The Bellevue Botanical Garden Society (BBGS), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the primary partner of the Garden and supports educational programming, horticultural learning, and visitor services. Through programs, events, volunteers, and community partnerships, BBGS helps connect visitors with the unique plants, ecosystems, and gardening practices of the Pacific Northwest.
Nearly 500,000 people visit the Bellevue Botanical Garden each year. They include people who live, work, and play in Bellevue, as well as families, school groups, and visitors from across the region and around the world who come to experience the natural beauty that the Bellevue Botanical Garden has to offer. The Garden is the top attraction for the City of Bellevue on Tripadvisor, and was voted by the public as the Best Public Garden in KING 5’s 2023 Best NW Escapes. As our community continues to grow and evolve, BBGS is taking a thoughtful look at how we can improve and strengthen our visitor experiences. Our goal is to expand access to horticultural learning in ways that reflect the needs of our diverse community and align with the long-term goals of the organization.
This includes evaluating how visitors engage with the Garden, what kinds of educational and interpretive experiences are most meaningful, and how volunteer opportunities can best support our mission long into the future. Our programs reflect years of dedicated service and care from staff, volunteers, and community members, and they continue to evolve in response to audience needs and available resources. As our community’s needs and expectations continue to change, we believe there is an opportunity to thoughtfully evolve alongside them, while remaining grounded in our focus on exceptional horticultural education centered on the Pacific Northwest.
A big first step in this evolution was the completion of the Garden’s first Interpretive Plan in 2021. Today, as part of our commitment to providing exceptional programs while our community and Garden grow and change, BBGS is considering a range of ideas and themes related to accessibility, educational engagement, volunteer participation, and visitor services. These are exploratory conversations intended to help guide future planning and should not be interpreted as finalized programs or commitments. Examples of areas being discussed include:
- Exploring opportunities for visitor engagement across different days and times to improve access for a wider range of schedules
- Considering multilingual educational experiences and multilingual training materials that better serve our diverse language community
- Evaluating flexible volunteer participation models, including hybrid, multilingual, and self-paced training opportunities to reduce participation barriers related to work schedules, transportation, or caregiving responsibilities
- Assessing ways to strengthen accessibility through interpretive materials, interpretive planning and signage, digital learning content, and physical visitor accommodations
- Exploring additional hybrid and online learning opportunities for our community members engaging with the Garden beyond an in-person visit
- Expanding youth and intergenerational educational programming through partnerships with schools and/or community organizations
- Discussing ways to strengthen community partnerships and deepen connections with neighborhoods across Bellevue and the surrounding region
Volunteers remain an important part of the Bellevue Botanical Garden community. In 2025, more than 400 volunteers contributed over 17,500 hours. We are deeply grateful to the many individuals who have shared their time, knowledge, and care with the Garden and its visitors over the years. As this planning work continues, BBGS remains committed to developing volunteer opportunities that are meaningful, accessible, and aligned with the evolving needs of both the organization and the community we serve.
We look forward to sharing updates as our planning continues and we advance our commitment to meaningful horticultural learning and a welcoming visitor experience at the Garden.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities at the Bellevue Botanical Garden, we encourage you to check out our volunteer page.
To learn more or engage with the Bellevue Botanical Garden Society, you can contact us directly.
