HISTORY AND INFORMATION
Highline Botanical Garden Foundation
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We acknowledge that Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden stands on the ancestral land of the Coast Salish people. We honor and give our deepest respect to the original caretakers of this land.
FOUNDATION INFO
The Highline Botanical Garden Foundation was created by volunteers, to preserve two important gardens impacted by SeaTac Airport’s proposed third runway. Through a partnership between volunteers, the City of SeaTac, and the Port of Seattle, the Foundation moved thousands of plants from to the North SeaTac Park.
More than five-and-one-half acres of the eleven-acre site are now planted, leaving plenty of room to share other stories in garden form. The Foundation has built infrastructure to sustain the garden: irrigation, pathways, a drainage system, and a water feature to showcase the natural setting of the Park. Expansion occurs, according to the Garden’s master plan, as funding becomes available. The Highline Botanical Garden Foundation (HBGF) is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit corporation in the State of Washington.
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Highline Botanical Garden Foundation is “Connecting the community to nature through a diverse and beautiful collection of historical gardens”.
EXECUTIVE & BOARD OF DIRECTOR
Time Commitment
On average, Board members give 4–6 hours per month to the organization. The HBGF Board meets on the first Wednesday of each month. In addition, each board member serves on at least one committee, with an additional 1-2 hours per month:
- Planning and Design, which sets design parameters and policies to ensure a healthy, aesthetically pleasing environment.
- Community Relations
- Fundraising
- Finance
- Membership and Nominating.
Volunteer assistance working in the garden is suggested, and Board members contribute time and energy to such special events as plant sales, fundraising/marketing events, and the volunteer appreciation luncheon.
Funding Commitment
CURRENT BOARD
LUANNE COACHMAN
President
Board Term: 2023-2027
ANIKO JUHASZ
Vice-President
Board Term: 2018-2020
SARAH MOORE
Secretary
Board Term: TBD
Sarah is a 20 year resident in Burien, where she lives within walking distance of Highline Botanical Garden and visits as often as she can. She works as the Program Coordinator for the King County Master Gardeners, and holds a BS degree in Biology from Bates College.
LORI MCCLEARY
Treasurer
Board Term: Ongoing
Lori is a University of Washington graduate with a B.A. in Business Administration, Accounting major. She enjoys gardening in Des Moines.
ANGELICA THRASHER
Board Term: TBD
Angelica is a resident of Des Moines. As a devoted houseplant enthusiast who is passionate about all things botanical, Highline Botanical Garden’s history, beauty and peaceful ambiance drew her in, just like it does for many others. She appreciates the strong sense of community and pride that local volunteers and donors feel for the garden and actively encourages others to support the foundation.
AARON WISEMAN
SeaTac Liaison to the
Board Of Directors
Board Term: Ongoing
LESLIE GALLOWAY
Board Term: TBD
Leslie is a lifelong resident of the Burien area and an avid gardener. She holds a BS in Forestry from the University of Washington and has over 25 years experience in nonprofit administration.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
James Morgese
Executive Director
Prior to joining the Highline SeaTac Botanical Gardens, James Morgese was the Interim Executive Director of the Tahoma Audubon Society in University Place. James comes from his own nonprofit consulting business in Federal Way, Washington.
James was the General Manager of PBS Utah for 7 years, bringing more than 30 years of experience in public broadcasting at stations in Colorado, Florida and Kentucky.
In addition to his wide-ranging experience in public broadcasting, he served in commercial television for a brief time at NBC in New York and KCNC-TV (KOA-TV) in Denver.
Other experience includes serving as president of Instinct Media Solutions, specializing in new media content for non-profit organizations and small businesses.
In 2008, he was recognized for 25 years of substantial contributions to the broadcast industry with the Heartland Emmy Awards Silver Circle Award. He received the APTS EDGE Award in 2006. He also has received the APTS award for outstanding grassroots lobbying.
Morgese’s public television awards include those for Best Auction, Best Development Effort, Best Station Branding Campaign, Best Membership Effort, and Volunteer Cultivation and Stewardship.
His Salt Lake City Community service includes:
- Collective Impact on the Homeless
- Utah Film Center Board/Treasurer
- Utah Education Network Advisory Board
- Wasatch Front Regional Council 2050 (Regional Development)
In Washington, James volunteered as a consultant for 501 Commons and Citizen’s Climate Lobby.
History of Highline Botanical Garden Foundation
Highline Botanical Garden was formed when two extraordinary private gardens were scheduled for demolition to make room for the flight path of SeaTac Airport’s third runway. Recognizing the cultural and recreational value of the Elda Behm Paradise Garden and the Seike Family Japanese Garden, hundreds of community members came together to find the land, funding and labor to relocate these gardens to their new home.
Since those early years, the garden has grown to incorporate a romantic rose garden perfect for weddings, species collections of fuchsias, daylilies and iris, a greenhouse and potting benches, with future additions coming soon (a native plant garden and a spectacular peony collection), and other gardening plans for the future.
To date, about 5 of the 11 potential acres of development have been cultivated. Find out more about our future plans on the Gardens Page. Highline Botanical Garden is largely funded by donors – your gift can help bring some of these additional garden spaces to reality.
Toll Seike, middle son, serves in the US Army in France in World War II and dies in action.
1944North Seatac homes purchased by the Port of Seattle and demolished to create a safety zone for the first runway at SeaTac Airport. Shrubs and orchard trees at Highline Botanical Garden remain from those homes
1950'sSeike family opens Des Moines Way nursery
1953Elda Behm begins garden that grows into future Paradise Garden
1960sSeike garden construction completed in anticipation of the 1962 World’s Fair and in honor of Toll Seike
1962Port of Seattle began a planning process that would result in the construction of a third runway at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Early 1990sPort identified properties for demolition including the home and garden of Elda and Ray Behm.
1990- Highline Botanical Garden Foundation was incorporated
- Board of Directors formed,
- Agreement established with the City of SeaTac to develop 11 acres in North SeaTac Park into a public garden which would become the Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden.
- Burien City Council member Stephen Lamphear and Kay Lasco, who would later become a SeaTac City Council Member, developed a business plan for the early days of the Foundation, and enlisted the help of local volunteers to begin the process of re-locating Elda’s Paradise Garden from her home to the new public garden.
- Landscape design student Greg Butler developed the Garden’s initial master plan as part of his graduation requirements.
- 200 local volunteers, the Port of Seattle, and the City of SeaTac worked together to move plants from Elda’s home to a holding area.
- The Port used cranes and trucks, at its own cost, to move large trees and the Cedar root that sits beside the pond.
- Russell Water Gardens installed a re-circulating stream with four waterfalls and a pond.
Greg Butler and Lori White of the Seattle Rose Society conceived the idea of and installed the Celebration Rose Garden.
2002Highline Botanical Garden formally opened to the public with a dedication ceremony
2003Seike family learned that the Port of Seattle wanted to purchase the Nursery property and would eventually demolish the nursery structures, the home, and Japanese Garden on the property.
2004- Garden’s name changed to Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden
- City Manager of SeaTac, Craig Ward, committed to saving the garden. With the help of the City Council and other local officials including State Representative Bob Hasegawa of Renton, the City received State Capital grant funds to move the Seike Garden from the Nursery to the Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden.
Seike family Japanese garden formally dedicated
2006Foundation requested funding to purchase a shed.
2011- An interpretive sign honoring Elda Behm and telling the Paradise Garden story was dedicated in the Paradise Garden.
- The Rose Garden seating walls were installed.
- The annual fund drive raised enough funds to design and install an interpretive sign in the Seike Japanese Garden.
Western Species Fuchsia Society installs bed
2016Rosie the Riveter designation for rose garden in honor of all women founders
2019