Friends from Florida wrote me that they want to visit gardens when they attend a conference in Lacey, WA, at the end of June, 2008. The little I know follows. Can you think of others?

"The University of Washington has a very good arboretum within which is a quite satisfying Japanese garden. Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, the State Capital in Olympia, and Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle are home to some of the best known gardens not far from Lacey. There is also a rhododendron garden in Federal Way, but it probably won't be in bloom at the end of June."

How about the Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island?

http://www.bloedelreserve.org/

Your friends may want to visit Lakewold Gardens or Thornewood Castle and Gardens in Lakewood, WA (Pierce county) which is about 30 minutes south of Lacey off I-5.

http://www.lakewoldgardens.org/visitors.htm

http://www.thornewoodcastle.com/

Also check the Travel Planner listing off the lakewold site for other gardens in the region.

I'm not sure where Lacey is, but this is a beauty and will be blooming in June!

www.bellevuebotanical.org

I'm sure they'd enjoy Lakewold (which is also fairly close). I would tell them not to miss the Bloedel Reserve, which is a long drive, but is truly special for the beauty of the gardens/reserve and the quiet. Your friends would need to get reservations.

Thanks for the great ideas. I've never been to Bloedel Reserve or Lakewood Gardens. I will check them out in the spring.

HTTY

Kubota Gardens is lovely. It is off of I-5 in the south part of Seattle.

http://www.kubota.org/

Er, NW Native, aren't Lakewold Gardens (and Lakewood) south of Tacoma, not Lacey? We go past them every time we go to McChord or Ft. Lewis, both of which are north of Lacey.

I think the Kubota Gardens are beatutiful. I also like the Arboretum.

Whoops - Thanks for the correction Bobmgr! I was having one of those reverse thinking days. #-o

Yep, that should have been abt 30 NORTH of Lacey.

Got that htty?

Thanks, NWNative. I didn't notice your directions because I know where Lakewood is located--I have a cousin who lives there. HTTY