Capitol Campus Arboretum serves as a place of respite for all

Did you know over 75 different types of trees flourish across the Washington State Capitol Campus Arboretum? At 485 acres, the Capitol Campus Arboretum features a sunken garden with annual and perennial flowers, a pollinator garden and a variety of Victorian-themed seasonal plantings.

The Capitol Campus Arboretum is truly a place of respite — and in February 2023 received international accreditation for providing a place for relaxation, education and beauty for those who visit and work on the Capitol Campus. The arboretum received accreditation from the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program. ArbNet is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta based on a set of professional standards.

A view of the Legislative Building from the Sunken Garden.

Governor Jay Inslee and First Lady Trudy Inslee snap a selfie at the opening of the Pollinator Garden in June 2022.

Historical background of the campus

The historic grounds were designed by the famous Olmsted Brothers in the 1920s. Today, a 55-acre portion of the West Capitol Campus is designated a National Historic District. In 2022, the Professional Grounds Management Society recognized DES, who manages the care of the Capitol Campus, with the National Honor Award for Olmsted Properties. The award recognizes DES for the care and custody of the Olmsted landscape for over nearly a century.

Notable trees on the campus include:

• A Douglas fir grown from a seed that went to the moon and back on an Apollo space mission in 1971.
• The national champion English oak.
• A Japanese cryptomeria that represents the state of Washington’s relationship with its sister state, Hyogo, Japan.
• A grove of Yoshino cherry trees that were a gift from Yoshino, Japan, in 1984.

A picnicking group enjoys the view of the Yoshino cherry trees on Capitol Campus.

200 newly planted trees…and counting!

In 2021, the Capitol’s grounds team completed the planting of 100 new trees to recognize the 100th anniversary of the National Association of State Foresters. One hundred more were planted in 2022. DES’ goal is to have each type of tree that can grow in Olympia represented in the capitol arboretum.

The arboretum is open to visitors every day of the year.

Are you ready to explore the Capitol Campus Arboretum for yourself? Learn more about all the Capitol Campus has to offer.