Bellevue Botanical Garden

Since opening to the public in 1992 the Bellevue Botanical Garden has grown significantly in size and impact.  Many people have told me how thankful they are to have this garden as part of their community and often referred to us as Bellevue’s “Best Kept Secret”.   From my experience it is easy to recognize that BBG is a vital and well-loved part of the community, but also that it is no longer a secret garden.

We now welcome 400,000 visitors each year to learn about gardening and explore nature.  We curate a vast collection of 3,000 unique varieties of plants spread throughout 53-acres in 12 thematic garden spaces.  The Garden hosts a wealth of educational classes for children and adults, along with many community events benefiting Bellevue and the horticulture community at large.  Our two hallmark events, Arts in the Garden and Garden d’Lights are thriving along with the Trillium Gift Shop and Copper Kettle Coffee Bar.

Today, Bellevue Botanical Garden serves as a beautiful and safe space of respite.  The success of BBG is the outcome of a vibrant and diverse community, a collaboration between the City of Bellevue, the Bellevue Botanical Garden Society, and nine other partner groups.  It is the passion of our staff, volunteers, donors, and stakeholders that drive this garden to new heights.  In just the past year we had more than 900 individual volunteers contribute over 20,000 hours of work to us.

As we move forward, we must recognize the true gem this garden has become and embrace the momentum of our growth.  As our community develops so must the Garden to meet their needs and remain accessible to our diverse audience.  This will require a united effort among all our supporters.  My interest in joining the Garden as its director was influenced by how well our community embraces our mission and vision.  I am honored to steward the Bellevue Botanical Garden into the future and am grateful to be able to work with so many great and caring supporter to collectively further our impact.