Early spring? Visit these gardens

Washington Park Arboretum

Seattle Seasonal highlights include Azalea Way, Winter Garden, camellia, flowering cherry, maple, madrona, magnolia, rhododendron, dawn to dusk daily, guided 60-90- minute tours 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. most first and third Sundays, call to confirm; Graham Visitors Center open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, Washington Park Arboretum, 2300 Arboretum Drive E., Seattle; free (206-543-8800 or www.depts.washington.edu/wpa).

Seattle Japanese Garden

Seattle Traditional garden celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays, the Japanese Garden, 1075 Lake Washington Blvd. E., Seattle; $3-$5; garden closing times subject to weather (206-684-4725 or www.seattle.gov/parks/parkspaces/japanesegarden.htm).

Volunteer Park Conservatory

Seattle Victorian-style greenhouse has permanent and rotating seasonal displays of plants from around the world, including succulents, bromeliads and orchids. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, Volunteer Park, 1400 E. Galer St., Seattle; free, donations suggested (206-684-4743).

Center For Urban Horticulture Gardens

Seattle Native plants, year-around fragrance garden, perennials and bulbs, daylight hours daily; Miller Horticultural Library, 4-8 p.m. Monday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday; workshops, lectures, youth and family programs, volunteer opportunities available, Center for Urban Horticulture, University of Washington, 3501 N.E. 41st St., Seattle; free (206-221-2500 or www.urbanhort.org).

Kubota Garden

Seattle 20-acre Japanese-American garden with a Northwest influence, waterfalls, ponds, open daylight hours daily, Kubota Garden Park, 55th Avenue South and Renton Avenue South, Seattle; free (206-684-4584 or www.kubota.org).

South Seattle Community College Arboretum

Seattle Six acres with a wide variety of horticultural specimens on a bluff overlooking Elliott Bay and adjacent to several hundred acres of city greenbelt, daylight hours daily, South Seattle Community College, 6000 16th Ave. S.W., Seattle; free (206-764-5308 or www.southseattle.edu).

Bellevue Botanical Garden

Bellevue Perennials, Japanese garden, alpine rock garden and native Northwest plants, 7:30 a.m.-dusk daily, Visitors Center open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily; 12001 Main St., Bellevue; free (425-452-2750 or www.bellevuebotanical.org).

Kruckeberg Botanic Garden

Shoreline More than 2,000 plant species, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday-Sunday, Kruckeberg Botanic Garden, 20312 15th Ave. N.W., Shoreline; free; parking limited (206-546-1281 or www.kruckeberg.org).

Macadam Winter Garden

Tukwila Showcase for winter- blooming plants, daylight hours daily, South 144th Street and Macadam Road, Tukwila; free (206-768-2822 or www.ci.tukwila.wa.us/recreation/pkmacadam.html).

Highline SeaTac

Botanical Garden

SeaTac Seike Japanese Garden, the Elda Behm Paradise Garden, trees, streams, Accessible Garden, 7 a.m.-dusk daily, 13735 24th Ave. S., SeaTac; free (206-391-4003 or www.highlinegarden.org).

Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden

Federal Way One of the largest collections of rhododendrons and azaleas in the world in peak bloom through May, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fridays-Wednesdays, Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden, 2525 S. 336th St., Federal Way; $3-$5, ages 11 and younger free (253-661-9377 or www.rhodygarden.org).

Lake Wilderness Arboretum

Maple Valley 40-acre forest with trails through native forests, display gardens, dawn to dusk daily, adjacent to Lake Wilderness Park, 22520 S.E. 248th St., Maple Valley; free (425-413-2572 or www.lakewildernessarboretum.org).

Nishiyama Japanese Garden at Everett Community College

Everett Designed as a compressed world of mountains, forests, lakes, rivers and meadows, open for self-guided tours whenever classes are in session, Everett Community College, 905 Wetmore Ave., Everett; free (425-388-9195).

W.W. Seymour

Botanical Conservatory

Tacoma Featuring hyacinths, tulips, cyclamen, orchids and azaleas through February, gift shop, in Victorian-style domed conservatory, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, Wright Park, 316 S. G St., Tacoma; $4 donation suggested (253-591-5330 or www.metroparkstacoma.org).

Lakewold Gardens

Lakewood Fern and alpine rock gardens, hundreds of rhododendrons, Japanese maples, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Fridays-Sundays, 12317 Gravelly Lake Drive S.W., Lakewood; $5-$7 (253-584-4106 or www.lakewoldgardens.org).

Bloedel Reserve

Bainbridge Island Forest trails, bird refuge, meadows, Japanese garden, moss garden, waterfall, azaleas and visitors center, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, 7571 N.E. Dolphin Drive, Bainbridge Island; $4-$12 (206-842-7631 or www.bloedelreserve.org).

Roozengaarde

Mount Vernon Some daffodils blooming in fields and display garden, cut flowers, retail shop, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Roozengaarde, 15867 Beaver Marsh Road, Mount Vernon; free (360-424-8531 or www.tulips.com).

Compiled by Madeline McKenzie