Elda Behm's Paradise Garden

Over 200 local volunteers, the Port of Seattle, and the City of SeaTac worked together at the end of 1999 and into the spring of 2000. They moved plants including trees and shrubs from Elda’s home to a holding area. The ground and soil were prepared to receive the plants. The Port used cranes and trucks, at its own cost, to relocate large conifer trees and other trees. It also moved the cedar root beside the pond.

Once a magnificent private garden (Learn more), Elda’s garden plays on shade, sunlight and water. The peaceful sound of the waterfalls and the birds they attract makes you forget how close this garden is to the airport. Elda’s garden features a winding, ADA accessible path through a one-acre garden, past flowing streams, a still pond, and a rustic pergola. As you wander beneath the dappled light of the alder and madrona that predate the garden, you will find a wonderful variety of shade plants. This includes Elda’s signature, the striking black trillium. From spring ephemerals through autumn, enjoy a seemingly endless kaleidoscope of beautiful blooming perennials; check out our Instagram account to see what’s flowering right now.

The water feature is centered around a huge cedar root and a massive glacial erratic found during the pond’s excavation. Some folks think the cedar root looks like a dragon, others a horse. What do you see? The Paradise Garden also contains a remarkable collection of specimen trees and evergreen shrubs that provide structure and beauty even in the gloomy months of winter before the early hellebores bloom. A visit, on any day of the year, will inspire and delight.