One of the reasons Seattleites stick around year after year through those gray, rainy winters is spring, summer, and all the beauty nature brings our region! If you’re a local parent itching to get outside with the kids, you’ve likely visited Seattle’s well-known gardens, Kubota, and the Arboretum. Those are wonderful, but they can get pretty packed at peak blooming season.
How about some lesser-known spots around town that are not usually overrun by large crowds? These gardens are some of Seattle’s best-kept secrets, full of history and opulence. With their year-round blooms and foliage from native trees and exotic plants, these garden parks soothe, educate, and amaze.
Dunn Gardens
- Hours: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday to Saturday
- Admission: Non-members: $10/person
- Address: 13533 Northshire Rd NW, Seattle, WA 98177
- Parking: Park on Northshire Road and enter white gates
- Note: This garden is not stroller-friendly. Dogs are not allowed.
Nestled in a north Seattle neighborhood, this private garden offers both self-guided and docent-led tours. Designed by the famous Olmsted Brothers (they’re work included Central Park in New York City as well as 34 parks and playgrounds in Seattle), the garden paths meander through collections of rhododendrons, dogwoods, azaleas, hostas and other perennial plants. A hidden path leads to a Woodland Garden nestled beneath a canopy of lush green trees and a tangle of tree trunks winding their way into the ground. Catch a glimpse of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains on a clear day. Find a quiet space on the great lawn or in the courtyard. Children will love the open spaces and beautiful colors, and learn that the Dunn Family helped make the rhododendron Washington’s state flower. This hidden Seattle garden offers a wonderful location for children and families, and there is even a playground in the garden.
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Highline Seatac Botanical Garden
- Hours: Open daily, dawn to dusk. Closed on Federal Holidays.
- Admission: Free
- Address: 13735 24th Avenue South, SeaTac 98168
- Parking: Onsite and free.
- Note: Dogs on leash allowed. Bring a book to exchange at the little free library.
Hop, skip and jump across the bridge at the Japanese Garden, then follow the sounds of the stream to an open pond – a great place to read or explore. Play peek-a-boo around the Greek columns on the lawn. Highline Seatac Botanical Garden is a great place to learn about plants as well as do some plane spotting: manmade “birds” fly over the park that’s near Sea-Tac Airport. Maintained by volunteers, the botanical garden is home to thousands of plants. Many plants were donated from homes demolished by Sea-Tac’s third runway project. Every display garden has an interesting story you won’t want to miss.
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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden
- Hours: Friday to Sunday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (March – October), 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. (November – February)
- Admission: Free with a suggested donation of $5/person
- Address: 20312 15th Avenue Northwest, Shoreline, 98177
- Parking: Onsite and free
- Note: Hosts the Concert in the Garden event during the summer. Dogs on leash allowed.
Is there a garden perfect for nature play? Yes, indeed! Look for the Woodwave sculpture in Kruckeberg Botanic Garden — it’s a tangle of branches that interweave together — and get ready to climb! Build gnome and fairy houses in the wooded area of the garden. An awesome destination, Kruckeberg contains a mixture of native and exotic plants and trees. Bring your binoculars to spot more than 40 species of birds! Make your final stop at the nursery and grab a few native plants for your own yard. One of the Seattle area’s most charming hidden gardens!
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Seattle Japanese Garden
- Hours: Seasonal hours; see website for details
- Admission: Adults, $10; youth 6-17, $6; kids 5 and under, free
- Address: 1075 E Lk Washington Blvd, Seattle, WA 98112
- Parking: Onsite and free
- Note: Check out the large maple tree by the entrance: It has been there for more than 60 years! Dogs are not allowed.
Journey through the landscapes of Japan at the Seattle Japanese Garden. where cobblestoned gravel paths encircle a central pond. Here, the koi fish surface with mouths gaping and ready for a treat. Sit at a bench and talk about the maple trees and their ever-changing colors. Be on the lookout for blue herons and other birds that visit the park. Located within the Washington Park Arboretum, this garden is a slice of heaven. They offer Family Saturday from March through September, with fun activities for the whole family and free admission for youth 12 and under from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The garden is closed December – February.
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Woodland Park Rose Garden
- Hours: 7:30 a.m. – dusk daily
- Admission: Free
- Address: 750 North 50th Street, Seattle, WA 98103
- Parking: Pay to park while the zoo is open, free when zoo is closed. Dogs allowed on leash.
- Note: The pesticide-free garden makes the roses a lovely treat for zoo animals, especially the gorillas.
Roses are red, violets are blue, don’t miss Seattle’s hidden little garden right by the zoo! The Woodland Park Rose Garden is home to more than 3,000 roses of 200 different varieties. Follow butterflies along the maze of paths in this 2.5-acre groomed plot. It’s time to stop to smell the roses! Or, sit by the fountain, look for fish in the lily pad pond, and have a picnic on the concrete benches. Don’t miss the sensory garden, tucked away in the back corners of the park. Listen for wind chimes and explore the trail to find new plants and flowers of every season.
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