Washington
Gardens - An Historical Vignette
Washington is rich in native wild-flower gardens, native
trees, and shrubs. On May, 1792, Archibald Menzies, arrived
on the Olympic Peninsula, the first botanist to explore
Washington. Among the first plants Menzies discovered
on this trip were Calypso, Rhododendron macrophylium,
valerianella congesta.
When botanist Dr. W. F. Tolmie first came upon the slopes
of Mt. Rainier in 1833, he must have been just as delighted
to discover such a colorful vista. Tolmie was the first
botanist to make a collection of plants from one such
wild-flower garden.
Luelling a former native of Indiana and Iowa decided to
travel west and establish a nursery. Luelling's wagon
contained two large boxes filled with compost, charcoal,
soil, and brimming with over 700 trees. He bought the
best varieties of apples, pears, plums, and cherry trees
that he could find in common cultivation. This became
Washington's first nursery - or more aptly - Washington's
first "Traveling Nursery".
Bibliography
and Acknowledgments
Shown: Coast Rhododendron (
Rhododendron macrophyllum )
