Washington Park Arboretum is a project started collectively by The University of Washington, The Seattle Parks and Recreation Department and the Arboretum Foundation.

The project targets to improve the Washington Park of Seattle, known for being a home to numerous plant and tree species. It is a 230 acre park located near Lake Washington and is a popular destination for those who wish to explore rare plant species some of which are found nowhere else.

The park has been given the status of being a special purpose park as it accommodates over 40,000 species of trees, shrubs and plants not only to conserve them, but also to help in scientific and educational researches. The project aims at restoring the condition of the park that has been an issue of concern due to dying pants and trees.

Visitors to the park can enjoy the company of some of the exotic varieties of plants and trees. Asiatic Maples, Camellias, Japanese Maples, Hollies, Larches, Lindens, Legumes, Mountain Ashes, Walnut Family and many other interesting species are worth admiring.

Pacific Connections Garden within the Washington Park is the section to explore wonderful varieties of plants from Australia, New Zealand, China, Chile and Cascadia.

You must visit Woodland Garden in the park to explore Japanese maples in autumn and dogwood in spring.

Witt Winter Garden is the home to cedars, firs and various shrubs and perennials. Silk tassel, sweet box, rhododendron and barberries are the major attractions of this section. Cottonwoods, willows, alder grove, sleek madrona and pines can be found at the shoreline of the park.

An arboretum is nothing more than a collection of trees. In today's trend towards urbanization, one thing that really suffers is old growth forests. Most green spaces in cities are steadily decreasing due to the advent of construction and need for more land to build more houses, hotels and Seattle hotel rooms. But fortunately, there are a few places in our country, which have been consciously preserved and protected. The Washington Park Arboretum is one such place.

University of Washington Botanic Gardens

The University of Washington Botanic Garden site is a fabulous treasure trove of information about the Washington Park Arboretum. It contains glowing descriptions, informative write ups and even has a whole host of details concerning the various tours and options available. One interesting link to browse through is the Shoreline project link. Do remember to check it out.

http://depts.washington.edu/wpa/index.htm

The Arboretum Foundation

Because it is such a unique and pleasing green space, the Washington Park Arboretum actually has its own foundation! This foundation is responsible for running all the events and programs organized in the Arboretum. The foundation also runs a number of volunteer and donation programs and the funds raised through these means contribute in no small measure towards the upkeep and maintenance of the Arboretum.

http://www.arboretumfoundation.org/

User views and reviews

As always, Yelp.com is a tremendous help when it comes to seeking out information online. And user views and reviews about the Washington Park Arboretum are plentiful and informative. The place has nearly 67 reviews and most of them are reviews from actual tourists and travellers who have experience the scenic pleasures of the Arboretum for themselves.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/washington-park-arboretum-seattle-2