Knock Out Your Allergies

• Allergy care for the whole family: Pediatric & Adult certi ed specialists

• Get a full treatment plan for managing your allergies or asthma, so you can get back to enjoying life.

Locations in Tacoma and throughout the South Sound.

At YWA, we provide every student with the tools and encouragement needed to pursue their own personal journey.

•1:1 (one teacher: one student) and small groups

•Grades 4 through 12

•Academically rigorous with a personalized pace and social emotional learning focus

•Wide range of courses including core academics, 3D printing, world languages and more yellowwoodacademy.org info@yellowwoodacademy.org

Learning is exciting, and your child is built to learn with a natural curiosity that knows no bounds. Through a balance of play and nurturing guidance, Primrose school teachers foster that curiosity and help your child feel a sense of pride and accomplishment that lays the foundation for a lifelong love of learning.

Secret Gardens

continued from page 27 condemned to make way for the Port of Seattle’s third runway expansion at Sea-Tac International Airport. Fortunately, it was saved and re-created by relocating thousands of Behm’s plants (which she had grown from seeds and cuttings) to the new Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden.

Within this paradise you will find a series of water features, including ponds and waterfalls that empty into a 100-foot stream. If you visit the garden in spring, you’ll see large bearded irises and rhododendrons in full bloom.

Location: 13735 24th Ave. S., SeaTac

Seattle Chinese Garden, West Seattle ● seattlechinesegarden.org

Often called the best-kept secret of West Seattle, the Seattle Chinese Garden’s spectacular landscape has been created using elements of water, stone, plants and architecture.

Within this beautiful garden on a hilltop, families will find themselves surrounded by ancient symbolism. The bones of the earth are depicted by stone bridges and rocky gorges. The blood of the earth is suggested by water, which infuses the garden with vital, rejuvenating qi.

Upon entry, pick up a self-guidedtour brochure and plant guide to inform your visit. South Seattle College’s campus arboretum, adjacent to the Chinese garden, is free and open to the public.

Location: Approximately 5640 16th Ave. S.W., Seattle

Kubota Garden (seattle.gov), located near Rainier Beach, is an enchanting 20-acre Japanese garden that was designated a historic city landmark in 1981. So it’s not quite the secret garden it once was, and is now counted as a favorite backdrop for family photos. But there are still some days when you can have the lovely winding paths, ponds, waterfalls and hidden red bridges all to yourself. Kids are almost magically pulled along by the paths that slope downhill from the entrance, and the garden is just big enough that they’ll feel like they’re getting a little lost. It’s delightful in all seasons, offering blooms in spring, shade in summer, color in fall and opportunities to skitter rocks across icy ponds in winter.

Location: 9817 55th Ave. S., Seattle

Kelsey Creek Farm, Bellevue ●

If your child needs a dose of farm animal fun mixed in with your garden explorations, then Kelsey Creek Farm Park in Bellevue is the place to visit. While not exactly secret, this spot is a quiet and secluded home to ponies, sheep, goats, chickens, pigs and other critters.

Dating from the 1930s, this historic farm hosts a number of excellent programs for kids and families, including recreational opportunities, seasonal camps, farm experience classes, tours and volunteer opportunities. The barnyard and playground are open daily, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

Location: 410 130 Pl. S.E., Bellevue

Bellevue Botanical Garden ● bellevuebotanical.org

Kubota Garden, Seattle ● parentmap.com/kubota

While Bellevue Botanical Garden is also not particularly secret, its 20

Continued from page 29 acres of paths and innovative gardens make an ideal first hike for a preschooler, from its Lost Meadow Trail through wetlands and woodlands to a rock garden to the ultimate adventure for the short set: a one-thirdmile-long nature trail that crosses a ravine via a 150foot suspension bridge. Don’t miss a meditative walk through Yao Garden.

Location: 12001 Main St., Bellevue

PowellsWood, Federal Way ● powellswood.org

PowellsWood is a place to go to see the hedges. As funny as that sounds, I was quite intrigued by the beautiful meld of fern and rhododendron borders adjacent to conifer forest.

Unlike most of the garden destinations on this list, PowellsWood is a private garden requiring paid admission or membership ($30 for an individual membership; $45 for a family membership). It’s a lovely garden featuring various scenes and landscapes to explore in all seasons.

PowellsWood, Federal Way

•Small

The garden is open to the public Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Adult admission is $7; kids ages 12 and younger enter free.

Location: 430 S. Dash Point Rd., Federal Way

Lakewold Gardens, Lakewood ● lakewoldgardens.org

Though this is another garden requiring paid admission, lovely Lakewold Gardens is a peaceful and beautiful oasis that will certainly leave you feeling calm and serene. It’s a great setting for kids to explore and discover fascinating plants, but it isn’t the place to bust out your Nerf football or play a game of screaming hide-and-seek.

The garden is open Wednesday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Buy tickets online in advance. General admission is $12 for adults and $6 for children ages 6–17; kids ages 5 and younger enter free.

Location: 12317 Gravelly Lake Dr. S.W., Lakewood