Established
- Rock Garden: 1997
- Iris Rain Garden: 2014
Location
North of main entrance
Brief History
- Originally opened as Alpine Rock Garden
- Original design by Michael Moshier
- Renovated in 2000 and again in 2014
- Renamed Rock Garden in 2014
The Rock Garden & Iris Rain Garden
The Rock Garden
Tiny wildflowers, mountain hemlock, and granite outcrops introduce you to a special world of plant life and land forms.
This garden mimics conditions found in mountain regions by using elements of a cirque, or horseshoe-shaped bowl, formed in nature by the retreat of a glacier. The use of native Cascade granite creates a variety of terrain and plant environments found in the Pacific NW.
Once established, rock gardens need less attention than almost any other type of garden. The plants are well adapted to our climate. Weeding, occasional watering, and annual mulching are the only maintenance requirements.
The Rock Garden is maintained by the Northwestern Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society
The Iris Rain Garden
At the base of the Rock Garden lies the Iris Rain Garden.
Under PACCAR Plaza, a 10,000 gallon cistern collects water from the roof of The Aaron Education Center. This water is used to flush toilets at the Garden, resulting in a 75% reduction in the use of potable water. Excess water from the cistern, along with water from surrounding surfaces, drains into the Iris Rain Garden, where it is filtered before making its way into our streams and lakes.
Be sure to visit in May, when the Iris are in full bloom.
