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Northwest Perennial Alliance

Sharing a Passion for Gardening
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NPA Border

The NPA Border at Bellevue Botanical Garden is a showcase for what grows best in our Northwest gardens. It is NPA's gift to the public, to share our passion for gardening and to inspire that passion in others.

The Botanical Garden is a top destination in the Seattle area, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, and there's no admission charge.     Learn More about BBG

The Border is a featured attraction at the garden, containing hundreds of varieties of perennials, bulbs, grasses, shrubs and trees. It is maintained entirely by NPA volunteers, a true labor of love and commitment to our community.

Visit often as the border changes through each season, offering year-round inspiration!     See Location Map

Get Involved at the Border!

Volunteers make a difference! The NPA Border is maintained year-round by volunteers under the direction of our Border Supervisor. 

Donate a few hours of your time
It’s a great way to gain gardening knowledge, give back to the community, and enjoy the company of other gardeners.

  • Thursday mornings, 10 am to noon, rain or shine
  • NPA members, non-members, and community service groups are welcome to volunteer
  • Gardening jobs for all levels of gardening and physical abilities
  • Gardening tools provided
  • Contact NPA at volunteers@northwestperennialalliance.org for more information

Border Weed & Feed

10 am to 1 pm, the 3rd Thursday of each month. Spend two hours working in the Border, then share a Potluck Lunch in the Aaron Education Center. Please join us each month at this popular event.


Plant Propagation Exhibit

The Exhibit was built in 2016 to provide an education facility to grow and propagate hardy, herbaceous plants.

  • Located at the south end of the NPA Border at BBG
  • Includes a garden storage shed, fenced yard, and propagation tables
  • NPA volunteers use border plants to propagate new plants, using cuttings, division, and seed
  • Established plants are replanted in the border, sold at NPA Plant Sales, or sold at the NPA Plant Stand located next to the Trillium Store at the main garden entry
  • Proceeds from propagated plants support the NPA Border
  • Learn More
Donate Plants to the Border
  • All healthy perennial plants are accepted
  • Drop off plants at NPA’s Plant Propagation Exhibit at BBG on Thursday mornings, March thru October, 10 am to noon
  • Donations must include a note with the botanical name (genus and species) and flower color
  • Donated plants are placed in the NPA Border, or sold on the Plant Stand at BBG - proceeds benefit the Border
  • Thank you!

History

The NPA Border has been a featured attraction at the Bellevue Botanical Garden since the garden opened in 1992. Charles Price, Glenn Withey, Bob Lilly and Carrie Becker designed the original border. In 2008 a large project to incorporate stairs and paths through the Border was accomplished through a successful partnership between NPA and the Bellevue Botanical Garden, the City of Bellevue Parks Planning and Resource Management divisions, and the Bellevue Botanical Garden Society with Price and Withey doing the Border re-design. Today the Border continues to evolve as an example of a distinctly American-style mixed border, showcasing a diverse collection of perennials, bulbs, grasses, trees, and shrubs. The NPA Border is one of the largest public mixed borders in the country maintained by volunteers.

Contact NPA:   425-647-6004

info@northwestperennialalliance.org

Mailing Address:   PO Box 1034  Bellevue, WA  98009-1034

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