Virtual Mother’s Day at the Washington Park Arboretum
Mother’s Day weekend, when Azalea Way is in full bloom, has historically been the busiest weekend of the year for visitors in the Arboretum.
Partners at UW Botanic Gardens, Seattle Parks and Recreation, and the Arboretum Foundation are offering you and your family ways to engage with the Arboretum safely. Check out the great resources below!
Updates for Mother’s Day 2021:
We encourage visitors to plan ahead and avoid crowds by coming early in the morning or on weekdays when possible. Please continue to mask up and social distance according to public health guidance to keep yourselves and your community safe.
This Mother’s Day, Arboretum Drive will not be open for through traffic, and while all parking lots are now open to visitors, they are likely to be very full.
The Graham Visitors Center (GVC) is now open to the public Wednesday through Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., with the Arboretum Gift Shop open 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Please note, due to limited staffing these hours are subject to change. GVC restrooms are open 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. daily, accessible only from the exterior of the building. Other restrooms are available at the bus turnaround in the Pacific Connections Garden, Washington Park Playfield and Seattle Japanese Garden (south end of the Arboretum).
A Mother’s Day Walk through the Arboretum
For many, it’s a tradition to head to Washington Park Arboretum on Mother’s Day when it’s peak bloom for azaleas, rhododendrons, and some magnolia and dogwoods. With social distancing in place, you can help flatten the curve by staying home this Mother’s Day and watching a “slow TV” tour of the Arboretum in bloom, thanks to our production partners at Seattle Channel.
Through virtual story times, self-guided family nature activities, online classes, a plant answer line, and more, we have many ways for you to connect with the environment close to home!
Azalea Way Trivia
Click on the question to reveal its answer!
#1. How long is Azalea Way?
#2. What was the original use of Azalea Way?
#3. What plants can be found on Azalea Way?
Highlighted Plants: May Plant Profiles
Open the History Vault
Video Tour the Washington Park Arboretum (1993): This 26-minute video, produced by the Arboretum Foundation in 1993, provides a brief history and tour of the plant collections at Washington Park Arboretum, Seattle. A lot of changes have taken place in the Arboretum in the 25 years since the video was made (including the construction of the Pacific Connections Garden, Arboretum Loop Trail, and Japanese Garden Gatehouse), but the core information is largely accurate. The video includes some rare footage of late Arboretum Director Brian Mulligan, who was hugely influential in the development of the Arboretum’s prized collections of maples, oaks, mountain ash, magnolias, and camellias.
A Glimpse into the Past: Azalea Way before the Azaleas, by Dr. John Wott, Director Emeritus
A Glimpse into the Past: A view of Azalea Way 70 years prior, by Dr. John Wott, Director Emeritus
Azalea Way, by Paul D. Brown (1945)
Flowering Cherries on Azalea Way, by Brian Mulligan (1990)
Virtual Family Photos
Use these video conferencing backgrounds to capture this year’s Arboretum family photo!
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Photos are from the Arboretum Foundation and Seattle Japanese Garden.