Guided Tour of Seattle's Kubota Garden
- Relaena Sindelar
- Mar 10
- 1 min read
Updated: Jun 9
Western Region - Open to Members and Non-Members
Saturday May 24, 2025 • 10:00 am to Noon
Seattle, Washington
the Maple Society of North America was fortunate to have a guided tour of Seattle's treasured Kubota Garden, led by Don Brooks, Head Gardener for the past 30 years.
Together we wandered among 20 acres featuring 11 ponds, 140 maple varieties, 30 hydrangea varieties, and many more botanical delights as we learned first-hand the historical significance and preservation stories about this incredible garden.
This was a "By Donation" Event
Although our guided tour was free, we asked attendees to donate a minimum of $10 directly to The Kubota Garden Foundation (donations of $25 or more provided a Foundation membership for 1 year, with benefits that include seasonal newsletters, plant sale discounts, special events, and the annual members’ meeting). The Kubota Garden Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3); donations were tax-deductible.
About Kubota Garden
Kubota Garden was started in 1927 by Japanese emigrant Fujitaro Kubota. Fifty years later, his family approached the City of Seattle to ask the City to purchase the garden as a public space—something Fujitaro had always envisioned—but the City declined. However when developers tried to purchase the property for a condominium complex ten years later, community members finally convinced the City to purchase the garden. In 1989, the community formed the Kubota Garden Foundation in partnership with the City to ensure it remains preserved in the way that the Kubota family had always envisioned.
