This weekend, in honor of the Centennial of the Alaska-Yukon Pacific Exposition, Dunn Gardens was open to the public. Cristine told me about the garden, which was designed by the Olmsted Brothers, who inherited the first landscape design firm in the nation from their father, Frederick Law Olmsted. In addition to designing Central Park, F.L. Olmsted also designed the Landscape Master Plan at my alma mater, so I have an emotional and nostalgic connection to Olmsted designs.
The organic flow of Dunn Gardens and the enticing assortment of plants did not disappoint. Here are some photos from yesterday:
Though based in Brookline, Massachusetts, the Olmstead family regularly designed landscapes well beyond New England and, in many ways, beyond their lifespans. In 1903, the firm was commissioned by the City of Seattle to develop a comprehensive plan to guide the development of the Seattle parks system. One of the specifications (which is one of the reasons I love this city!) was to have a park or a playground accessible within a half mile of every residence - a specification Seattle seems to strive to honor over a century later.
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Dunn Gardens provides private tours, so - as a group - we can schedule a guided tour sometime in the future. If you are interested, please comment here or post in the message boards.
Also, there are special events scheduled for the AYP Exposition Centennial: www.seattleolmsted.org | www.historicseattle.org.
Great photo Hillary! I'm working on getting mine uploaded today (my camera battery died mid-tour). I particularly loved the curators garden- with the slate rockery and the fabulous succulents. I'm so glad we got to see this garden!
Posted by: Cristine | June 09, 2009 at 08:14 AM