PowellsWood celebrates the meaningful, restorative, and essential connection between people and nature.
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We aim to inspire environmental appreciation and stewardship by sharing a tranquil cultivated garden with the community, practicing sustainable gardening, and protecting a 37-acre nature preserve.
PowellsWood is a non-profit organization that champions environmental stewardship and celebrates nature’s ability to create community, connections, and tranquility.
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Your admission fee directly supports PowellsWood’s conservation efforts and the upkeep of the garden. Make a donation or sign up for a Membership to keep the garden thriving for generations to come.
Explore PowellsWood
House Garden & Patio
Picnic under the umbrellas on the patio amidst a symphony of color. The House Garden beds are planted with towering hardy banana plants (Musa basjoo) and dozens of perennials in all shapes, colors, and sizes.
“Walked around with my friend took me back to Hawaii. So many beautiful flowers and garden architectural features.”
— Mikayla
Woodland & Moss Garden
Native trees and ferns create an almost architectural feel in this serene, canopied section. Beneath the Douglas firs (Pseudotsuga menziesii), you’ll find a new addition and visitor favorite: the Moss Garden. Carpets of moss cover the forest floor, putting on an especially stunning show during our cold and wet months, when the moss is its most healthy and vibrant.
“Fell in love with this hidden gem, perfect for a short hike that winds through the forest and leads to a babbling brook. So peaceful and tranquil.”
— Renee
The Entry Garden
Much like a foyer in a home, the Entry Garden welcomes you with a rotunda of plants created by Portuguese laurel hedges (Prunus lusitanica), beech trees (Fagus species), and Japanese maples (Acer species and cultivars).
“I found this little garden most delightful. Quiet, serene, excellent photo subjects: flowers, rabbits, hummingbirds, lush foliage. Oh, and beautiful benches to sit, read, photograph. Get away from it all....”
—RudVyonne
Shade Garden & Trellis
Relax or picnic under a large wood trellis adorned with climbing roses and vining plants. Apart from the shade of the trellis, the trees offer even more respite from the sunny Perennial Border. Noteworthy Shade Garden specimens include coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens), and orangebark Stewartia (Stewartia monadelpha). This transitional area bridges the more cultivated sections of the garden with the more naturalistic areas like the Woodland Garden and the Nature Preserve.
“Small privately maintained garden, recovered from a development wasteland plot. Beautiful example of a reclaimed garden.”
— CJ
The Spring Garden
Lined with mature Shirotae cherry blossom trees (Prunus ‘Shirotae’), the Spring Garden follows a meandering lawn path that comes alive in early spring. This area is a photographer’s favorite for its floral displays.
“It was a very great walk throughout the garden. The garden is beautiful and the leaves are changing their colors. It's nice to get away from the city and enjoy a quiet nature walk.”
— Bo, Local Guide
The Perennial Border
The Perennial Border is a marriage of form and function. Sidled up next to a recirculating stream that channels water from seasonal run-off, the Perennial Border demonstrates a judicious and sustainable use of water. The tiered garden displays next to the stream include trees, shrubs, and perennials with impressive foliage and flowers. Enclosed by Leyland cypress hedges (Cupressus x leylandii), this space feels secluded and far from the bustle of urban life.
“From a ravine where trashed cars were abandoned and plants would not grow on polluted soils, PowellsWood Garden has grown. Wandering, you can enjoy the beauty, the abundance of many life forms, and experience what stewardship for a piece of land and sustainable gardening practices can do. You may learn what they might do for you as you garden.”
— Tanya DeMarsh Dodson, horticulturalist, public garden activist”
Nature Preserve & Cold Spring Trailhead
Under a canopy of iconic Pacific Northwest trees, you’ll find a fern-covered ravine and native plants that are essential for the survival of local wildlife. With the unprecedented development of the Seattle metropolitan area, PowellsWood’s Nature Preserve is a critical wildlife habitat and urban greenspace for western Washingtonians.