Garden Explorer

Bellevue Botanical Garden

By Ramona Borkman, Magazine Editor

A few years ago, my husband and I planned a trip to Seattle, Washington and Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. As we were making our itinerary and contemplating what we wanted to see and do in those areas, our son-in-law suggested that we visit Bellevue Botanical Garden in Bellevue, Washington. He knew how much we enjoy touring beautiful gardens and love being in nature. He had visited the gardens while living in the area a few years prior and felt like it would be worth our time to visit.

Bellevue Botanical Garden is a 53acre urban refuge in the heart of Bellevue, Washington. The land on which Bellevue Botanical Garden is located is the ancestral homelands of the Coast Salish people, the traditional home of all tribes and bands within the Duwamish and Snoqualmie Indian Tribe.

They honor and respect the original caretakers of the land and strive to honor their heritage.

The garden is comprised of multiple gardens which give it character and interest as you experience each unique area. Each garden has a natural flow as you meander through it, and it highlights the plant varieties growing there. The Fuchsia Garden, Lost Meadow Trail, Native Discovery Garden, Perennial Border, Rhododendron Glen, Rock Garden and Iris Rain Garden, Tateuchi Loop Trail, The Ravine Experience, The Urban Meadow, Waterwise Garden, Yao Garden, and Dahlia Display are some of the gardens to see. There is a little gift shop and coffee bar so visitors can relax and enjoy the whole garden experience. Although admission is free, this garden ranks as one of the top botanical gardens I have toured.