For the Reporter

Soos Creek Botanical Garden & Heritage Center offers unique and inspiring strolling gardens, fascinating artifacts and photos showcasing local history, vintage buildings and farm equipment and an aviary – all in one idyllic setting.

The garden, at 29308 132nd Ave. SE, Auburn, opens a new season for the public on Wednesday, March 6. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday to Saturday.

Located on 23 acres, the gardens include rare perennials, nature paths, meadows, native woodlands and a pond garden.

Stroll the gardens and visit the Master Gardener Growing Groceries Demonstration Garden that supplies fruits and vegetables for local food banks. Visitors can view the vintage barns and farm equipment and visit the aviary with an assortment of exotic birds. Visitors also can hike down to Soos Creek, where they’ll find more than five acres preserved as the director’s great-grandfather found them when he purchased the property in 1891.

The Soos Creek Plateau Heritage Center features artifacts used by local pioneers at home and work, including an 1890s horse buggy. Also on exhibit are photos and maps of the 70-square mile Upper Soos Creek Plateau that date to the mid-1800s.

“Red Barn Programs” are presented the third Wednesday of each month; workshops covering a variety of topics are also held periodically. The Plant Nursery features a wide variety of perennials, shrubs and trees available for purchase.

Conveniently located less than a mile from Highway 18, the venue is available to host weddings and events of all types. Soos Creek Botanical Garden and Heritage Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Admission is complimentary; donations are appreciated.

For further information, visit Facebook or sooscreekbotanicalgarden.org, or call 253-639-0949.