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Native Plant Synoptic Garden
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in his masters thesis entitled A Foundation for a Synoptic Garden of Native Plants of Puget
Sound for the Washington Park Arboretum completed in 2003. The intent of our design,
congruent with the ideas developed by these two parties, is to present a brief visual synopsis of
the three principal geomorphic landforms present at the arboretum vegetated with a palette of
native plants possessing ethnobotanical, ecological, conservational and/or horticultural interest.
As emphasized in Van Hoven’s thesis, the synoptic garden should be representative of the native
plants present in the arboretum’s collection, and provide a location for their interpretation (Van
Hoven, 2003). Contrary to Van Hoven’s proposed location near the Wilcox footbridge, we have
selected a site near the Graham Visitors Center. As this is the main visitor entrance to the park, a
synoptic garden in this location could provide both a visual introduction to the park’s collection
as well as an educational garden in close proximity to the main hub of the visitor’s center and
proposed educational building.
The three principal geomorphic landforms present in the park as identified in the Master
Plan are forested ridges, valley bottoms and marshes. In our design, we are proposing dividing
the forested ridge vegetative zone into two separate zones, the “Forested Ridge” and the “Alpine
Zone”, as well as splitting the wetland into an upper and lower wetland. In this manner our
design can present a greater diversity of plants each with distinct characteristics and habitat
requirements, thus enhancing both the complexity as well as the educational and conservational
potential of the synoptic garden. Each vegetative zone contains a variety of native trees and
shrubs, both natural “wild” specimens as well as their cultivated counterparts, in order to illustrate
each selected species horticultural and ecological importance. In addition, ethnobotanical and
other points of interest will be interpreted through signage. In this manner native plants can be
viewed in their varied cultivated forms with the intent of showing their application to the home
gardener. Furthermore, not only will the users of the garden be exposed to potential native plants
for their gardens, but also to each plant’s particular ecological and cultural significance.
Design Proposal by Zone
Based on our analysis of the site considering topography, aspect, and other site
conditions, we have created a site design that is separated into zones. The following sections will
present specific characteristics of each zone.