Arboretum Foundation

A LANDMARK MOMENT FOR THE JAPANESE GARDEN

This summer marks a rare and meaningful chapter in the life of the Seattle Japanese Garden at the Arboretum. Later this month, we will embark on the Ishigaki Wall and Accessible Pathway Project, a once-in-a-generation restoration.

The $2.8 million investment will replace the Garden’s aging north stone wall with a hand-placed granite ishigaki wall, built using time-honored techniques. At the same time, a new, accessible looped pathway will allow more visitors to enjoy the tranquil beauty of the pond shoreline.

While the Garden will be closed from June 22 through July 27 for initial demolition work, we invite you to mark your calendars for a visit while this historic transformation unfolds. It’s a unique opportunity to witness the care, artistry, and vision that will shape the Garden’s future.

MORE DETAILS: https://www.seattlejapanesegarden.org/ishigaki-wall-project

Rendering courtesy Berger Partnership PS and Hoshide Wanzer Architects.

Project managed by our partner Seattle Parks and Recreation.

The lovely lime-green spring foliage tips of Douglas fir are prized by foragers for brewing a refreshing herbal tea that’s high in Vitamin C.

The flavor profile is described as “lemony,” “citrusy,” and “zesty.”

Native American tribes in the Pacific Northwest and beyond have long used Doug fir and grand fir needles to brew medicinal tonics.

In the latest issue of the Arboretum Bulletin magazine, we discuss the ethnobotany and safe harvesting and use of fir needles for tea (eg. it’s not recommended during pregnancy). We also include a recipe.

FULL ARTICLE: https://arboretumfoundation.org/2026/05/14/douglas-fir-tea/

Volunteers from the nonprofit Friends of Arboretum Creek and our Arboretum Garden Stewards program working with staff on a pilot project to seed native grasses into the restored floodplain of the Loop Trail wetlands.

The Friends get together on the first Friday of each month (March to November) for work parties in the wetlands. They are also the masterminds behind a multi-million dollar project (now managed by ) to restore year-round water flow in the Creek and bring fish and other wildlife back to our watershed.

See the link in our profile to the Friends website for more details and also to sign up for a work party.

Flowers for !

As always this time of year, the rhododendrons are in peak bloom around the Arboretum.

1. Rhododendron ‘Ken Janeck’ in the Hybrid Rhododendron Garden on Azalea Way.
2. Rhododendron ‘Noble Mountain’ in the Hybrid Rhododendron Garden.
3. Rhododendron hippophaeoides ‘Haba Shan’ on the hillside above Azalea Way pond.
4. Rhododendron ‘Seaview Sunset’ in the Hybrid Rhododendron Garden.
5. Rhododendron ‘Sir Charles Lemon’ on the Visitors Center terrace.
6. Rhododendron davidsonianum, native to China, in lower Rhododendron Glen.