’s creativity at work.
The Puget Sound Daylily Club used the other flower bed for daylilies. Unfortunately there were no flowers blooming here on our visit. Some large clay pots placed in these beds added interest to the garden.
The Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden has plans for further expansion in the coming years, but for now is is a relaxing, calm spot in the south end of Seattle.
North of Seattle in a Shoreline neighborhood lies the Kruckeberg Botanical Garden. The garden is currently owned by the city of Shoreline, but Art and Mareen Kruckeberg began the garden on an acre of land in 1958. Both were lovers of plants and very knowledgeable. Art taught botany at the University of Washington. Mareen was a self-taught botanist. Their garden grew to four acres, and their work is the basis of the garden we can enjoy today.
I had intended to visit the garden over the summer but didn’t make it until late September. That is not the best of times for most gardens as summer flowering plants are beginning to fade, and fall foliage may not be visible yet. As a result my visit was not as colorful as I might have hoped. However, in any good garden there is always something to see, and that was true here as well.
There is a small parking lot at the entrance to the garden, and even on the Friday of my visit, it was about half full so busy summer day might prove challenging for parking. Near the parking lot is a large section of plants for sale. Fall can be a good time to plant as the roots have a chance to become established before the summer growth period.
From the sale area there are paths that lead down a hill into the lower garden. The whole garden was much more shaded than I had expected. The garden in many ways seems more like a forest. There are some clear spots here and there, but the trees provide plenty of shade.
Not many flowers were blooming when I visited. There were a few here and there. The most prominent were some small pink flowers that bloomed in groups. I found them in various places throughout the garden. A few other flowers were blooming, but this was obviously not the time for bright colorful flowers.
That doesn’t mean there was nothing to discover. I found two things particularly interesting at this time in the garden. First was the berries. There were a number of bushes and trees that had berries on them, and they came in a variety of colors. It was surprising how many different berries I found in the garden.
The second aspect I focused on was the tree bark. There are a number of ways to distinguish trees, and their bark is one way to do that. Because the garden contains a wide variety of both common and unique trees, interesting bark patterns can be spotted throughout the garden. I enjoyed taking photos of the different patterns that the bark displayed.
One of the more interesting elements of the garden is something they call the the Bug Hotel. There are two of them, and they look like an interesting art piece made from natural materials. However, these are intended to be places for various bugs to live and be safe. The idea is that many bugs are beneficial to a garden and should have a safe place to live.
We usually think of gardens as places for adults, but in this garden children are definitely welcome. During my visit I seemed to be the only adult there without a child with me. One area has been designated for children, and it has child sized features that were creative and fun. The garden offers educational programs for children particularly in the summer.
There is also a big play structure that seemed to be a huge root from a tree. Two young teen girls were hanging out on it and chattering away while I was there. The adult with them had curled up in a covered seat and was reading a book. Everyone seemed to find their place in the garden. That’s something that a small community garden can really provide its local community.
Currently the Kruckeberg Garden is only open Friday to Sunday. You can check their website for location and times.
The good thing about gardens is they are always changing. You can visit them at different times of the year and experience different things. They are also a reflection of the climate and culture of their location. Visiting gardens is one way to really gain an understanding of an area. On your next visit to the Seattle area I hope you will take time to visit one of its many gardens.
Do you have a garden space you enjoy visiting which takes you away from the bustle of life. I’d love to hear about it in the comment section below.