Experience an enchanting botanical collection in a Pacific Northwest forest filled with colorful, rare, and interesting plants from all over the world.

The Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden, located between Seattle and Tacoma, is a 22-acre woodland garden that is home to the largest collection of Rhododendron species in the world. Visitors will experience a diverse botanical collection in a forest of Douglas fir, western red cedar, hemlock and other native plants. The garden is also home to beautiful companion plants, including the famous Himalayan Blue Poppies, Camellias, Magnolias, Japanese maples, and many rare plants. Open year-round during visiting hours, our nursery sells many of the plants you’ll see in the garden.  View Our Video

As a living museum, the RSBG conserves and shares its international collection with both the scientific community and the general public. Known worldwide for the garden’s contributions to scholarship and research, the RSBG’s educational and scientific offerings include the annual Rhododendron Species Symposium, seed and pollen distribution, and a twice yearly catalog with a huge selection of rare and beautiful plants offered for purchase.
Education is a cornerstone of our mission – we offer workshops, tours, classes, and public events that promote an understanding of and appreciation for biodiversity and conservation.
The garden is both a global resource and a place to relax and enjoy nature’s beauty. Learn about garden features below.

VISITOR CENTER – Start your adventure here at the Visitor Center, where you’ll fine informative panels about the garden, plant hunting, and rhododendrons. Pick up a seasonal self-guided map that highlights interesting details and stories about the collection. The Visitor Center is also a shop that offers a curated selection of everything from gardening tools to jewelry, housewares, artisanal salts and spices, RSBG merchandise, and more.

PLANT SHOP – Visit our year-round nursery with plants that have been propagated and cultivated in our own production greenhouses, as well as a rotating selection of plants from premiere nurseries from around Puget Sound. Many of the same plants that you see in the garden are for sale here – if you see something you like on your visit, be sure to stop by our plant shop to take one home!

RUTHERFORD CONSERVATORY – The conservatory is home to begonias, orchids, tree ferns and a collection of tropical rhododendrons known as vireyas. The plants you see in this 5000 square foot space are native to far-flung places like Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, Borneo, and other areas of Southeast Asia. With colorful and fragrant flowers on display every day of the year, the conservatory is a great destination in all four seasons. The best time to visit is during the winter, when many of the most exotic plants are in bloom. The seating area, warmth, and sound of falling water make for a peaceful spot to relax during your visit.

VICTORIAN STUMPERY – The Stumpery is a visitor favorite with a magical, other-worldly feel. RSBG is home to the world’s largest public stumpery, with ferns, hostas, and groundcovers spilling over mossy stumps and logs in a half-acre garden. The Stumpery serves as the primary display garden for the Hardy Fern Foundation, which was established to build a comprehensive collection of hardy ornamental ferns for public display, information, and education.

What is a stumpery? An intentional arrangement of woody materials like stumps, old logs, and twisted root masses that creates an ideal habitat for ferns and other interesting plants. Beyond their advantageous positioning for growing small and delicate plants, the arrangement of the logs and stumps creates an enchanting and architectural scene.

BIG-LEAF RHODODENDRON GARDEN – The Big-Leaf Garden boasts spectacular rhododendron foliage and a near complete collection of big leaf Rhododendron subsections Falconera and Grandia. Rhododendron leaves come in spectacular sizes, with the largest one in the garden measuring up to two feet in length! Every big-leaf species is represented by numerous specimens, each a distinct seedling grown from various wild collections. The big-leaf garden is set amidst a canopy of indigenous Pacific Northwest trees and carpets of ferns and wildflowers.

AZALEA COLLECTION – Did you know that azaleas are part of the Rhododendron genus? There are both deciduous (the leaves fall off in the winter) and evergreen azaleas with most of the deciduous species native to North America and most of the evergreen coming from Japan and China. Most of our azaleas bloom just after the rhododendrons, providing vibrant blooms all the way through mid-summer.

ALPINE GARDEN – Most of the plants in the Alpine Garden are native to the high mountains of Europe and Asia, growing at altitudes of 10,000 to 14,000 feet or more. Many of the rhododendrons from these regions feature a dwarf and compact growth habit and very small leaves which are adaptations to their rigorous natural environment.

POND GARDEN – The pond garden is a serene spot ringed with rhododendrons, Japanese maples, and wildflowers. On the margins of the pond you will see many differently colored iris, cattail and other moisture-loving plants. In spring, the pond garden is a hub for all kinds of creatures, including herons, ducks, salamanders and frogs.

BLUE POPPY (MECONOPSIS) MEADOW – Notoriously difficult to grow and incredibly beautiful, Himalayan Blue Poppies are a rare and exquisite plant with tall stems and true blue, paper-like petals appearing from mid-April to mid-June. Celebrate their bloom at our annual Blue Poppy Day festival, which includes an art market, food and plant sales.

UPPER WOODLAND GARDEN – Situated near the entrance, the Upper Woodland Garden is home to big-leaf rhododendrons, magnolias, colorful groundcovers, poppies, and more. An homage to our forest setting, the plants in this area complement and thrive amidst native cedar, hemlock, and Douglas fir trees.

GAZEBO – The gazebo sits near the middle of the garden, perched in a prominent position at the very top of the Alpine Garden. From this vantage you have views of much of the surrounding garden. The rhododendron that surrounds the entrance to the gazebo (Rhododendron degronianum ssp. yakushimanum) is found naturally only at the very top of an ancient volcano in Japan but is also quite happy here at the RSBG! Visit in May to be surrounded by masses of white and pale pink flowers. Ample seating is available inside of the gazebo and it’s a great spot to rest and take photos during your visit.

MEADOW – Nestled between rhododendrons, Douglas firs, and maples, the meadow is a sunny spot with fantastic views of the surrounding woodland landscape.

MAGNOLIA GROVE – The Magnolia Grove features wild species magnolias from the mountain forests of China and the Himalayas. These species have large leaves and incredibly huge pink or white flowers, often up to ten inches across. These bloom in March before the new leaves emerge and put on a spectacular display along with the early-blooming rhododendrons and daffodils planted beneath.