The Garden
Soos Creek Botanical Garden and Heritage Center is open to the public, pairing the experience of strolling amid inspirational, mature gardens with the fascinating local history of the Soos Creek Plateau.
Soos Creek Botanical Garden is dedicated to promoting the enjoyment, understanding and conservation of plants and the natural world along with our community’s local history through education, research, and stewardship. We invite you to experience our gardens and programs with us, as we continue to enhance them.
Garden Etiquette
NO PETS, only certified service animals are permitted in the Garden.
Please respect our plants and remain on paths or lawn areas.
Photography is welcomed, but should not interfere with other guests' enjoyment. (See Professional Photography Policy)
Wearing sturdy walking shoes is recommended.
Small handheld music devices with earphones are permitted in the Garden, however larger radios with speakers are not permitted.
No bicycling, rollerblading, skateboarding, or other recreational vehicles.
Please do not run, jog, play Frisbee, throw balls; or engage in any sports.
No sunbathing; shirts are required at all times.
Please stay out of the ponds and other water features.
Picnicking allowed only in the designated area north of the parking lot. Do not bring food or beverages inside the Garden proper. Water allowed.
Please do not approach or feed wildlife.
Smoking is not permitted in the Garden.
History
The 23 acres on which the garden is located was originally part of 200 acres that Maurice Skagen's Norwegian immigrant ancestors purchased between 1891 and 1905. Ole Evensen Oie acquired a 160 acre piece from the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1891, paying about $10 per acre. Andrew Oie added to the property by purchasing the adjoining 40 acres.
For many years, Andrew Oie farmed the land on which the garden is located. Maurice Skagen's parents purchased a five acre portion of the property in the 1960s. His parents then deeded the land to him in 1968. Over the years Maurice and James have added to the original five acres with the purchase of 17 additional adjoining acres. The garden now extends from 132nd Avenue SE in Auburn, Washington, to a tributary of Soos Creek and a couple of acres beyond.
In 1968 there was nothing other than the native trees and plant life such as Douglas firs, western red cedars, hemlocks, vine maples, big leaf maples, and native perennials, ranging from trilliums to skunk cabbage along the creek. In 1963 Maurice began acquiring plants as research for his master's thesis. Initial purchases included a large selection of conifers, azaleas, rhododendrons, and other evergreen shrubs. These have grown into some of the larger specimens in the garden.
In the mid 1980's tours of gardens in England and Japan inspired Maurice to create stroll type gardens. A number of plants were purchased during these trips, such as tree peonies from Kyoto, Japan and Sorbus from England. Over the past 40 years a wide variety of plants were acquired from Pacific Northwest specialty nurseries.
Soos Creek Heritage Center
The Heritage Center is devoted to the history of the early settlers of the 70 square mile area called the Soos Creek Plateau. An extensive collection of early photos, historical maps and artifacts of the ancestors of the region is on display
A walk around the garden.
1. Plant Sale Area
2. Rain Garden & Alder Grove
3. Rosarian Walk
4. Heritage Flower Garden
The plant sale area is located next to the garden entrance.
The entry arch welcomes you to the Garden and leads visitors beside a dry creek bed that fills with water then travels downhill through the property. An interesting mix of perennials and trees fills this area.
Immerse yourself in the fragrant splendor of heritage roses and their perennial companions in our newest garden room. Filled with rose types that originated before WWI, explore Gallica, Damask, Alba, and China roses as well as more modern roses that have been hybridized from them such as David Austin® Roses. Click the image to download the rose list.
This area was inspired by Aunt Nettie’s garden which was full of shared flowers from friends and neighbors. Growing here are peonies, heathers, irises and various perennials. Roses are in abundance — many are heritage climbing varieties. The backdrop to this garden includes many fruit and ornamental trees. In the spring look for Magnolia‘Elizabeth’ with yellow blossoms.
5. Elizabeth Fenzl Garden Room
6. Hoop House and Nursery Area
7. Soos Creek Demonstration Garden
8. Louie / Christensen Aviary
This enclosed garden room is a quiet retreat for relaxed sitting. Many hardy fuchsias as well as some unusual shrubs and trees including Parrotia persica, eastern white pine (Pinus strobus), and Pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttallii), make up the walls of this garden. Among the beds that surround this garden are tree peonies, umbrella pine (Sciadopitys verticillata), eucryphia and a mature catalpa. A ‘Nelly Moser’ clematis scrambles up a Rainier Cherry. Surrounding the house are many established plantings such as rhododendron ‘Cynthia’, climbing hydrangea, aucuba japonica, magnolias, azaleas, and many flowering trees.
The hoop house and nursery area is used for propagating plants for the garden and plant sales.
A large vegetable demonstration garden has been developed. The garden incorporates raised vegetable beds with paths 6-foot wide. Fig, apple, and Italian plum trees have been planted, and along the perimeter beds are blueberries, raspberries, aronia berry, rhubarb, tomatoes, beans, squash, and more. We're hopeful for large crops of produce to help the local food bank. Our Vegetable Garden is supported by the WSU Master Gardeners and the Master Gardener Foundation of King County.
Stop by the aviary to listen to the soft sounds of the doves and enjoy the antics of the peafowl, cockatiels and parakeets.
9. Schaefer Pond Garden
10. Carlmas Long Borders
11. Ole and Sarah Skagen Cedar Grove
12. Ravine Garden
The Pond Garden showcases many moisture loving plants, including water lilies, gunnera and umbrella plant (Darmera peltata) which blooms on bare stalks in spring. Look for the lion’s head maple at the south end of the pond.
Two opposing mixed borders extend down the slope approximately 420 feet. The use of opposite borders was inspired by garden designer Gertrude Jekyll. The focus here is one of color, and flows from cool to bright sunny tones. A favorite specimen of visitors is the banana tree located near the top of the north border; it can reach 15-feet high each year before frost. As you proceed down the kaleidoscope of color along the south path be watching for the spectacular striped-bark maple. Other interesting plantings include deciduous azaleas, wingthorn rose (Rosa sericea), golden ninebark (Physocarpus), and Moroccan broom (Cytisus battandieri).
This tranquil area features a number of mature western red cedars. Surrounding the cedar grove area are numerous kalmias with distinctive flower clusters that bloom in June. Pieris, Solomon seal, rhododendrons, magnolia, viburnums, and camellias are abundant along the paths in this area. Of special interest is the ‘Aptos Blue’ Sequoia near the path in the northeast area of this garden.
Along with many native plants you will find rhododendrons, pieris, hardy geraniums, Japanese maples, and ferns growing in the Ravine Garden.
13. Wildflower Prairie Meadow
14. Oie Native Woodland
15. Leonard and Olive Skagen Woods
16. Soos Creek Heritage Center
The land on the east side of the creek was once part of a prairie that extended as far as Covington, and has soil dramatically different from that found on the west side of the creek. We are re-establishing the plants and flowers there that normally grow on prairies, such as wild strawberries and Garry Oaks.
Just as you would expect, this area is truly woodland, devoted to native plants such as bleeding heart, trillium, twinflower, fringecup, licorice fern, swordfern, and more.
This area near the site of Leonard and Olive’s long time residence is full of natives such as trilliums and bleeding heart.
The Heritage Center is devoted to the history of the early settlers of the 70 square mile area called the Soos Creek Plateau. An extensive collection of early photos, historical maps and artifacts of the ancestors of the region is on display. The Heritage Center is supported in part by a grant from 4Culture, a King County Arts and Culture organization.
17. The Pavilion by the Pond
18. The Red Barn
The Pavilion may be rented out for events such as weddings, receptions, and family reunions.
The Red Barn at the top of the parking area is also available to rent for meetings or classes.
Visit Us
29308 132nd Ave SE Auburn, WA 98092
Hours
Wednesday–Saturday
10am–4pm
The Garden is open for the season from early March to late October. Check our calendar for exact dates.
Contact
(253) 639-0949
info@sooscreekbotanicalgarden.org
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Soos Creek Botanical Garden Foundation (“SCBGF” or “we”) respects the privacy of our users. This Privacy Policy describes the information that we may collect on our Web site and how we may use such information. By using the site, you are agreeing to the collection and use of certain information as outlined below.
Information We May Collect
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Soos Creek Botanical Garden Foundation will take commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the loss or unauthorized disclosure of information. However, the security of data transmitted over the Internet cannot be completely guaranteed, and Soos Creek Botanical Garden Foundation shall not be responsible for any harm that users or any third party may suffer as a result of a breach of security with respect to use of the site or any information transmitted to the site.
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Changes to Privacy Policy
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