Visitors can stroll through the bright, sunny signature garden on paths winding through one
of the largest collections of deciduous western azaleas (Rhododendron occidentale) in the
world. The plants started as cuttings, collected from 1966 to 1981 by Mr. Britt Smith and Dr.
Frank Mossman, for whom the garden is named. The azaleas are normally in peak bloom in
May and June, delighting the eye as well as the nose with a musky, sweet scent. Rounding
out the garden are cultivars of many of our native plants such as vine maples, flowering currants,
dogwoods, big leaf maples, and conifers. The garden is also home to many ants,
bats and owls.
