1125 Harvard Ave E
The Cass Turnbull Garden
“Inspiration”
In·spi·ra·tion: the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative. In a moment of inspiration at Cass’s memorial service on March 25th, 2017, Ashley Bullitt approached Deborah Pedersen, one of Cass’s dearest friends from college, with the idea of creating a garden in Cass’s honor at the Bullitt family estate in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood.
Ashley first learned of Cass through Deborah and met her in-person in 2002 when Cass dedicated Seattle’s first Heritage Tree—a massive English elm (Ulmus procera)—at the Bullitt family property.
Ashley went straight from the memorial service to the family home where she proposed the idea to Kay Bullitt, the family matriarch, and to her sister Margaret (Maggie). They both heartily approved, Maggie with extra gusto because for years she had wanted to do something special with the undeveloped southwest corner of the estate. Thus was born the idea of the Cass Turnbull Garden in a Seattle park.
-Jack Bautsch, CTG President
THEN…
AND NOW.
A Garden Growing
Here’s the latest update on our progress
When Kay Bullitt died in August 2021, Seattle Parks and Recreation took possession of her property where we are building the Cass Garden. Kay had deeded the property to SPR to become a city park. SPR has hired a consultant, Karen Kiest Landscape Architects, to lead a planning and design process to determine what kind of the park the public wants on the site. While this process proceeds, SPR has limited PlantAmnesty's access to the property and the Cass Turnbull Garden.
With explicit SPR permission we are allowed to hold periodic work parties to maintain the plantings that have already been installed in the garden but have been instructed not to do any new work on the garden and to cease offering tours. To keep abreast of developments with the Cass Garden, request quarterly updates from info@plantamnesty.org. To keep informed of SPR's planning process, visit their website.
Where it all began…
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Remembering Kay Bullitt
Well-known and loved for a generous heart that championed issues from international peace to historic preservation to civil rights, Kay extended her generosity to PlantAmnesty by inviting us to create a garden on her property to honor our late founder, Cass Turnbull.
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Inspiration
A Garden to Honor Cass
By Jack Bautsch -
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The Evolution of the Garden 2017-2021
January: Cass’s unexpected death while on vacation in Hawaii stuns the horticulture community
March: A Cass Turnbull Garden idea was conceived at her Memorial Service
April: Kay Bullitt offers the west facing slope of her property on Capitol Hill for the garden
May: PlantAmnesty volunteers organize
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The Garden's Significant Benches
Learning through making: a commemoration of six women of indelible impact.
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A Timeline of Work
A breakdown of all the blood, sweat, tears, and joys that went into the garden’s development from 2017 to 2021.
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The Importance of Public Parks
And why the Cass Turnbull Garden matters.
Cass Garden Board of Directors
2025-2026
Jack Bautsch - President/Treasurer
Amy Vandergon - Secretary
Linda Hoedemaker
Kate Day
Sue Nicol
Nancy Short
Marianna Clark
Don Brooks
Kristin Jackson
Contributors to the Cass Garden
Anderson Gardens (design)
Aurora Rents (discounted rentals)
CalPortland (gravel)
Caring Landscapes-George Ortiz (labor, materials, equipment)
Cedar Grove Compost (compost)
Children's Hospital (plants, granite stones, labor)
Cline Rentals, Lynnwood (discounted rentals)
Columbian Gardens LLC (consultation, labor)
Edmonds Community College Horticulture Program (design)
Exteriorscapes-Cameron Scott (consultation, gravel, stone, labor, equipment)
Flourish NW-Emily Ross (irrigation consultation, supplies, labor)
Fluent Tree Care-Alan Lamb (labor, equipment, arborist chips)
Garden Designz-Michelle Scannell (plants)
Greener Living Solutions-Joanna D'Asaro (design, equipment)
Ground Up Landscape-Giovanni Anichini (labor, equipment)
Kathleen Day, Landscape Consultant LLC (design)
Kelley Gardening Service-Keith Kelley (hand washing station, labor)
Madison Park Tree-Todd VanOrden (arborist chips)
Major Tree Care-Andy Major (arborist chips)
Microsoft employees thru Day of Caring 2019 (labor)
Legendary Tree-Dana Harper (arborist chips, equipment, labor)
Out on a Limb Tree Services -Kathy Holzer (arborist chips, watering bags)
Pacific Topsoils (gravel, mulch)
RedTailEdge Designs-Mary & Andrew Tuttle (design)
Rhizome d'etre Landscaping-Ruth Chaus (plants, supplies)
Seattle Parks and Recreation (consultation)
The Dirt Exchange-Gary Arc (gravel)
Thor Tree Company-Darrin Kuebler (stump grinding)
US Bank Employees thru Day of Caring 2017 (labor)
UW Landscape Architecture Program (design, construction)