As the weather warms, there’s a bounty of blooms to be found throughout Pierce County. Whether at local parks, carefully tended historic gardens, or even on a college campus, flowers and blossoming trees are in abundance. Thankfully, these treats for the eyes – and sometimes the nose – are easy and fun to discover in our area.
Point Defiance
Located in Tacoma’s North End, this park is over 700 acres and boasts one of the largest selections of blooms on view in the city. Point Defiance has a number of gardens with flowers, trees and bushes that bloom throughout the year. In addition to a smattering of blooms located throughout the park, Point Defiance also has several specific gardens devoted to entire species.
For instance, there’s a rhododendron garden, a Northwest native plant garden, and an iris garden. Additionally, in the summer months, you can stroll through the park’s large rose and dahlia gardens. Besides the specific gardens, there are plenty of other floral displays that can be seen at the park. Daffodils, magnolias, camellias and cherry blossoms, just to name a few, bloom in various locations at Point Defiance in the spring.
Point Defiance is located at 5400 North Pearl Street. Find out more about all the blooms you can experience at Point Defiance by visiting the Metro Parks Tacoma website.
Lakewold Gardens
A historic garden estate in Lakewood, Lakewold Gardens offers several individual gardens located throughout their grounds. Although admission to the gardens isn’t free, the price ranges between $7 to $9 per person, depending on variables such as the visitor’s age or group size.
Visitors can take self-guided tours of the grounds, and view the variety of plants, flowers and shrubs found on the property. A few of the blooms that can be seen throughout the warmer months are hydrangea, peony, magnolia, wisteria and others.
Lakewold Gardens is located at 12317 Gravelly Lake Drive SW. To find out more, visit them on Facebook, Instagram, on their website or call them at 253-584-4106.
Wright Park and W.W. Seymour Conservatory
An arboretum located in the heart of downtown Tacoma, Wright Park offers several types of flowering trees and shrubs. Visitors can take in the sights of the camellia, eastern redbud, dogwood and magnolia blossoms that bloom throughout the park. But there’s also the W.W. Seymour Conservatory in the center of the park. The conservatory offers free admission, but donations of $3 per guest are suggested.
If you choose to step into the conservatory, you will discover a plethora of tropical plants and flowers. For instance, there are over 200 orchids, which are always in bloom, as well as hellebore and hydrangea. There are also exhibits of grand floral displays that change throughout the seasons. A few types of flowers you can expect to see on display are azaleas, tulips, begonias and lilies.
Wright Park is located at 316 South G Street in Tacoma. Find out more about the types of flowers you can view at Wright Park and W.W. Seymour Conservatory by visiting the Metro Parks Tacoma website.
University of Washington Tacoma
While not a public park or cultivated garden, the University of Washington Tacoma campus has blooms throughout the school grounds. Located in downtown Tacoma, there’s a refreshing bit of greenery and flowers sprinkled throughout the campus. From daffodils and blossoming trees, to flowers and shrubs, there’s a lot of vibrant blooms to be found on this small urban campus.
University of Washington Tacoma is located at 1900 Commerce Street.
Wapato Park
Nestled in a busy area of South Tacoma, Wapato Park is a great place to spy a number of flowering trees and shrubs, from camellia and rhododendron bushes to magnolia trees. There’s also a variety of flowers that are planted throughout the park. The types of flowers change according to the seasons, but hanging floral baskets filled with colorful sprays such as petunias or impatiens hang from the park’s historic pergola during the spring and summer. And near the park’s main entrance, lively, bright rows of flowers such as snapdragons, begonias or geraniums can typically be found throughout the warmer months.
Wapato Park is located at 6500 South Sheridan Avenue in Tacoma. Find out more about Wapato Park by visiting the Metro Parks Tacoma website.
Homestead Park
At just over five acres, Homestead Park in University Place is a small, yet mighty outdoor space bursting with blooms. This park is a green oasis in the middle of a bustling area of the city. There’s a variety of rhododendrons to see, as well as other flowering shrubs, blossoming trees and floral vines.
Homestead Park is located at 3761 Bridgeport Way West. Find out more about the park at the City of University Place Parks website.
