Location: South Seattle/Beacon Hill
Address: 12th Ave. S. and S. Atlantic St.
Acreage: 0.6
In what used to be a mass of unruly blackberry bushes on the west end of Beacon Hill is now a miniature Japanese garden.
Katie and Frank Black owned a large piece of land on Beacon Hill in the early 1900s. She had part of it turned into a Japanese garden designed for strolling in 1914. Over the years the land was sold and the beautiful garden got overrun by invasive species.
In the early 1990s, with urging from the community, the Parks Department acquired the land and had it converted back into a quaint neighborhood garden.
Katie Black’s Garden is perfect for a quiet stroll between the two small ponds situated among the trees and shrubs. The foliage is surprisingly diverse for such a small park, so you’ll find a nice variety of plants. It’s also a haven for birds.
Katie always allowed the public to visit her garden, so it’s appropriate that this spot is now an official city park.
#123 (Visited 2/23/10)