Washington Park Arboretum - Seattle, Washington
Posted by: 
Hikenutty
N 47° 37.723 W 122° 17.732
10T E 552925 N 5275275
A beautiful 230 acre arboretum managed by University of Washington's Urban Horticulture Center and owned by the City of Seattle, this is Washington State's "official" arboretum. Many of the structures in it were built by the WPA.
Waymark Code: WM1J5X
Location: Washington, United States
Date Posted: 05/16/2007
Views: 68
The following excerpt is from
Washington: A Guide to the Evergreen State from the Seattle "Points of Interest" section.
The UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON ARBORETUM, a tract of more than 260 acres, extends from the Lake Washington Canal opposite the University campus to E. Madison St., and from Broadmoor on the east to Montlake District on the west. It is designed to make use of every type of plant and shrub that the climate will support; and the moderate climate of the Puget Sound district makes it possible to grow most of the temperate-zone plants. Featured areas are a nine-acre planting of rhododendrons in beautiful RHODODENDRON GLEN; a three-quarter-mile path planted on both sides with azaleas, flowering cherries, and dogwoods - about 8,000 azalea plants are required; and on a hilltop, the magnolia group comprising 50 of the finest varieties. These, and many thousands of other plants, will make this one of Seattle's most picturesque areas. The Works Progress Administration and the Arboretum Foundation are active in these developments. pp.237-38
The Arboretum contains internationally recognized woody plant collections on 230 acres. Noteworthy are North America's largest collection of Sorbus and Maple, the second largest collection of species Hollies and significant collections of oaks, conifers and camellias.
The Washington Park Arboretum was established in 1934 by an agreement approved by both the University of Washington and the City of Seattle. The City of Seattle held title to a 200+ acre park known as Washington Park located in a central portion of the city. It agreed that the University could design, construct, plant, and manage an Arboretum and Botanical Garden in this park.
In 1936, the Seattle Garden Club donated $3000 to hire the Olmsted Brothers landscape firm to design the first planting plan. Mr. James Dawson was the chief designer of the plan. During those early years when the nation was in deep depression, 500 men in the Public Works Administration constructed many of the historical features; e.g., the Stone Cottage, and Azalea Way.
It was interesting reading the exerpt, which was written when the park was still being landscaped and constructed. I have always known the Arboretum as a venerable old Seattle landmark. The landscapes which they talk about being in planning are now thick, lush and in some cases overgrown. Azalea Way is still a park favorite with the tourists, but my favorite area is the canal section on the north part of the park. Canoes can be rented for reasonable prices at the University of Washington Boathouse and it's a short paddle over to the park from there. Watch for boat traffic as you cross the Montlake Cut.
The coordinates listed are for the Graham Visitor Center, a great place to start your visit.