About the Garden Tour


* Please note, addresses are not listed because these are private gardens and are only open for touring during 3:00-6:00pm on the day of the Backyard Wildlife Festival. A Garden Tour map will be available at the Backyard Wildlife Festival with the garden description, address and a map.


The self-guided Garden Tour allows you to view several amazing gardens within the Tukwila community that are prime examples of how to incorporate wildlife-friendly practices into your gardens. Meet the gardeners, ask questions, take in ideas or just enjoy the beautiful gardens on the tour. A tour shuttle is also available for a nominal fee. For more information about the Garden Tour or how to register your Tukwila garden on next year’s tour, please contact the Garden Tour Coordinator Pam Linder at (206) 439-2473 or via email at pslinder@comcast.net.


Garden Tour Descriptions


Scanlon Garden

Stop by this large country-like property for a mini workshop on butterfly gardening from butterfly expert Don Scanlon. This property is a showcase for many different elements of a wildlife-rich year yard, including a natural stream with a salmon incubator, old orchard trees, mason bees, bird feeding stations and next boxes. All bordered by natural woodland.



Lorenzen/Takami Garden

The gardens on this property are devoted to clematis and an heirloom peony collection. Special features in this garden include a fancy Thai inspired hot tub temple, and an abundance of simple garden whimsy. Wetlands, open field, woodlot, perennials abound, and numerous trees. Easily satisfying the local bird community with most of their needs!



Linder Garden

This garden is a wildlife haven with lots of shrubs and mature trees. You will also find a large pond with fish. Wildlife practices have been incorporated into this plant collector’s overly full garden.



Cobert Farms

Cobert Farms, the home of Sean Albert and Patty Cokus. Their 1/4 acre lot overlooking the Duwamish River in North Tukwila's Allentown neighborhood has many raised-bed vegetable gardens and fruit trees, as well as chickens, bees, ornamental gardens, and restored native habitat. Over the last 5 years Sean and Patty have turned their South facing lot into a source of food and sustenance by using the landscape to grow organic fruits and vegetables. They also raise a flock of chickens for farm fresh eggs and keep bees for garden pollination and honey production.



Shumate Garden

Located along the Duwamish River, our half acre garden dates back to the 1920’s but little is left of the original plantings except a few mature trees. We have spent the last three years clearing away invasive ivy, clematis and blackberries and replacing these with native plants. Using the “sheet mulching” technique has kept the invasive species away and weeding to a minimum. To our delight, we have noticed a corresponding increase in birds and wildlife with the new plants. This garden is definitely a work-in-progress but we would like to share this with everyone during the Backyard Wildlife Festival.



Alford Garden

This is a mixed native and ornamental landscape, with a recently added vegetable bed and other occasional edibles in the landscape. The native woodland planting along the north perimeter creates a sense of privacy and lush greenness, while the ornamental bed hugs the back patio, providing a colorful summer space for gathering. The front yard is a work in progress with a native garry oak surrounded by native fescue, camas, and other low growing, drought-tolerant plants. The future goal is to have a prairie species garden to support butterflies and insects dependent on these plants. Because 48th Avenue terminates in front of the house, a hedge of the very hardy Hollywood juniper and delavay osmanthus were planted to provide privacy and deflect lights from the oncoming traffic.

Everything in this landscape must be tough, because there is no pampering. If areas are watered in the height of summer, it will mostly be from the reclaimed water of the house. Wherever possible, the hardscape is built from reclaimed, or extra, unused materials, diverting them from the landfill and lowering costs.



Bonus Garden: Highline Seatac Botanical Gardens - 13735 24th Ave S., Seatac

The Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden covers 10.5 acres of display gardens, woodlands, and trails reclaimed from a suburban brownfield. Highlights of the currently developed 3 acres include the Seike Japanese Garden, "Elda Behm's Paradise Garden", the "Sensory Garden", located adjacent to the SeaTac Senior Center, and display gardens planted and maintained by the King County Iris Society, Puget Sound Daylily Club, Seattle Rose Society, and the City of SeaTac Parks Department. Projects currently in the design phase include the "Natural Yard Care" Garden and a display bed for our newest garden partners, the Puget Sound Fuchsia Society. The garden is open from 7:00am until dusk, and admission is free. For more information please visit www.highlinegarden.org.