There’s A Secret Garden Hiding In Washington’s Largest City, And It’s Enchanting

Washington is full of beautiful gardens. From our Japanese gardens to our secluded slices of heaven, it's clear that the Evergreen State is the perfect nickname for our corner of the world. And believe it or not, there's a hidden garden in north Seattle called The Dunn Gardens. Here's why you'll want to visit as soon as possible.

The Dunn Gardens are located in the Broadview neighborhood of Seattle, which sits north of Ballard and Greenwood.

This isn't an area frequented by tourists, and there are quite a few locals who don't even know this place exists.

The garden got its start in 1914, Arthur Dunn purchased 10 acres of undeveloped rural land.

The following year, he approached the Olmsted Brothers, a renowned landscape design firm. The idea was to build a country cottage and use the property as a summer home.

The Dunn family did, in fact, spend every summer here until Arthur died in 1945.

The grounds were divided among family members and three new homes were established. The original family summer house was destroyed in 1949, but a new one was built in its place.

Edward Bernard Dunn, one of Arthur's sons, was the one who started converting the property into the magical garden it is today.

Edward Dunn took care of the garden until his death in 1991 — and the plants that remain are a testament to his love of all things green.

These days, the Dunn Gardens are managed by a small team of passionate people who want to preserve and enhance the vision of the Dunn family.

While the property is privately owned, it's available for rent for weddings and other events.

Outside of the annual fundraising events, there are three ways to visit the garden: private tours, open days, and wanders, where members and up to four guests can wander the grounds.

And while current conditions have forced the Dunn Gardens to close to the public, members and a few guests are still allowed to visit by booking a tour.

The Dunn Gardens were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.

Come explore this beautiful piece of living history.

If you love lush gardens and want to help preserve this beautiful place, check out the Dunn Gardens membership options.