Statement of Purpose

• To serve as an outdoor laboratory for landscape students and horticultural professionals.
  
  
• To provide groupings of landscape ornamentals reflecting the needs and interests of the home gardener and commercial landscaper.
  
  
• To serve the entire community as an aesthetic educational retreat from the urban environment.

The South Seattle Community College Arboretum was established by the College and the SSCC Foundation in 1978 in part as the result of a petition by the Landscape Horticulture Program students for an arboretum to serve as their living laboratory. The 6-acre site is located at the north end of campus on a bluff over looking the City of Seattle and Elliott Bay. The Seattle Chinese Garden borders the Arboretum.

Landscape Horticulture, Garden Center & Greenhouse

The Arboretum is an important part of the SSCC Landscape Horticulture Program. You can see the photo of the Garden Center located on the east end of the Arboretum below. As part of their studies, students designed and built the Arboretum. It is used as a laboratory for plant identification, arboriculture, irrigation, landscape maintenance and landscape construction courses. The Arboretum is also used as an outdoor classroom by professional horticulturists and hobby gardeners. Many of the plants on the Washington Certified Nursery Professional exam can be found in the SSCC Arboretum. Learn how you can support the Arboretum through charitable giving.

To reserve the Arboretum gazebo for special events, please
call 206.934.6616 or email ssccfoundation@seattlecolleges.edu.