Pacific Connections Project|
Master Plan Interpretation &
Contact Us Washington
Park Arboretum Phone:
(206) 543-8800 |
Pacific Connections Garden opens at the Arboretum Seattle's Chinese Community Drill Team performs at the Pacific Connections Garden opening celebrationThank you to all of the volunteers, donors, community members, and staff who made the Pacific Connections opening celebration a success. Over 150 people braved autumn's arrival to tour the gardens, hear live music, listen to storytellers, and travel around the world together. If you missed the opening, it's not too late to take a tour with the experts! Pacific Connections Garden is free and open to the public, and audio tours will be available online and at the Graham Visitors Center beginning in October.
Read all about us in the Seattle Times and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.The Pacific Connections Garden will display plants from around the Pacific Rim in an exciting new garden covering 12 acres at the south end of the Arboretum. The garden will feature a central meadow and interpretive shelter surrounded by five preview gardens and eco-geographic forests. The countries represented will be Chile, China, New Zealand, Australia, and our home region of Cascadia, US.
Image courtesy of Seattle P-I article 5/30/07
UpdatesConstructionPhase I of the project is underway with an expected completion date of fall 2008. The first phase includes the preview gardens, meadow, interpretive shelter and the trail through the Cascadia Forest. 
Interpretive Shelter - June 2008
Holly GardenAs part of the Pacific Connections project, UW Botanic Gardens transplanted 37 Ilex specimens to the area bounded by Boyer Avenue to the north, and Lake Washington Boulevard to the east.
Moving hollies - fall 2007
Arboretum Drive ClosureThe south end of Arboretum Drive will be closed during construction. Visitors can still enter Arboretum Drive from the north but must do a u-turn at parking lot #3 (see trail map). GroundbreakingThe groundbreaking ceremony took place on October 11th, 2007 in the Arboretum. Over 100 people attended, including Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, UW Provost Phyllis Wise, and other key officials pictured below. 
Ground breaking ceremony - October 11th, 2007 In the NewsThe links below will take you outside the UWBG website. “New Garden makes Pacific Connections”, UW News “Sprucing up a place for plants”, Seattle Times “‘Pacific Connections’ at the Arboretum”, KUOW “Big changes coming to Arboretum’s south end”, Seattle PI
About the ProjectThe University of Washington and the City of Seattle, with support from the Arboretum Foundation, are working together to implement the first major garden of the Arboretum master plan project, the Pacific Connections Garden. This project received priority due to its ability to fulfill the master plan’s primary elements: conservation, education and recreation. The City of Seattle has hired Portico Group to develop designs for the garden and interpretive signage. The Arboretum Foundation raised $2 million for construction of Phase I.
Phase IThe first phase of the project is currently underway and should be completed by fall 2008. This phase includes the preview gardens, meadow, interpretive shelter, and the trail through the Cascadia Forest.
Preview Gardens
The preview gardens showcase plants from five Pacific Rim regions and demonstrate how to use these plants in horticulture. Situated along the perimeter of an open meadow, these garden vignettes offer visitors an introduction to the focal forests. Because there are such a wide array of plants in the preview gardens, “iconic plants” have been chosen to represent each of the regions. These are plants that have special significance in their native regions because of their traditional uses, roles in the ecosystem, and beauty. The iconic plants are depicted in the signage and grown in the preview gardens surrounding the meadow. Western red cedar (Thuja plicata) for Cascadia; monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana) for Chile; snow gum (Eucalyptus pauciflora) for Australia; ginkgo (Ginkgo bilboa) for China; and New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax) for New Zealand – each iconic plant tells a story about the importance of plants in that culture.
Interpretive Shelter
Preparing the logs for carving - fall 2007
The interpretive shelter is at the south end of the meadow. Pomegranate Center and the Portico Group designed the interpretive shelter, which is made of cedar logs salvaged from within the Arboretum. The shelter has been designed with a green roof and carved columns. Because the interpretive themes are based on plants and people, columns include carving patterns inspired by indigenous cultures from the five regions. The logs were carved by volunteers during a series of eight public workshops in the summer and fall of 2007.
Future PhasesFocal ForestsFive paths will lead out from the meadow into the focal forests. While the preview gardens offer an introduction to each country’s plants, their horticultural uses, and varieties, the larger focal forests will give you an opportunity to enter into a representative forest from a specific region within each of the five countries. These forests will offer a glimpse into how these plants grow in the wild.
How to ContributeCome be a part of this significant project! Your gift will make our vision for Pacific Connections a reality. If you are interested in contributing please contact Julia Maywald, Arboretum Foundation Director of Major Gifts Initiatives (206-325-4510). You can also visit the Arboretum Foundation website at www.arboretumfoundation.org.
Contact InformationIf you would like more information about the project please contact Fred Hoyt,
FAQWhy does the south end of the Arboretum need to be altered?Most visitors to the Arboretum concentrate around the north end so the Master Plan calls for a new garden that will attract visitors to the south end. Pacific Connections will revitalize the south end and provide educational opportunities for the public. How will parking in the Arboretum be affected?During construction Arboretum Drive will be closed from parking lot #3 to the intersection of Arboretum Drive and Lake Washington Boulevard. During future construction phases parking lots #2 and #3 will be removed and a new parking lot will be added, increasing the number of parking spaces from 12 to 20. How will the construction impact Arboretum use?Arboretum Drive will be closed from parking lot #3 to Lake Washington What is the purpose of building a new interpretive shelter?The shelter will provide cultural and botanical interpretation of the adjacent Pacific Rim gardens. The shelter will also serve as a covered meeting place for school groups and visitors who are excited to learn more about the Pacific Connections Garden. How will the existing plants in the south end of the Arboretum be affected?Every effort has been made to retain plants significant to our collections. Many of the trees and shrubs will be left as is, some will be relocated and others will be removed. How were the Pacific Rim regions chosen?The five regions represented in the Pacific Connections Garden were selected because they share similarities to Seattle’s climate. How do you know the new plants aren’t going to become invasive?Each plant selected for the Pacific Connections Garden has been carefully screened for invasiveness. For more information please read "Avoiding the Next Plantzilla" which can be found on page 8 of the Camas Quarterly (Winter 2007). How much money is needed for this project?For more information on the funding for this project please see how to contribute. When will the entire project be completed?Phase I of the project will be completed in fall 2008. The remaining phases of the project will be completed as funding is received.
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