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Arthur Lee Jacobson's
Plant Tours
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| Since 1980 I have given tours, lectures, and slide-shows about Seattle plants. Exploring Seattle, documenting plant occurrence, noting flowering and fruiting times, tasting edibles, and teaching others, is a joy. Tours allow people to benefit personally from my learning. |
| TIME: It varies. Custom tours are done at mutually agreeable times. For tours I organize, most are on Sundays from 1:00 to 4:00, or 3:00 to 5:00. Dress for the weather, and be prepared to be walking for nearly all of the two or three hours. Usually at the end of the tour I ask if anyone cares to join me to sit down somewhere nearby for rest, chatting, a bite to eat and a drink . |
| WHAT TO BRING: Whatever you prefer, such as notebooks, cameras, tape recorders, bags to put samples in, fieldguides. Please, no dogs. |
| NO IFS, ANDS or BUTS: Tours are conducted even if it rains or if there is a low turnout. Registrants will be called if an emergency occurs. |
| SIZE LIMIT: Tours are limited to 15 participants (only 10 for edible plant ones). First come, first served. For tours that sell out, additional ones may be scheduled. Moreover, custom tours can be arranged for your group. |
COST: The cost per participant is $10 (i.e., $9.01 plus $.99 sales tax), or $15 or $20 for longer tours. Payment by cash or checks only. If you prepay for a tour, but miss it, you receive credit for a future one.
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Details and registration: For additional information, or to register, call Arthur Lee Jacobson at (206) 328-TREE (328-8733).
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Note: The first 15 people who pay for a tour, fill it. If you don't want to commit yourself now, you can always wait, then call at the last moment to see if space remains. Most tours will have space available even on the very day they are scheduled. Below are sample tours . . .
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| Kubota Garden Park |
A splendid Japanese-American garden in SE Seattle (55th Ave S & Renton Ave S ), at its best in fall with a rainbow of colorful foliage. Over 200 different kinds of trees exist; 32 kinds were mentioned in the 2nd edition of my book Trees of Seattle .
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| Volunteer Park Trees |
Volunteer Park (on Seattle's Capitol Hill) has more than 175 different kinds of trees.
Since this park is one of Seattle's largest, oldest and most
familiar, it is appropriate that it has an exceptional tree
collection. The land was bought by Seattle in 1876, and
used as a cemetery and then a nursery before being designated
for park usage. In 1901 it was named Volunteer
Park, after veterans of the Spanish-American War.
The Olmsted Brothers' 1904 landscape design laid
out the meandering road and basic path system,
identified sites for structures, and prepared a planting
plan. Only 13 trees are native in the park; the other
160+ kinds were brought in. As for the Seattle native
species, only Douglas Fir plays a major role; the others are
often few, small or relatively obscure . The second edition of my book Trees of Seattle mentions 110 different kinds of Volunteer Park trees. All tour attendees will be given a 3-page list of these trees. The park has many splendid old specimens to admire.
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| Treasures of the Arboretum |
From one who knows Washington Park Arboretum intimately, you will be introduced to its highlights and secrets. Late summer or fall is excellent for seeing fruits, berries, cones, seeds, etc. A few curiosities include the fascinating see-thru honeysuckle berries of Lonicera quinquelocularis. Franklin tree is blooming and fragrant. Yew berries and huckleberries are ripe, as are Garrya berries and pure white mulberries.
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| Evergreen Trees in the Washington Park Arboretum |
A stimulating introduction to evergreen trees, emphasizing Seattle natives and the more noteworthy non-natives. Both needled evergreens (like pines) and broadleaf evergreens (like holly). Learn how to tell spruces, firs, hemlocks, redwoods, etc. For tree identification, focusing on evergreens in winter makes sense. Washington Park Arboretum is the best place to study trees.
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| Meridian Park, Good Shepherd Center & vicinity |
Wallingford's Good Shepherd Center is a local mecca of plant diversity. Many rare species were planted by Gil Schieber, and Seattle Tilth gardeners. This tour will include both wild (weedy) and planted species. Trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, annuals. Many berries and fruits will be ripe and colorful. The Tilth garden and adjacent P-Patch will be full of luxurious produce to admire. Meet at the east (main) entrance of the Good Shepherd Center (4649 Sunnyside Ave N) .
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| UW Medicinal Herb Garden & vicinity |
The enormous U.W. campus has tremendous diversity of landscape plants. Many rare trees and shrubs were planted by forestry professors, botanists, and the gardening staff. This tour will focus on the Medicinal Herb Garden and nearby forestry buildings. The Garden, despite its name, also has shrubs and trees as well as herbs, and has dye plants, fiber plants, edible plants, offering the most concentrated diversity of plant species per acre in the entire city! This tour will include both wild (weedy) and cultivated species.
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| Common Wild Plants of Seattle |
Make an early spring acquaintance of the most common plants growing wild in Seattle. Learn the abundant trees, shrubs, ferns, wildflowers, weeds, etc. Notes about natural history and human uses. See Stinging Nettle shoots, Skunk Cabbage at its peak, Trillium blossoming, Vanilla Leaf sprouts, Evergreen violet's tiny yellow flowers, Pussy willows, Alder catkins, Bigleaf maple's chartreuse flowers, Oregon grape flowers, Osoberry fresh greenery and blossoms, Salmonberry flowers, Horsetails, Bracken fern fiddleheads --and more.
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| Wild Edible Plants of the Woods |
Anyone who spends much time walking outside should consider learning the common wild edible plants, and learning to avoid poisonous ones. Hikers, walkers, and chefs who want to increase their culinary options should attend this tour. Make a summer acquaintance of the most common edible woodland plants growing wild in Seattle woods. Limit of 10 people only.
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| Wild Plants of Alleys |
In May of 2012, we walked in some alleys north of Group Health hospital on Seattle's Capitol Hill. In two hours, we found 108 species of plants growing wild; 13 of them were native. Similar walks were held in The U District found 70 species in September.
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| The U.W. Campus |
The enormous U.W. campus has tremendous diversity of landscape plants, plus wild ones. Many rare trees and shrubs were planted by forestry professors, botanists, and the gardening staff. We will encounter many fascinating specimens.
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| Interlaken Park tree & plant tour |
Capitol Hill's NE slope has a forest full of both rare and common plants growing wild and planted. It is mainly a wooded, cool ravine. Learn the abundant trees, shrubs, ferns, wildflowers, weeds, etc. Discover natural history and human uses. Admire the 170 foot tall coast redwood.
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| Carl English Gardens at the Locks |
Carl English (1904-76) spent decades planting at the Chittenden Locks in Ballard, making the gardens there an inspiring showplace. Thanks largely to his efforts, and to his successor Michael Fleming, the variety of trees present is amazing: 209 kinds are cited in Trees of Seattle (over 280 exist).
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| Old Trees of Capitol Hill |
Seattle's premier neighborhood for old, large, diverse shade and ornamental trees. See street trees, mansion specimens, and delight in some of Seattle's finest vintage architecture. Fresh spring flowers, tender green new foliage, and sprouting seedling trees will offer many lovely scenes.
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| Wild Edible Plants of Spring |
Anyone who spends much time walking outside should consider learning the common wild edible plants, and learning to avoid poisonous ones. Hikers, walkers, and chefs who want to increase their culinary options should attend this tour. The emphasis in spring is salad greens. Taste Candyflower, Cleavers, Cress, Daisies, Red dead-nettle, Curly dock, Filaree, Mustard, Sheep sorrel, Sow-thistle, Sweet cicely, Vetch, etc. Limit of 10 people.
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| S.P.U. Trees |
Queen Anne's Seattle Pacific University features grand century-old shade trees, plus young beauties; 25 kinds present are cited in Trees of Seattle; some the largeest of their kind in town.
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| Green Lake Trees |
In 1992 I published the book Trees of Green Lake. Then, 162 different kinds of trees circled the lake; now over 200 exist (listed on my website). This 2-hour tour will not get all the way around the lake. It will loop around the north and northwest part. But we will see plenty of trees.
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