Seattle Japanese Garden

My primary reason for visiting Seattle, Washington, was to see the Seattle Japanese Garden. This 3.5 acre garden first opened in 1960 and has since become one of the best Japanese style gardens in North America. The garden is a stroll garden and has many Japanese plants as well as the local Pacific Northwest natives, making for a unique experience.

After my morning visit to the Kobe Terrace in the International District, it was a very pleasant alternative. The Seattle Japanese garden was immaculate, one of the best maintained gardens I have ever visited. 

Public transportation by bus will get you close to the garden, followed by a short walk along the drive towards the larger Washington Park Arboretum. 

Website: https://www.seattlejapanesegarden.org

Kobe Terrace

During the summer of 2017, I decided to spend some time in Seattle, Washington. I realized there was a significant number of Japanese gardens in the Seattle area and across the state, so I decided to visit as many as I could.

The first garden I had a chance to visit was Kobe Terrace. The garden was located in the International District and easily reached by public transport (bus). The garden sits high on a hill and has nice views of the city. There is a community vegetable garden adjacent to the garden, and on the opposite side, a major highway (very noisy). The park was not well maintained. There was trash laying about, and many of the plantings were in need of care. There was also evidence that the garden was being occupied by homeless folks (I left these photos out). The large lantern at the top was a nice feature. Overall, the garden has potential, but needs some loving care. If you are in the area, its probably not going to be on the top of a "must-see" list, but for me it was the first of many that I would add to my Washington state list.

Website: https://www.seattle.gov/parks/find/parks/kobe-terrace

National Bonsai & Penjing Museum

Over the last weekend, I had the opportunity to visit the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in Washington D.C. on the grounds of the U.S. National Arboretum.

Website: https://www.bonsai-nbf.org/visitor-information-map/

The collection began in 1976 with a donation of plants from the Nippon Bonsai Association to the United States, with the collection growing to 150 plants. 

 

Some of these plants date back several decades and some several centuries. 

Yes, the tree above was started in 1625. At almost 400 years old it was an amazing site to see.

I was expecting to see some wonderful bonsai when I first decided to visit, but I was surprised at the degree to which the museum offered so much more. I also was not well informed about the Chinese art of Penjing and was able to expand my own understanding of this art as a result of my visit.

The Chinese pavilion was very nice and had some great specimens.

 

 

I also loved the way they incorporated flower imagery into the window screens.

 

There was also a large collection of North American plants.

 

 

I also admired a potted Japanese Dwarf Male that was near the entry way. It gave me hope that I might be able to do something interesting with the Maple I recently located near my Moon Window.

The Museum, which is open daily from 10:00 - 4:00 is free, and well worth the visit.