My Seattle visits typically wrap-up on Sunday, mid-morning, and it's time to head back to Portland. On the way home I try plan some sort of garden or nursery tour. Since it had been snowing on and off all morning I chose to make a close and quick stop and visited the Highline Botanical Garden.
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When I mentioned the destination to my friend Erin — a life-long West Seattle resident — her response was something along the lines of "our Highline has a botanical garden?"... ya, if you live in the Seattle area and know Highline you'll agree it's not the most likely place for a garden.
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"The Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden is a one-of-a-kind heritage location that was created to preserve some of the area’s most treasured gardens. The Garden is situated on approximately 10.5 acres adjacent to the North SeaTac Community Center. Included are two gardens that were physically moved to prevent their demolition during SeaTac Airport’s third runway project. Admission to the gardens is free for all visitors."
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This stunning Garrya elliptica is located right by the garden entrance, this one's on my short list of shrubs I wish I had room for.
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Especially this time of year, as its long catkins begin to form.
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There is a rose garden, since it was COLD and raining/sleeting I didn't linger to photograph individual flowers.
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Well okay, just one.
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I was alone in the garden, was this left by a volunteer on accident? Or was it an invitation for visitors to do a little clean up?
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There were a lot of fallen leaves, but they added to, rather than detracted from, the look of the place.
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Elda Behm, one of the gardeners whose garden was the impetus for the forming of this garden. She's from Spokane too, like me...
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The pond.
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And the Bamboo! Wow, it's certainly quite happy here.
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That Anemone I covet (and thanks to the Rainy Day Gardener will own, soon!).
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Wow, that's a lovely Arbutus menziesii.
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The propagation area, which was fenced off. I stuck my camera through the chain-link to get this photo.
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Looks like the beginning of a community garden space.
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The Fuchsia garden.
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Honestly I didn't know whether I wanted to laugh or be impressed with their chutzpah.
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I don't remember which shrub this was, but the real beauty of it was the lichen and moss adorning the branches.
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Future home of a rock garden?
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The other rescued garden, the Seike Japanese Garden.
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Ginkgo paradise!
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And not to be outdone the Sedum is nice too.
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As are the Crocosmia seeds (I've wandered out of the Japanese Garden now).
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The view out into the "wilds", I assume future expansion space.
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I do love Cyclamen foliage. I can do without the flowers.
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Oh! Fabulous Mahonia...
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The bark...
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Finally, are you wondering about that "special" in the title of this post? Obviously this entire garden is special. Open to the public for free, based on rescuing two private gardens that would have otherwise been destroyed. Still, this might have been my very favorite thing in this garden. Special: "better, greater, or otherwise different from what is usual."
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We'll just call this plant special...
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If you want to see photos of the garden in spring check out the Outlaw Gardener: part one, part two.
Weather Diary, Nov 16: Hi 48, Low 43/ Precip .21"
All material © 2009-2017 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
When I mentioned the destination to my friend Erin — a life-long West Seattle resident — her response was something along the lines of "our Highline has a botanical garden?"... ya, if you live in the Seattle area and know Highline you'll agree it's not the most likely place for a garden.
"The Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden is a one-of-a-kind heritage location that was created to preserve some of the area’s most treasured gardens. The Garden is situated on approximately 10.5 acres adjacent to the North SeaTac Community Center. Included are two gardens that were physically moved to prevent their demolition during SeaTac Airport’s third runway project. Admission to the gardens is free for all visitors."
This stunning Garrya elliptica is located right by the garden entrance, this one's on my short list of shrubs I wish I had room for.
Especially this time of year, as its long catkins begin to form.
There is a rose garden, since it was COLD and raining/sleeting I didn't linger to photograph individual flowers.
Well okay, just one.
I was alone in the garden, was this left by a volunteer on accident? Or was it an invitation for visitors to do a little clean up?
There were a lot of fallen leaves, but they added to, rather than detracted from, the look of the place.
Elda Behm, one of the gardeners whose garden was the impetus for the forming of this garden. She's from Spokane too, like me...
The pond.
And the Bamboo! Wow, it's certainly quite happy here.
That Anemone I covet (and thanks to the Rainy Day Gardener will own, soon!).
Wow, that's a lovely Arbutus menziesii.
The propagation area, which was fenced off. I stuck my camera through the chain-link to get this photo.
Looks like the beginning of a community garden space.
The Fuchsia garden.
Honestly I didn't know whether I wanted to laugh or be impressed with their chutzpah.
I don't remember which shrub this was, but the real beauty of it was the lichen and moss adorning the branches.
Future home of a rock garden?
The other rescued garden, the Seike Japanese Garden.
Ginkgo paradise!
And not to be outdone the Sedum is nice too.
As are the Crocosmia seeds (I've wandered out of the Japanese Garden now).
The view out into the "wilds", I assume future expansion space.
I do love Cyclamen foliage. I can do without the flowers.
Oh! Fabulous Mahonia...
The bark...
Finally, are you wondering about that "special" in the title of this post? Obviously this entire garden is special. Open to the public for free, based on rescuing two private gardens that would have otherwise been destroyed. Still, this might have been my very favorite thing in this garden. Special: "better, greater, or otherwise different from what is usual."
We'll just call this plant special...
If you want to see photos of the garden in spring check out the Outlaw Gardener: part one, part two.
Weather Diary, Nov 16: Hi 48, Low 43/ Precip .21"
All material © 2009-2017 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.