Public and Display Gardens

In the Maritime Pacific Northwest

 

Quick Jumps

[British Columbia] [Northern California] [Oregon] [Washington]

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British Columbia, Canada

Welcome to The Butchart Gardens
The Butchart Gardens - Fifty acres of floral finery offering spectacular views as you stroll along meandering paths and expansive lawns.

Hatley Park Public Gardens
The Royal Roads University campus encompasses 565 acres of breathtaking beauty just outside the city of Victoria on Vancouver Island. We are located on the shores of Juan de Fuca Strait overlooking the Olympic Mountains in a park that has been designated a National Historic Site by the federal government. The grounds include three renowned formal gardens (the Italian, the Japanese and the Rose garden) and an old growth forest. The campus is criss-crossed by walking, cycling and hiking trails and is home to peacocks, deer and other wildlife. The grounds and gardens are open daily for the public to enjoy.

Milner Gardens and Woodland
Mrs. Milner’s artist’s eye and horticultural expertise combined to shape the garden. She was an accomplished artist and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Art and Commerce. Her elegant pastel botanicals and rich oils cover the walls of the residence at Long Distance. Mrs. Milner was a member of the Founding Committee of the VanDusen Gardens in Vancouver, the University of Alberta Devonian Botanical Garden, the Royal Horticultural Society and a Fellow of the Garden Conservancy. She was also a member of the International Dendrology Society. The aims of this Society are "to promote the study of woody plants and shrubs, and to conserve and protect those that are rare and endangered." Mrs. Milner acquired many of the trees and shrubs at the estate when she accompanied her husband on his many business trips abroad.

The estate was acquired by Malaspina University-College in 1996. In May, 1996, the garden was dedicated as "The Milner Gardens" in recognition of Ray and Veronica Milner. Malaspina’s goal is to maintain the garden in perpetuity for education and the community’s benefit in Ray Milner’s memory.

The Wild Plant Gardens at the Royal British Columbia Museum
The Native Plant Gardens surrounding the Royal British Columbia Museum and Provincial Archives contain a collection of living specimens.

University of British Columbia Botanical Garden
Canada's most fascinating garden, located high on the cliffs overlooking the Strait of Georgia.

VanDusen Gardens - British Columbia
Since opening to the public in 1975, this spectacular 22-hectare (55-acre) garden has matured into a botanical garden of international stature . The mild Vancouver climate allows the cultivation of an outstanding plant collection which is a delight anytime of year. There are over 7,500 different kinds of plants assembled from six continents.

Woodland Gardens - Vancouver Island
Woodland Gardens has one of the largest rhododendron collections in Western Canada with over 3000 varieties. It is also home to a multitude of native plants, birds and wildflowers. Its 24 wooded acres are covered with bark mulch paths and many water features. They invite you to explore their website and look forward to seeing you at their gardens.

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Northern California

Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens
A rare jewel, the only public garden in the continental United States fronting directly on the ocean.

North Coast Redwoods District Azalea State Reserve
A 30 acre reserve for western azalea (Rhododendron occidentale.) Each spring, a profusion of pink and white blossoms scents the air. The reserve offers a short self-guided nature trail with emphasis on other plants of the north coast area. There is a picnic area available. 5 miles north of Arcata.

 

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Oregon

Berry Botanic Garden
A non profit, private botanic garden located in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1977, a six and one half acre site includes native woodland, a collection of species rhododendrons, a half acre rock garden and alpine collection, unusual perennials and woodland plants, and specimen shrubs and trees.

Elk Rock Gardens of the Bishops Close
The Elk Rock Gardens of the Bishop's Close is the name that was given to the Peter Kerr estate when it was given to the Diocese of Oregon in 1959. Located in the Dunthorpe area about two miles north of Lake Oswego, the estate consists of thirteen acres on a high bluff on the western bank of the Willamette River. I enjoyed the photo tour. The gardens are absolutely beautiful and I hope to be able to tour in person the next time I am in the Portland area.

Cecil and Molly Smith Garden Portland, Oregon
This garden represents the inspiration of a man whose love of rhododendrons combined in a most felicitous way with his love of native plants and the most thoughtfully selected exotics.

Classical Chinese Garden Portland, Oregon
The Classical Chinese Garden Society, the City of Portland, the City of Suzhou, and the Classical Chinese Garden Trust are working together to build the largest Suzhou style garden outside of China. Follow the work in progress.

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden Portland, Oregon
Located on seven acres in a beautiful woodland setting, the pathways of Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden wind invitingly through more than 2,500 rhododendrons, azaleas, and companion plants. Beginning in early spring and continuing into summer, they provide a magnificent display of color, giving visitors the opportunity to view many varieties rarely seen in the Pacific Northwest. During the fall, many companion trees add dramatic coloring. Spring-fed Crystal Springs Lake surrounds much of the garden, attracting many species of birds and waterfowl.

Leach Botanical Gardens
Leach Botanical Garden is sometimes referred to as Portland's best kept secret. It is an undiscovered treasure with an incredibly unique geologic past and quaint personal history. For such a small parcel of property it boasts much diversity. Since the land was placed in the stewardship of the City of Portland and Leach Garden Friends, the property has expanded from the original 4.5 acres to a little over 15 acres.

Portland Memory Garden
Located in the southeast corner of Ed Benedict Park, this garden is especially designed for people with Alzheimer's disease and other memory problems: the site is relatively flat and is away from other park activity and significant traffic noise. The garden was dedicated in May 2002 and is one of eight memory gardens in the U.S., and one of only two built on public land.

Portland Rose Gardens
Portland has three public rose gardens, each with its own special flair.

 

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Washington

Bellevue Botanical Garden
The Bellevue Botanical Garden is 36 acres of rolling hills, undisturbed woodland, meadows, pristine bogs, and display gardens.

Belltown P-Patch
Maybe it's not as fancy as these others, but an equal amount of love went into it!

Bloedel Reserve
7571 NE Dolphin Drive
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110-1097
Phone (206) 842-7631
Fax: (206) 842-8970
Named as one of the top ten public gardens in the United States by USA Today. Appointments are not needed to visit. Open year-round.

Boo-Shoot Gardens
5722 Campbell Lake Road
Anacortes, WA 98221
Phone 360/299 8235

A wholesale nursery with beautiful display gardens. They continue to develop the garden which features bamboo integrated into a landscape of many other plants and trees. Boo-Shoot Gardens is their first love and each year it becomes more and more majestic.

Carl S. English, Jr. Botanical Gardens
3015 NW 54th St.
Seattle
A beautiful garden next to the Ballard Locks, with a wonderful collection of trees and other plants to delight your senses. The Fuchsia society has a hardy Fuchsia test garden you don't want to miss. Also featured are native plants in the garden and the garden contains over 800 species of native and exotic plants. Pack a picnic lunch, enjoy watching the boats go through the locks and have a picnic in the garden. There are also many restaurants and snackeries nearby too. On a nice summer day what could be better?

Center for Urban Horticulture
University of Washington
Seattle
The horticulture center has greenhouses, gardens, meeting halls, a Master Gardeners office and a library that is open to the public and quite popular with local gardeners. The center hosts plant sales, seminars and weekly gardening clinics. Horticulture students and staff also manage the plant collection at the nearby Washington Park Arboretum.

Chase Garden
Located in Orting, Washington, just one hour south of Seattle, is a special 4 1/2 acre garden. It sits on a bluff that overlooks the Puyallup River Valley with a spectacular view of Mt Rainier.

Dunn Gardens
Edward Bernard Dunn, the second child of Arthur and Jeanette Williams Dunn, converted the garage building into his residence in 1947. He immediately began creating a woodland garden on the 2.5-acre site where the garage and vegetable garden had been; he tended this garden until his death in 1991.

An enthusiastic gardener and prolific garden writer, Edward Dunn was respected as an authority on Pacific Northwest native plants. He was president of the Seattle Arboretum Foundation from 1957 to 1960, and guided the development of its Japanese Garden. He also served as president of the American Rhododendron Society from 1965 to 1969, and was awarded that organization's Gold Medal in 1972. A founding member of the Species Rhododendron Society, he served as its president in 1971.

The woodland garden reflects Ed's love of plants. The richness and diversity of the plantings are reminiscent of William Robinson's English woodland gardens. The collection includes rhododendrons, specimen flowering trees, and woodland plants such as erythroniums and trilliums, sited beneath a canopy of fir and deciduous trees that remain from the original garden.

Federation Forest State Park
History awaits the visitor at this old growth forest.

The Highline Botanical Garden
The Highline Botanical Garden Foundation was originally formed to save and rebuild Elda Behm's 'Paradise Garden', which was imperiled by the proposed expansion of SeaTac Airport. The project has been expanded to build a full-fledged botanical garden for the Highline community, incorporating Elda's Paradise Garden as a central element.

Kruckeberg Botanic Garden
The Kruckeberg Botanic Garden at Richmond Beach, in Shoreline, Washington, is dedicated to fostering and providing educational, cultural and aesthetic enrichment for people of all walks of life living in our region, especially gardeners, amateur and professional horticulturists, and young students of the plant world. Mareen and Arthur Kruckeberg amassed the Garden’s four-acre plant collection over many years. It is rich in variety, both of native plants of the Pacific Northwest, and exotic species from other lands.

Kubota Garden
Seattle
Historic Landmark
"Just as inspiring as the magical garden, however, is the story of its creation. Once a weed-choked swamp, it owes its existence to Fujitaro Kubota, who was born in Japan. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1906, first working in a sawmill..."

Meerkerk Gardens
3531 Meerkerk Lane
Greenbank, WA
Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens, on Whidbey Island, is a not-for-profit garden open to the public. The gardens encompasses ten acres of display and educational gardens enveloped by forty-three acres of woodland preserve with nature trails. Friends of Meerkerk memberships, plant sales, admission donations and contributions combine to care for the Gardens.

Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection
Federal Way, WA
Open Year Round
The Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection is an outdoor museum of living art, featuring more than 50 outstanding bonsai elegantly displayed in a beautiful woodland setting. Bonsai from six Pacific Rim nations -- Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and the United States -- grace the tropical conservatory and outdoor exhibit area.

Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden

The Rhododendron Species Foundation is home to one of the largest and finest collections of rhododendron species in the world. Conveniently located between Seattle and Tacoma, in Federal Way, Washington, this non-profit nursery and garden flows and spills lovingly over 22 acres offering a breath-taking diversity of form, size, leaf and blossom. The Garden is open year round and is beautiful in every season.

Purchase of plants, seeds and pollen can be arranged worldwide to members and non-members alike, though membership provides special benefits.

Enjoy shopping in the gift shop and plant pavilion, and visit the Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection adjoining the garden.

Roozengaarde
Roozengaarde's two and one-half acre show garden promises to transport you into the "Old Country" with its windmill and gorgeous living displays, especially during Tulip Festival. Located in the Skagit Valley in Washington.

Seattle Chinese Garden
Seattle
The Seattle Chinese Garden is being designed in collaboration with Seattle's sister city in China, Chongqing. The garden's classical design will balance the four essential elemnents of a Chinese garden--water, rocks, plants and traditional Chinese architecture. The Song Mei pavilion and demonstration garden with more than 100 plants native to China and many examples of rare bambo varieties, offers a preview of the future six acre garden design. When copmpleted this garden will be a refection of the Sichuan Province landscape and the pavilions, teahouse, courtyards and large lake willl create an experience of being in China without leaving Seattle.

The Garden will be open to the public to be enjoyed by all as a venue for educational and community programs, Chinese festivals, family celebrations, and a daily attraction activity.

Seymour Botanical Conservatory
Wright Park contains the Seymour Botanical Conservatory, a 1908 Victorian structure with a large collection of tropical plants.

University of Washington Medicinal Herb Garden
Located on the campus the University of Washington in Seattle, the Medicinal Herb Garden is a resource for herbalists, medics, and botanists of all levels.

Washington Park Arboretum
The Washington Park Arboretum is a beautiful 200-acre park on the shore of Lake Washington. The winter garden is very appealing in the dark days of winter.