SeaTac Tutors

About SeaTac

Washington has a reputation for preserving as much natural land as they can, and apparently in SeaTac, Washington that also extends to gardens! In 1990 The Seattle-Tacoma Airport began plans that would add a 3rd runway to the airport, wonderful except it involved the demolition of Elda Behm’s house and garden, which was planted back in the 1960. The community didn’t want to see this treasure lost, and in 1994 the Highline Botanical Garden Foundation was founded, and managed to reserve 11 acres dedicated to preserving and establishing gardens for the community. First on the docket was Elda Behm’s garden.

A local volunteer, Greg Butler, was working on his master’s degree in landscape architecture, and developed the garden’s master plan as part of graduation requirement, in between meeting with SeaTac tutors.

Once plans were laid it was time to move the garden, and an army of over 200 volunteers signed up to make it happen. Trucks to cranes were used to move everything from shrubs to large conifer trees. After the garden was transplanted, Elda continued to work tirelessly at her passion well into her 92nd year, and even worked on the development of a water feature that re-circulates, ecologically balancing the garden.

Since the gardens beginning even more has been added. There is now a Celebration Rose Garden that was sometimes used for weddings, which was established by the Seattle Rose Society. There was also the rescue of yet another historical garden made by the Seike Family, a Japanese garden was started in 1962. There is also four more partner gardens, established by the Puget Sound Daylily Club, the King County Iris Society, the Puget Sound Fuchsia Society, and the Western Species Fuchsia Society. The garden does two major fundraising events to keep the garden alive, a plant sale and an ice cream social. These events are held in order to bring together old members and also invite new people who might be interested in helping to preserve this little piece of history.

Only 4.5 acres of the original 11 acres have so far been used, and plans are constantly brewing on how to expand the garden and add more features. The garden is open to the public so everyone can come through and enjoy the hard work and dedication that is older than the garden itself. What better spot to go to meet with your SeaTac tutor when learning about the biological sciences!