Pacific Connections Garden
Wouldn't it be great if you could travel through Cascadia, Australia, China, Chile and New Zealand all in one day? In the Washington Park Arboretum's Pacific Connections Garden, you can!
In this garden, you will find amazing plants from five countries connected by the Pacific Ocean. You’ll see alpine bottlebrush (Callistemon pityoides) from the boggy peatlands of Mt. Kosciusco, Australia's tallest peak. Experience a wonderful array of hardy fuschias (Fuchsia magellanica) from Chile. Compare a fern native to East Asia (Woodwardia unigemmata) to one from the Himalayas (Dryopteris wallichiana). Admire the broad, swordlike leaves of Phormium 'Maori Sunrise', one of a dozen species of New Zealand flax on display. Appreciate the vast scale of Cascadia's plants, from the tiny blooms of the inside-out flower (Vancouveria planipetala) to the immense trunk of a western redcedar (Thuja plicata). These and many more plants are found in the meadow, gardens, and forests that make up this twelve-acre garden.
The Pacific Connections Garden gives you the world along a walking path. To learn more about featured plants and climates, visit the Elisabeth C. Miller Library at the Center for Urban Horticulture. A tremendous resource for Pacific Northwest gardeners, the Miller Library puts more than 15,000 books and other reference materials at your fingertips.
Update on Pacific Connections Garden "Gateway to Chile"
The “Gateway to Chile” project is situated at the southern intersection of Arboretum Drive and Lake Washington Boulevard and opened on October 17, 2010 to great fanfare and celebration.
The project includes the restoration of the now overgrown Holmdahl Rockery and creation of an eye-catching display of colorful Chilean plant species. Before construction started on the project, the Seattle Parks department removed 34 mature trees, which included some native species, to make way for the new Chilean garden. The project included the planting of 72 Chilean trees that will contribute to the horticultural collection.
- Plants in the Arboretum’s New Gateway to Chile Garden Arboretum Bulletin article
- More information from the Seattle Parks Department
- UW Week article April 8, 2010 and October 14, 2010
Click to enlarge image.
About the Project
The University of Washington and the City of Seattle, with support from the Arboretum Foundation, are working together to implement the first major garden of the Arboretum master plan project, the Pacific Connections Garden. This project received priority due to its ability to fulfill the master plan’s primary elements: conservation, education and recreation. The City of Seattle has hired Portico Group to develop designs for the garden and interpretive signage. The Arboretum Foundation raised $2 million for construction of Phase I.
Phase I
The first phase of the project was completed in fall 2008. This phase includes the preview gardens, meadow, interpretive shelter, and the trail through the Cascadia Forest.
Preview Gardens
The preview gardens showcase plants from five Pacific Rim regions and demonstrate how to use these plants in horticulture. Situated along the perimeter of an open meadow, these garden vignettes offer visitors an introduction to the focal forests.
Because there are such a wide array of plants in the preview gardens, “iconic plants” have been chosen to represent each of the regions. These are plants that have special significance in their native regions because of their traditional uses, roles in the ecosystem, and beauty. The iconic plants are depicted in the signage and grown in the preview gardens surrounding the meadow. Western red cedar (Thuja plicata) for Cascadia; monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana) for Chile; snow gum (Eucalyptus pauciflora) for Australia; ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) for China; and New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax) for New Zealand – each iconic plant tells a story about the importance of plants in that culture.
Future Phases
Five paths will lead out from the meadow into the focal forests. While the preview gardens offer an introduction to each country’s plants, their horticultural uses, and varieties, the larger focal forests will give you an opportunity to enter into a representative forest from a specific region within each of the five countries. These forests will offer a glimpse into how these plants grow in the wild.
In the News
"Arboretum launches next phase of Pacific Connections Garden project" UW Week
“New Garden makes Pacific Connections” UW News
“Sprucing up a place for plants” Seattle Times
“Pacific Connections at the Arboretum” KUOW
“Big changes coming to Arboretum’s south end” Seattle PI
How to Contribute
Come be a part of this significant project! Your gift will make our vision for Pacific Connections a reality. If you are interested in contributing please contact Julia Maywald, Arboretum Foundation Director of Major Gifts Initiatives (206-325-4510). You can also visit the Arboretum Foundation website at www.arboretumfoundation.org.
Contact Information
If you would like more information about the project please contact Fred Hoyt,
UWBG Associate Director (206-543-3137) or Andy Sheffer, City Parks Project
Manager (206-684-7041).
Last modified:
Thursday, 22-Dec-2011 13:56:34 PST