My Ballard

Jody Grage was getting tired of the 21-foot “monkey puzzle” tree in the front yard of her Ballard home, so she donated it to the Washington Park Arboretum. This morning, crews dug it up by the roots and took it away (larger photo here). The tree will make an appearance at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show at the Seattle Convention Center, and then it will be planted in a garden at the south end of the Arboretum. “I plan to visit it in the Arboretum,” Grage said. So if you’re thinking about donating that nasty pine tree in your yard, you’re probably out of luck: “monkey puzzle” trees are rare and have a rich Northwest history.