Following a winding path around a central pond, stroll gardens invite visitors to journey through the varied landscapes of Japan – mountains, forests, waterfalls, rivers, lakes, islands and the sea. Along the journey, varied landscapes are hidden and then revealed.
The Seattle Japanese Garden maintains the Resources Page to share information about the history, garden design, and plants with the public.
History of the Seattle Japanese Garden is told from the perspective of those who know its every inch most intimately: the gardeners. The series reveals a little-known history of stewardship and mentoring that’s continued for over sixty years
Seattle Japanese Garden Oral History project was made possible with the support from 4Culture and the University of Washington Botanic Gardens Elisabeth C. Miller Library.
The Seattle Japanese Garden obtains various unique plants and trees, and our volunteer group, Unit 86 Plant Committee, updates plant inventory and publishes the booklet, “Plants of the Seattle Japanese Garden” annually. Partnering with the Plant Committee, we would like to introduce our plant collection to you.
The Plant Committee revises the plant inventory and publishes the booklet, “Plants of the Seattle Japanese Garden” annually. The Plant Committee members chair is Kathy Lantz. Aleksandra Monk is the chief photographer. Corinne Kennedy is a frequent contributor to the SJG website.
Download Plants of the Seattle Japanese Garden 2024
Hibiscus syriacus is a large, hardy, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with showy hibiscus-shaped flowers. Native to China and India, despite its botanical name, this shrub has been cultivated for hundreds of years. It flowers in late summer and fall, a time when most other shrubs are no longer in bloom.
The Japanese black pine tree is n ative to the coastal are a of Japan and South Korea . It grows best in sandy and sunny locations. This tree has needles, not leaves . There are 2 very sharp needles together about 4” long. In the Spring, the new growth, known as “candles ”, are pinched off to control the growth habit. In the Fall, the branches of the tree can be pruned to develop the desired shape of the gardener.
Hibiscus syriacus is a large, hardy, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with showy hibiscus-shaped flowers. Native to China and India, despite its botanical name, this shrub has been cultivated for hundreds of years. It flowers in late summer and fall, a time when most other shrubs are no longer in bloom.
With its beautiful mottled bark, white summer flowers, and stunning fall leaf colors, Stewartia pseudocamellia is an elegant tree to enjoy all year long. Both its Latin species name pseudocamellia (imitation camellia) and its Japanese name natsu tsukaki (summer camellia) refer to the flowering time of its delicate flowers.
The iris is a flower that represents spring in Japan. The iris is iconic in Japanese culture for its beauty and is revered in paintings, textiles, and woodblocks. One of the renowned iris paintings in Japan is Kakitsubata-zu. Irises symbolize resilience. Irises are depicted in literature and Haiku poetry and used in floral arrangements—ikebana and chabana.
A lovely tree peony with semi-double pink flowers graces the northwest corner of the Seattle Japanese Garden, blooming in late April or May.
Maple Collection
The Seattle Japanese Garden has many kinds of maples. In the fall, these maples change color to red, orange, yellow, purple and pink. They showcase the stunning beauty of autumn foliage.
Fern Collection
Ferns are extremely diverse in habitat and form. The majority of ferns grow in warm, damp areas of the Earth. While it is not tropical weather, Seattle has lots of rain and ferns grow very well. The Seattle Japanese Garden has many kinds as well.
Camellia Collection
Camellias were cultivated in the gardens of China and Japan for centuries before they were seen in Europe in 18th century. The German botanist Engelbert Kaempfer wrote that the "Japan Rose", as he called it, grew wild in forests and thickets, but that many superior varieties had been selected for gardens.
Rhododendron Collection: April
There are more than 1200 different natural species in the genus Rhododendron. The largest number of wild species is native to Asia, but they also grow in the temperate regions of North America and Europe, as well as in the tropical regions of Southeast Asia and northern Australia.
Most of Rhododendrons and azaleas burst in flowers in May. The bright colors of the flowers, massed in such a large planting is unusual in a Japanese Garden.
