Kubota Gardens
Evil spirits can only travel in a straight line so Fujitaro Kubota staggered his bridge to impede the spirits' path. That's just one of many fascinating discoveries at Seattle's Kubota Gardens. The gardens blend traditional Asian accents with the vast array of Seattle's plant life, yet the effect is far from conventional. The garden conveys Fujitaro's flamboyant individualism tempered by the natural landscape. Fujitaro came to Seattle in the early 1900s and landscaped properties throughout the area.
Bloedel Reserve
When lumber baron Prentice Bloedel began his garden in the 1950s, he wanted it to be a place that captured the mystery and magic of nature. But decades later, the caretakers at the 150-acre reserve weren't above giving nature a hand. One of the spectacular sights at Bloedel Reserve is the moss garden. Caretakers purchased several thousand sections of Irish moss, then cut them into one-inch squares for a total of 275,000 square inches of moss. Once planted, the Irish moss encouraged native mosses to grow in the area and now they all provide a lush carpet of greenery.
Carl English Gardens
The roots of the Carl English gardens are military but this historic collection is far from regimented. Carl English, Jr. began cultivating the garden in the 1930s when the Army Corps of Engineers brought him to the Chittendon Locks area of Seattle. He collected seeds from around the world and the caretakers there today are committed to preserving each of the 500 species of plants on display.
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