arboretum Archives – Friends of Seattle's Olmsted Parks

Bus & Walking Tour: Olmsted Legacy with Seattle Parks

Walking Tour of Washington Park Arboretum with UWBG

Landscape of the Arboretum in dappled sun.

The city first acquired Washington Park from the Puget Mill Company in 1900. By 1904, the city hired the Olmsted Brothers firm to prepare drawings for a roadway alignment through the park. Plans for how a “pleasure drive” would connect Lake Washington Boulevard to the university campus through Washington Park evolved quickly over the next several months. Learn how these plans came to fruition in this informative walk.

Summer 2015 Walking Tours Announced

Posted on April 25, 2015 by Jenifer Rees

Getting to Know the Seattle Olmsted Park System

Join us for monthly walking tours in Seattle’s Olmsted parks and start your weekend with a dose of beauty, nature, and history! They are held on 3rd Saturdays (except August) and begin at 10:00 AM, lasting approximately two hours. Appropriate for all ages. These walks are free and open to all, and go on rain or shine. There is no need to register in advance. Contact friends@seattleolmsted.org for more information about specific tours.

2015 Summer Walking Tour Schedule

May 16th
Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition at the University of Washington campus
Meet at the entrance to the Burke Museum.

June 20th
Washington Park Arboretum
Meet at the Graham Visitor Center.

July 18th
Madrona Park and Frink Park
Meet at Leschi Elementary School parking lot.

September 19th
Volunteer Park
Meet at the Black Sun sculpture across from the Seattle Asian Art Museum.
*This is the FSOP annual meeting, please join us for potluck lunch after the tour.

colorized photo from old postcard showing aerial view of central plaza, bordered by red-roofed buildings, with cascading pools to large round pool, all centered on-axis with a distant view to Mt. Rainier. Text on postcard reads, "Mt. Rainier and Court of Honor, as seen from the US Government Building, Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, Seattle, Wash., 1909. (Official Post Card)" — Rainier Vista, Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, 1909. Courtesy J&A Collection.

Volunteer Docents Needed for “Picture Yourself on Azalea Way”

Posted on January 31, 2015 by Jenifer Rees

The Arboretum Foundation is looking for volunteer docents for their display garden, “Picture Yourself on Azalea Way,” at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show. The theme of this year’s show is “Romance Blossoms” and their garden will recreate all of the romance of Azalea Way at the Washington State Convention Center. Docents help hand out brochures and answer questions about the garden and the Washington Park Arboretum. You do NOT need to be an plant expert to be a docent. The Arboretum Foundation will offer a training session on Saturday, January 31 from 3?4 p.m. at the Graham Visitors Center in the Arboretum. Docents receive a wristband for FREE admission to the show for the whole day of their shift.

For more information or to register, contact Megan Meyer at mmeyer@arboretumfoundation.org or 206-577-0549.

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