Spokane is a small city in eastern Washington state. It rests between two great mountain ranges, the Cascades to the west and Rockies to the east. Generally it is a place people drive through instead of being a travel destination. But it is in a lovely setting and does have several sites of interest, like Manito Park on the city’s South Hill.
Within Manito Park you’ll find Duncan Garden, a classic 3 acre European Renaissance-style garden (characterized by mirror-image symmetry, a central water feature, and geometric planting beds). During the summer months the garden includes many beds of assorted and colorful annuals, making it a popular spot with locals. The flowers are largely planted by volunteers.
The garden was originally called “Sunken Garden”. The name was changed in 1941 to honor John Duncan, the park’s second superintendent (1910 to 1942), who moved to Spokane from Boston’s Park System. This garden was designed and spear-headed by Mr. Duncan, so the name change was an appropriate honor.
In the center of the garden is a large granite fountain gifted by Mrs. L. M. Davenport in memory of her late husband, a local entrepreneur who was a member of the park board for many years. The Garden offers many paths and is a wonderful place to go for a leisurely evening stroll among the many plants. It is also a popular location for summer weddings and photography.
A photo of the Garden’s gazebo was last weekends One Clue Mystery photo. It was solved by the incomparable George G.
More photos of the garden follow:
