Message from the Garden Staff on Earth Day

The Garden Staff at the Seattle Japanese Garden is working in conjunction with the SPR and City of Seattle to take an active and positive role in improving our environmental responsibility. Over the past several years and into the future, we have been and will increasingly be implementing changes that will reduce our emission of dangerous pollutants, reduce our use of fossil fuels, help to improve biodiversity, and protect our ecosystem.

Chie IidaApril 21, 2023

Royal Azalea, a Fragrant Spring Beauty

With the elegant simplicity of its lightly fragrant April flowers, Rhododendron schlippenbachii (royal azalea) is especially appropriate for gardens influenced by Japanese aesthetics, including our Seattle Japanese Garden.

Yukari YamanoApril 17, 2023

A Japanese Camellia with Lovely Formal Double Pink Flowers, Opening in March

The Camellia japonica located south of the Seattle Japanese Garden’s original gate begins blooming in March with lovely “formal double” flowers. Shell pink, with darker edges and pointed petals, they appear perfectly formed.

Plants and BloomsYukari YamanoMarch 22, 2023Camellia

Distylium Coppertone™, a Newly Available Evergreen Shrub, is Attractive in All Seasons

Coppertone™ is a compact hybrid of the little-known genus Distylium. Like the other exciting new hybrids, Coppertone™ is an easy-care shrub with attractive evergreen foliage, grows well in full sun or part shade, and tolerates heat, drought, and wet soils. All are resistant to disease, insects, and damage from deer & rabbits. (Bailey Nurseries)

In the Garden, Plants and BloomsCorinne KennedyFebruary 24, 2023Distylium, gardening

Way of Tea and the Art of Listening

Chado, Japanese Culture, Tea CeremonyYukari YamanoFebruary 3, 2023tea ceremony, Japanese culture, tea house

The Garden’s Green Legacy Hiroshima Plants: An Update

History, Plants and Blooms, In the GardenYukari YamanoFebruary 3, 2023Greenlegacyhiroshima, Gingko

Oosoji (大掃除), Japanese Big Year-End-Cleaning

In December, the Japanese conduct a year-end-cleaning. They clean houses, schools, offices and public spaces to prepare for the coming New Year. It is called Oosouji (大掃除), which literally means “Big Cleaning.”

Japanese CultureYukari YamanoDecember 9, 2022year end cleaning, cleaning, Japanese cleaning, oosoji, susuharai

A Diary of My Japan Study Tour

In November of 2022, Pete Putnicki, Seattle Japanese Garden Senior Gardener, toured Japanese gardens across Japan. The tour was hosted by the North American Japanese Garden Association (NAJGA) and was joined by garden professionals from public Japanese gardens from seven states. This is a diary of the trip by Pete himself.

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