Rutherford Conservatory Updates Ahead! Download (pdf) By Rutherford Conservatory Horticulturist Kim Farmer For those of you who have been visiting the RSBG for some time, it may be hard to believe that the conservatory first opened 16 years ago in September of 2010. Since that time, many plants have grown and flourished in their new […]
by Steve Hootman The genus Mahonia is one of the primary subcollections here at the RSBG (Rhododendron being the primary collection of course). There are around 70 species of Mahonia and these occur from the Himalaya Mountains into southeastern Asia and in North and Central America. The mahonias (sometimes included in the genus Berberis) are […]
By RSBG Horticulturist and Assistant Curator Will Clausen Gardens are living museums and ever changing. Those basic truths, though occasionally frustrating, are a big part of the fun of being a gardener. As 2025 wraps up, I am reflecting on some of the garden projects we completed this year and thinking about things we plan […]
By RSBG Nursery Manager & Assistant Curator, Atsuko Gibson The most frequently asked question here at the garden is, “What is the difference between a rhododendron and an azaleas?” There is a simple answer and a long answer. The simple answer is, all azaleas are rhododendrons, but not all rhododendrons are azaleas. All azaleas belong […]
The Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden (RSBG) has been awarded Silver for Best Attraction in The Seattle Times 2025 Best in the PNW contest – a remarkable achievement for this beloved nonprofit botanical garden. For first-time visitors, stepping into the RSBG can be a transformative experience. Nestled in the heart of Federal Way, the 22-acre woodland […]
Download pdf: Species-Profile-R.-nakaharae-by -Adam-Duell By Adam Duell This plant is available for purchase in the Spring 2023 Catalog. Rhododendron nakaharae is a very compact creeping evergreen azalea. With a typical maximum height of around 1 foot it is most suitable as a ground cover, rock garden, or container plant. Its small size also […]
If you’ve been to our alpine garden, you have probably noticed the most fantastic (possibly the best you have ever seen) display of Adiantum aleuticum var. subpumilum. This plant is basically a dwarf version of our Western Maidenhair fern, Adiantum aleuticum, but only reaching 6 to 8 inches in height. Due to its compactness, it […]
I was brought up on our family farm ‘Woodchester’, near Waiau, in the South Island of New Zealand, where I was introduced to rhododendrons by my mother, June Gardiner. Early education was supervised at home by Mum via the Correspondence school, and then it was off boarding school in Christchurch, and finally to University. I […]
by Britt Board Hi, my name is Britt and I’m not a plant expert. I am but a lowly plant appreciator and part of the administrative team at the RSBG. Since I started in 2018, I’ve been fixing my coworkers with confused stares and asking lots of questions to help me better understand the […]
by Will Clausen In cold midwinter when little else is astir and most of the plants in the garden are in survival mode, one species of rhododendron is ready to burst into a cloud of pink. Rhododendron dauricum is a semi-evergreen thicket-forming shrub native to northeast Asia from Mongolia and northern China east into Siberia, Korea, […]
by Atsuko Gibson I think we all remember when we saw a Himalayan Blue Poppy for the first time. For me, it was in Scotland, where I spent 3 months for my horticultural internship in 2008. Since then, I have been drawn to the clear sky-blue flowers every time I have seen them, just like you. Upon my return from the internship, […]
by Atsuko Gibson Over the years, I seem to get an increasing number of inquiries for small growing rhododendrons. When I get these questions, I have certain rhododendrons in mind to recommend, depending on the availability in our nursery. R. keiskei ‘Yaku Fairy’ and many of the alpine rhododendrons are my usual recommendation, but for […]
by Jillian Demus Sarracenia species, or North American pitcher plants, is a favorite genus of mine – stemming from my love of the harsh and rugged peatland ecosystems. To begin with, a peatland is an accumulation of organic matter due to incomplete decomposition. Like all wetlands, peatlands recycle nutrients, trap eroding soil, filter out polluting […]
By Will Clausen, Gardener at the RSBG Pushing through the layer of accumulated forest duff, leaves folded into pleated spirals with fine hair fringing their margins, the emerging mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) is a reassuring sign of spring. Growth progresses quickly as temperatures warm and days lengthen. The leaves unfurl and expand, gathering steam and becoming […]
by Jillian Demus Rhodora is native to Pennsylvania and New Jersey northward to Ontario, Quebec and the Canadian Maritimes. The name comes from the old genus name, Rhodora, when it was thought to be in its own genus due to the odd, tubeless flowers. In the wild, this azalea blooms in early-late May and mid-June […]
A project I started well over 20 years ago has come into fabulous floral fruition this spring with the Magnolia Grove here at the RSBG in glorious full bloom for the first time. A combination of several factors has led to this grand display including, most importantly, the necessary length of time having passed […]
