The 1916 Olmsted Brothers master plan by James Dawson retained and enhanced many of the Dunn Gardens site's natural features, including its large stands of second-growth Douglas Firs and its sweeping views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. The major current threat is to the forest, the primary feature lending historic integrity to the site, which is in decline due to age. The removal of trees in the neighborhood, and subsequent exposure to the elements endanger both the forest and the spatial character of the property. Along with public awareness, the property requires funding for a computer-based landscape preservation study and a master planting plan for the forest as well as funds for further rehabilitation of the gardens. Consistent with its mission, the Dunn Gardens Trust also would like to reacquire portions of the original acreage and to develop a children's learning garden and an outreach center for groups working to preserve significant Northwest gardens.
