Your NHS Board looks forward to welcoming you to a free, in-person event: a self-guided tour of nine unique private gardens that showcase our region’s range of talent and vision. At least one board member will be at each garden, which are owned by a combination of board members and members. Three of these gardens were recently profiled in the Seattle Times Pacific NW Magazine (indicated by *).

This event is free to members, who are welcome to bring one non-member guest. Please register if you are planning to attend. Garden addresses and details will be sent a few days before the event.

South Seattle

Casa Nirvana in historic Mt. Baker is a tapestry garden ingeniously landscaped on a sloped site above street level. A parade of striking foliage and unusual specimens from specialty nurseries on both coasts is punctuated with thoughtfully placed sculpture. Learn more here.

The Garden of Exuberant Refuge in Seward Park flouts convention and invites wonder with a show-stopping 4800 taxa, many of which are from the Southern hemisphere. This revelatory landscape has been created over 30 years thanks to great wit, deep botanical knowledge and global exploration.

West Seattle

This small garden doubles as a living workshop and thrums with color, texture, movement and good flavors. Shades of orange, rust, amber and brown dominate, with the occasional dash of hot pink and violet. Ornamental grasses and evergreens lend structure and frame perennials and edible crops.

Inspired by Kyoto gardens of the early 20th century, this tranquil and transporting garden features a flowing series of changing vistas filled with unusual Asian shrubs and perennials, along with uncommon selections of familiar garden favorites.

*A striking drought-tolerant landscape, where full-sun plants thrive in islands surrounded by crushed gravel pathways. Many species are labeled so visitors can glean inspiration for their own drought-tolerant spaces.

*A whimsical cottage garden centers wildlife-friendly, sustainable practices. This no-turf site is an homage to Pacific Northwest native plants and is filled with natural stonework, bug hotels, varieties of branch fencing, gnome homes and a chicken palace.

*A very mature garden filled with graceful old trees, shrubs, ferns and new introductions. Wander the bark paths, sit in the shade arbor and appreciate the vegetable garden, a 35-year old blueberry plant and stately lion’s head maples.

Bombdiggity Gardens’ rear garden ascends up a series of stairs and terrace walls, creating various seating areas, each with its own microclimate. The sound of a fountain, along with hardy banana, palm, and edibles like persimmon, kiwi and fig create a sense of escape to warmer, far-away lands.

An inviting combo of food and ornamental plants delivers maximum pollinator power, minimal maintenance and room for all creatures great and small, including children and chickens. Embodying Doug Tallamy’s homegrown national park concept, it is a certified pollinator garden through The Xerces Society.