Finding the Garden

PowellsWood is easily accessible from Interstate 5 in Federal Way, Washington.

Traveling Northbound or Southbound on I‑5, take exit 147 and proceed West on South 272nd Street. At Pacific Highway South, turn left and proceed South to Dash Point Road.

Turn right and follow Dash Point Road approximately 1 mile. PowellsWood will be on your right.

PowellsWood
A Northwest Garden
430 South Dash Point Road
Federal Way, Washington

The garden is open during scheduled public events and by appointment only. To arrange a visit to the garden in advance, please call 253‑529‑1620 and ask for Rochele Gardner, or send us an email.

Most areas of the garden are accessible via lawns and cobbled or gravelled walkways. However, to take fullest advantage of the garden's opportunities for exploration, sturdy walking shoes are advised.

The grounds of PowellsWood include a rented private residence. Please respect the privacy of the tenants.


Street and Mailing Address
430 South Dash Point Road
Federal Way, Washington 98003

253‑529‑1620

admin@powellswood.org

Planning on spending a night in the Federal Way area? Consider Best Western Washington Hotels and Motels. For more information, visit the official hotel lodging reservations and information site for the Best Western Hotels in Washington State.

About the Owners

Monte and Diane Powell have lived in the Marine Hills neighborhood of Federal Way since 1961. The property on which their current home sits is a part of the forty-plus acre parcel of which PowellsWood is but a remote 3‑acre corner. Monte is a fourth-generation builder, following in the footsteps of his father Cecil. Until recent years, Monte was the highly active force behind Powell Homes, which has of late been mostly guided by the next generation of Powells. Much of Monte's energy has been channelled into retirement villages—Huntington Park in Des Moines, Daystar in West Seattle, and Village Green in Federal Way. And of course there's the garden! PowellsWood is a passion which Monte and Diane share equally.

About the Gardener

The day-to-day care of the garden rests in the capable hands of Head Gardener and (Proper Job Club member) Rochele Gardner. And it's more than just a job to her. Rochele comes to PowellsWood with over thirty years of horticultural experience, including her most recent work with Teufel Nursery as Sales Manager. She has also worked with Miller's NW Landscape and Calscape in addition to operating her own landscaping service. A California native and Tacoma resident, Rochele brings strong conceptual design skills and a vast knowledge of native and hardy plants to bear on Federal Way's best kept horticultural secret.

Other Staff

Seattle horticulturalist Tanya DeMarsh-Dodson assisted PowellsWood with cataloguing their extensive plantings. Rochele and Monte also direct a small crew of landscape maintenance specialists, keeping them busy with regular upkeep and development of new "rooms" in the garden. A host of volunteers support the various annual events at the garden, while Diane directs the activities in the newly inaugurated Garden House.