Our landscape at the Dearborn House has changed drastically over the last year. Today, what you find surrounding the house is a closer representation of what might have existed many years ago. The grounds are full of young, pacific northwest native plants. Although things might look sparse, these plants will eventually grow to be immersive gardens full of biodiversity. Each plant brings its own magic to the landscape, whether it's birds feeding on berries or a key host plant for a pollinators lifecycle.
Last Fall, Historic Seattle partnered with Seattle University's Dr. Rob Efird's Nature and Culture class to plant the garden and begin creating a winding footpath. We want to extend a huge THANK YOU to Dr. Rob Efird and his students for such a beautiful partnership in establishing this new garden. Not only did students help plant, they also helped to conceptualize what future signage might look like for visitors.
What is still to come:
- Signage displaying plant nomenclature and Lushootseed translation
- Corresponding webpage development with Healing components of each plant
- Soil amendments and gradual lawn replacement with native ground cover
Plants included in the second phase Fall planting were:
- Salmonberry
- Thimbleberry
- False Lily-of-the-valley
- Devil's Club
- Saskatoon Serviceberry
- Tall Oregon Grape Holly
- Blue Elderberry
- Kinnikinnick
- Wood Sorrel
- Nootka Rose
- Goatsbeard
- Yarrow
- Wild Ginger
- Woodland Strawberry
- Stinging Nettle