Manito Park is a breathtakingly beautiful park that Amy and I are lucky enough to visit several times a year. It’s conveniently located in the elegant South Hill neighborhood of Spokane.
When we lived in the city, it was one of our favorite places to visit, especially during the fall since South Hill is adorned with a wide array of deciduous trees. The changing leaves and crisp air create the perfect ambiance for an afternoon stroll through the park. We love Manito so much that we even had our engagement photos taken there!
The park is vast, spanning roughly 90 acres, with towering pine trees and lush deciduous trees in all directions. It’s surrounded by several turn-of-the-century houses, giving visitors a sense of stepping back in time.
The park features ample open grassy areas for picnics, playgrounds, a splash pad, and well-manicured walking paths. For hikers, there are also simple trails that meander through the underbrush.
But the must-see destinations for both locals and tourists alike are the Manito Park botanical gardens.
The Gardens of Manito
Manito Park stands out among other parks for its diverse range of gardens and features. Rather than being known for just one specific type of garden like Japanese or formal, it offers a wide array of different gardens and unique elements that make it truly unique.
It’s no surprise that Manito Park draws in over 150,000 visitors annually and is seen as a haven by those who visit.
Gaiser Conservatory
The Gaiser Conservatory, named in honor of the dedicated Park Board member Dr. David Gaiser, is open to the public year-round with no admission fee. The greenhouses showcase a wide range of tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate plant specimens from various regions around the world. You’ll find yourself surrounded by an array of plants, from delicate succulents to exotic orchids, and even cacti!
The conservatory is a great spot to take a break, sit down and enjoy solitude while surrounded by nature. It’s like a mini-jungle in the middle of the city! If you’re a plant lover, this is a must-see.
The exhibits are regularly updated to reflect the changing seasons. During December, the Parks Greenhouse staff adorn the conservatory with an enchanting display of over 30,000-holiday lights that are available for the public to view for free.
When you’re visiting Manito Park, make sure to add this conservatory to your itinerary for a touch of greenery and color. The visiting hours may vary and will be announced on the park’s official website.
Duncan Gardens
Duncan Gardens is a three-acre paradise for flower lovers! With its lush turf and an explosion of colorful annual bedding plants, this garden is a feast for the eyes. And the best part? It’s designed in the classical European Renaissance style, so it’s like taking a stroll through the gardens of a fancy European palace.
The bilateral symmetry, central water feature, and geometric planting beds will make you feel like you’re in the iconic Mirabell Gardens in Salzburg, Austria, straight out of “The Sound of Music”! Trust us, this garden is a must-see for anyone who loves flowers and wants to take a romantic stroll.
It’s always beautifully maintained, so you know you’re getting the best of the best. So, pack a picnic, bring your camera, and take a stroll through Duncan Gardens, where the flowers are always in bloom and the beauty never fades!
Ferris Perennial Garden
Get ready to be wowed by the natural beauty of Ferris Garden! This garden is the perfect complement to the formal design of Duncan Garden and is home to over 300 different plant species.
With an expanded perennial bedding space in 1996, visitors can expect to see a constantly changing display of flowers throughout the seasons, from bulbs and primrose in the spring to asters in the fall. It’s like a natural botanical wonderland!
Wander through the forest garden, and you’ll feel like you’re on a hike in the middle of the wilderness. The garden is filled with fluttering butterflies, colorful flowers, and a riot of colors that will leave you in awe.
You’ll find yourself lost in nature’s beauty and want to spend all day discovering all the hidden gems this garden has to offer. So come and make an afternoon of it and don’t forget to bring your camera.
Rose Hill
If you love roses then you’ll be awed by the beauty of Rose Hill, the ultimate destination for rose lovers! This garden, a partnership between the Spokane Rose Society and the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department, is widely considered the best rose garden in Spokane.
With 150 different varieties of roses, including hybrid tea, Grandiflora, floribunda, miniature roses, and some classic old-fashioned varieties, you’ll be in love with the stunning display of colors and fragrances.
But don’t just take our word for it, Rose Hill’s excellence is recognized by All-American Rose Selections, who named it the best rose garden in the nation in 2007. Imagine strolling through a sea of vibrant hues and heavenly scents, with dragonflies flitting around you, creating a symphony of their own subtle music.
It’s truly an impressive and inspiring garden, perfect for a romantic stroll or a fun day out with the family. So, pack a picnic and head to Rose Hill, where the roses are always in full bloom!
Lilac Garden
Whoever coined the phrase ’stop and smell the flowers’ understood the beauty and fragrance of the Lilac Garden at Manito Park! This garden boasts an exclusive variety, the double pink Syringa vulgaris ‘Spokane’, that holds special significance as Spokane is also known as the “Lilac City”.
With over 100 named cultivars from 23 different species, the garden is a premier destination for lilac enthusiasts in the Western region.
The Lilac Garden is the perfect spot to enjoy the stunning beauty of spring in Spokane. As you wander along the groomed paths, you’ll be surrounded by different shades of lilacs in full bloom, filling the air with their heady fragrance.
It’s also a popular picnic spot because of all the great places to sit under the lilacs and enjoy the garden. The garden is dog-friendly (on a leash please) and mostly ADA-accessible, so everyone can enjoy the beauty and fragrance of the blooms.
Nishinomiya Tsutakawa
The Nishinomiya Tsutakawa Japanese Garden was completed in 1974 and symbolizes the friendship between Spokane and its sister city, Nishinomiya, Japan. Nagao Sakurai, a well-known Japanese landscape architect, was enlisted in 1967 to design the garden.
Construction of the waterfall and pond began in 1970, but the original architect suffered a stroke and two landscape architects from Kobe, Japan, Shosuke Nagai, and Hirohiko Kawai, were contracted to complete the garden. The garden was dedicated by both cities on May 17, 1974, and was renamed in honor of Ed Tsutakawa, the founder of the Spokane Nishinomiya Sister City relationship, in 2007.
The site was re-dedicated on April 20, 2008, with the planting of a commemorative cherry tree from the Nishinomiya and Spokane Sister City Societies.
Not only is the garden breathtakingly beautiful, but it’s also home to an abundance of wildlife, including turtles, fish, birds, and bees. It’s like an animal sanctuary in the middle of the city!
We highly recommend visiting this garden in the evening for the full experience. The gardens are illuminated, and the ambiance is truly magical. The aura of this place is no joke. It’s quiet, serene, and beautifully manicured. This garden alone would be worth a stop at Manito on your next visit to the city.
You Can Enjoy All Four Seasons at Manito
During Spring, Manito Park is bustling with activity as staff prepares the park for the upcoming season. They can be seen cleaning up winter debris in the Ferris Perennial Garden and getting the annual beds ready in Duncan Garden for planting.
Visitors can expect the Japanese Garden to open on April 1st and Duncan Garden to be fully planted by the end of May. Additionally, the Friends of Manito host a Spring Plant Sale in late Spring.
During Summer, Manito Park is at its peak with plenty of activities to enjoy. The Park Bench Cafe is open on weekends, offering delicious food and drink. Summer evenings are filled with music, with concerts taking place almost every Friday night. It is also the perfect time to visit Duncan Garden, as the annual flowers will be in full bloom and at their most vibrant.
In Fall, the park begins winding down for the season. One highlight of this season is the Friends of Manito Fall Plant Sale, one of my mom’s favorites. It’s also the ideal time to visit the Japanese Garden, as it’s the last opportunity to see it before it closes for the winter.
Contrary to popular belief, Manito Park remains active during the winter months. In December, the Friends of Manito illuminate the Gaiser Conservatory with festive holiday lights, which are open to the public for free. It’s also a great spot for sledding and enjoying wintertime activities.
Manito Park is a Must-See Spokane Gem
When you’re planning your trip to the Lilac City, make sure to add this must-see destination to your list. The park is a true masterpiece, with a captivating blend of natural and man-made beauty that’ll leave you in awe.
You won’t want to miss a single corner of this park. Sure, there’s more to see and do in the warmer months, but no matter when you’re in town, don’t skip out on this gem. Trust us, you won’t regret it! It’s a year-round beauty.