Kubota Garden, 2022

 

 

 

 

 One of the ponds in the garden

 

 

 Another pond, this one with a traditional Japanese bridge

 

Even though this has been a cooler than normal Spring in the Pacific Northwest and there is still snow in the mountains, we put away the ski gear.  It was time to get out enjoy the early blossoms and new growth.  A first choice was a public garden park not too far from home.  We have visited Kubota Garden before at various times of the year.  Since it is still fairly cold, fewer things were blooming but it was still lovely and not very crowded.  While the basic design of the garden remains the same, each time we visit we notice small changes such as plants being removed or added.  This time we also noticed that an updated restroom was being constructed as well as some new ADA wheelchair accessible paths.  

 

 

Waterfalls, stepping stones and bridges across pools can be found here and there in the garden.

 

 

There were ducks swimming in one of the ponds.  When we have visited before it was later in the season and Koi and turtles could been found in the ponds too.  

 

 

 

There are several Japanese stone features and a few rocks with Japanese characters etched in them.  Just inside the main entrance to the Garden is a large bronze bell.  Bob is testing out the sound quality.  It produces a pleasant deep bong sound. 

 

The garden is a blend of Japanese and American gardening.  

 

 

 

Quince

 

 

Currant

 

 Rhododendron

 

Magnolia

 

 

Unidentified exotic, growing on the edge of the water

Japanese Maple with new leaves

 

Mr. Kubota started this garden in the 1920s as a way to advertise his landscaping business and to show what plants he had available.  Today it is a public park with free parking and no entrance fee.  The garden is supported by the Kubota Foundation.  Donations are welcome.

 

For more information about Mr. Kubota and the garden, see:

https://kubotagarden.org/index.html

 

Winter walk in the Arboretum

Footbridge

It is hard to believe that it is still winter here in Seattle with the sun shining and temperatures hovering around 60 degrees F.   We took a walk in the Washington Park Arboretum and found many beautiful flowering trees and smaller plants in full bloom.  There is a winter garden in the Arboretum but some of those plants were past their prime bloom and had already started to fade even though it is not even the month of March yet.  The parking lots nearest the visitor center were all full so we drove a short distance down the road and found an almost empty lot next to an old footbridge, pictured above, that neither of us had ever crossed before.  By the time we finished our walk about 90 minutes later that lot was also full.  The gardens are large, however, so although we saw people it did not feel crowded.

Star Magnolias

Hellebore

Cyclamen

In most parts of the United States Cyclamen is an indoor plant but here in Seattle it grows very well outdoors.

Rhododendron

Crocus

 

There are natural areas as well as planned and planted sections.  It all blends together.  It is pretty amazing to have this beautiful park right in the middle of a busy, large city and be able to feel like it is not in a city.

Flowering Cherry tree

 

 Smooth bark trees

 

 Toward the end of our walk we stopped at the "Lookout" before returning to the parking lot and home.  This would be a lovely spot for a picnic lunch--rain or no rain.

 Looking toward the northwest from the Lookout

Edmonds Waterfront Park

Following several days of pouring rain it was wonderful to have a dry, sunny day to get outside for a walk.  We have walked along the Edmonds Waterfront Park before but it had been a while so it seemed the perfect place to spend the afternoon.

The park is really a strip of beach, metal bridges and walkways along the shore.  There is a large marina, dry dock and breakwater incorporated into the park too.  The Edmonds ferry terminal interrupts the park for a short space and then the walkway continues to the north.  We went as far as the end of the southern path but stopped just short of the terminal.  It was fun to look at all the beautiful sailboats and cruisers in the marina.  The boats in dry dock on the tiers are loaded up with a forklift then taken down in the same manner, put on a boat elevator to be lowered into the water.  The sailboats have deep keels and tall masts so they are moored in the water.

There are several pieces of public art along the walkway too.

This fish sculpture turns in the wind.  The fish are black when facing one direction and silver when turned the opposite way.

Young seal taking a sunbath

 Harbor seals frequent this area.  We saw two live young seals dozing on a float and bronze sculptures of seals on the sidewalk.

Bronze Limpet shells decorated the raised bulkhead

This next sculpture reminded me of the “Waiting for the Interurban” in Fremont.  It shows people looking out to sea and even includes the ever present seagulls.

Even the manhole cover looked like a shell . . .

There were flower boxes too with miniature daffodils in bloom

We watched a ferry come in at the dock then turned around and started back to the car.

The end of a beautiful afternoon . . .