Deliciously fragrant Clethra are a summer-blooming highlight at the Washington Park Arboretum. From late July to mid-August, beautiful spires of tiny white flowers cover the shrubs and are magnets for bees and other pollinators. The most abundant species in the park is Clethra barbinervis, the Japanese sweet shrub (also called simply Japanese clethra). There are 18 …

In the latest entry in the Arboretum Bulletin’s “Elements of Design” series, Corinne Kennedy address the concept of time in the garden setting. Using the Seattle Japanese Garden as an example, Corinne talks about how plantings evolve over years and decades—and how we can work to maintain the original design intent. Designed to “celebrate the fleeting nature …