The Kubota garden is a spalling 20 acre site located in South Seattle. It was a bit difficult to get to, again, I opted to use an Uber to get me there and then back to the Link light rail so that I could return to downtown Seattle.
The gardens were full of many different areas, all exhibiting the Northwest style of Japanese gardening. The site history is very interesting and with further reading. Honestly, I found the gardens a bit overwhelming. There were many different landscapes in which to explore. It was baffling to think of how the site could be maintained. In the early 1980s the garden was almost turned into a condominium complex. Instead, by 1987 the city of Seattle acquired the gardens. The department of Parks and Recreation, along with volunteers, now maintain the garden.
Compared to the level of maintenance I saw earlier in the day at the Seattle Japanese Garden, there was evidence that the city and volunteers were unable to keep up. The garden was nice, but there were areas where well established plants were overgrown and in need of maintenance. Honestly, the site is so huge, I do not know how they can manage it all. Nevertheless, given what limited resource they have at their disposal, they are doing the best they can.
If visiting, be prepared to spend several hours. There is much to see.
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| reverse-wedding crashers: my photography was interupted by a wedding party |
