Rhododendron Species Foundation and Botanical Garden, Rhododendron conservation center in Federal Way, Washington, US

The Rhododendron Species Foundation and Botanical Garden occupies 22 to 24 acres of woodland in Federal Way, Washington, where more than 10,000 rhododendrons grow among native conifers. Its 5,000-square-foot Rutherford Conservatory, opened in 2010, shelters tropical vireyas and rare orchids and tree ferns. The grounds also hold a Victorian Stumpery, a Himalayan Blue Poppy Meadow, an Alpine Rockery Garden and a Pond Garden.

The Foundation was established in 1964 when a botanist began collecting and importing rhododendron cuttings after visiting British gardens. This beginning led to decades of plant collection and research work at the site.

The garden's name honours the genus Rhododendron, and its collection began with cuttings that Mary Grieg propagated at Royston Nursery on Vancouver Island. The Victorian Stumpery, Himalayan Blue Poppy Meadow, Alpine Rockery Garden and Pond Garden are planted features a visitor can walk past. The Rutherford Conservatory, named for volunteer Francis C. Rutherford, holds tropical vireyas from Indonesia, Borneo, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and New Guinea.

The garden is open daily except Mondays, so plan a visit on any other day of the week. The Garden Gift Shop and Nursery sit within the grounds, and the 5,000-square-foot Rutherford Conservatory is open to the public for the vireya collection. Paths lead through a woodland garden among native conifers, next to the Pacific Bonsai Museum.

The collection here holds roughly 850 different rhododendron species, making it one of the most complete assemblages in existence. This makes the garden a destination for plant researchers and enthusiasts who travel from around the world to study and see them.