Pines and Needles

On July 23 from noon to four o’clock, Dunn Gardens will serve as the backdrop for colorful quilts created by the Pacific Northwest African American Quilters. The event also serves as a celebration of famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted’s legacy in the Northwest.


Visitors to the garden that day will enjoy not only the beautiful gardens and colorful quilts, but can listen to live jazz, sip a cold one from Metier Brewing or enjoy a glass of Chateau Ste. Michelle wine. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy on The Great Lawn. Docent-led tours and a lovely view of Puget Sound will add to a day of fun.


The quilt artists have been meeting all year to design and construct a botanical quilt inspired by the beauty of Dunn Gardens. This quilt and many others will be displayed in the gardens on July 23.


Frederick Law OlmstedPrior to that, he had tried his hand at various careers: merchant, apprentice seaman, experimental farmer, author, and even a goldmine manager. He directed the U.S. Sanitary Commission—forerunner of the American Red Cross, and wrote for the New York Daily Times, where he focused on the injustice of slavery. And that was all before he completed Central Park in New York City. He also focused his attention of preservation of places like Yosemite, Niagara Falls, parks and green spaces throughout the country including projects in the Northwest.


Olmsted in Seattle

Dunn Gardens

In 1914, Arthur Dunn purchased 10 acres of undeveloped rural land in what is now the Broadview neighborhood of Seattle. The gently sloping property was extensively wooded, had ample open space for garden development, and commanded sweeping views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains to the west. In May 1915, Arthur Dunn approached the Olmsted Brothers, the renowned landscape design firm, to locate a cottage and prepare a landscape plan for what would become the Dunn family's summer "country place."

True to the Olmsteds' design philosophy, the master plan retained and enhanced many of the site's natural features. The plan took advantage of the western slope's panoramic views, a ravine crossing the southern edge of the property, and large stands of Douglas firs and other existing plants. The house was sited to take in the sound and mountain views, while a tennis court, vegetable garden, and garage building were located to the east.

 

Many deciduous trees were added, creating diversity of texture and color. Arthur Dunn implemented the design himself. Any changes he made respected the spatial character of the Olmsted plan. He was a keen and knowledgeable gardener and took considerable pride in his garden.

 

The original low-lying, grey-shingled house was designed by the Seattle architectural firm of Bebb and Gould in 1915. The Dunn family retreated to the rural residence each summer until Arthur Dunn's death in 1945.

After that, the grounds were divided among family members and three new homes were established in the 1940s. The summer house was destroyed in 1949 but a new one was built for year-round use, imitating the low-lying style of the original cottage. An additional house was constructed, nestled unobtrusively near the croquet lawn, and the garage on the east side of the estate was converted into a home for year-round use.

The Olmsted landscape structure is still intact. The characteristic curvilinear drive and foot paths remain. The edge of the Great Lawn follows the Olmsted plan and the deciduous trees planted by Arthur Dunn remain.

The E.B. Dunn Woodland Garden

An enthusiastic gardener and prolific garden writer, Edward Dunn was respected as an authority on Pacific Northwest native plants. He was president of the Seattle Arboretum Foundation from 1957 to 1960 and guided the development of its Japanese Garden. He also served as president of the American Rhododendron Society from 1965 to 1969. He was awarded that organization's Gold Medal in 1972. A founding member of the Species Rhododendron Society, he served as its president in 1971.

The woodland garden reflects Ed's love of plants. The richness and diversity of the plantings are reminiscent of William Robinson's English woodland gardens. The collection includes rhododendrons, specimen flowering trees, and woodland plants such as erythroniums and trilliums, sited beneath a canopy of fir and deciduous trees that remain from the original garden.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PINES AND NEEDLES
Pines & Needles: African American Quilting in Dunn Gardens
July 23, 2022, from noon to 4pm
206-362-0933
www.dunngardens.org
$10

Dunn Gardens are located at 13533 Northshire Road NW in Seattle

Please park on Northshire Drive NW, taking care not to block driveways. Leave your four-legged friends at home as dogs are not allowed in the garden.

Dunn Gardens is open Monday through Saturday, 9am to 4pm. The Gardens are closed on Sundays.

Docent-led tours last up to two hours and are held on Thursdays and Fridays at 1pm.


NOTE: The information about Frederick Olmsted comes from www.olmsted200.org – the nationwide celebration of Olmsted’s bicentennial. The discussion of Olmstedsin Seattle was taken from www.Historylink.com. The information about Dunn Gardens is from the garden’s website: www.dunngardens.org

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