Washington Park Arboretum

Location: Central Seattle
Address: 2300 Arboretum Drive E.
Acreage: 193.9

It’s picture day at the Arboretum. And there are two breeds of photographers to observe.

In one camp are the serious, slightly cranky, amateur nature photographers. This is prime season for this group as they strategically set up their shots on fancy tripods waiting for the moment when the sun is at the perfect angle and they can capture the light reflecting off of a golden leaf.

Comments heard from these creatures may include, “You’re blocking my light!” and “Crap, I forgot my 320-grade high-intensity filter!”

The other camp includes the eager shuttermoms and shutterdads. This is a popular season for these ones as well as they carefully position their well-dressed children among the piles of leaves carpeting the park.

Common remarks here are often more along the lines of, “Sydney, sit still! Aiden, stop hitting your sister!” and “One more, one more! Smile, SMILE!”

Ah, it’s also a great season to just be an observer.

The Washington Park Arboretum has two prime seasons for people who like to walk the gardens. One is the spring when the azaleas and rhododendrons are blooming. The other is in the fall when thousands of trees are turning vibrant colors.

Operated by the city and the University of Washington, the Arboretum is known as one of the best collections of plant species on the West Coast. Avid gardeners will find an amazing array of plants and trees. The park was designed in the 1930s by the Olmsted Brothers firm and contains 20,000 trees, shrubs and vines. 139 plants found in the park are on the endangered species list, so this is an important horticultural collection.

One cool aspect of the park is that some trees are grouped by type in certain parts of the park, so you can visit Rhododendron Glen, Conifer Meadow, Azalea Way or the funny sounding Pinetum (a grouping of pine trees).

Even for non-horticulture enthusiasts it takes many visits to this park to cover all the great aspects of it. There are dozens of trails for walks or easy hikes. Hidden grassy fields offer perfect spots for spring picnics or games of Frisbee. And one of the most popular activities is taking the boardwalk-style trails at the north end of the park to check out the water fowl and kayakers who flock there.

The park has a wonderful web site that’s connected to UW’s. You can find everything from suggested walks and audio tours to monthly birdwatching guides and listings for dozens of on-site classes. Perhaps there’s even one on photography?

#43 (Visited 11/1/09)