Leach Botanical Garden Pavilion & Tree Walk

Leach Botanical Garden, the former home of botanists John and Lilla Leach, celebrates their contributions to native plant studies in the Pacific Northwest. Located in Portland, Oregon, the garden serves a diverse urban community, offering a place to gather and connect with nature.

The 16-acre campus is undergoing a multi-phase plan, with the first phase focusing on the Upper Garden. This includes a new arbor pavilion, fireside terrace, elevated tree walk, event lawn, accessible pathways, and improved grading, parking, and circulation. Inspired by lath houses, the arbor pavilion provides shelter from the sun and wind. This semi-enclosed space features wooden screens attached to a steel and glulam structure, allowing plants to grow around it. The screens, made from sustainable Kebony wood, create a dynamic play of light and shadow. The interior spills onto an exterior fireside terrace, fostering year-round enjoyment. Adjacent to the arbor, an elevated tree walk weaves through mature trees to offer a new perspective of the forest and gardens. Thirty-four feet above the ground at its highest point, the metal grate walkway and stainless steel handrails complement the natural surroundings, with the handrails gradually patinaing over time. Leach Botanical Garden offers residents a place to gather in nature. The tree walk immerses visitors in the forest’s textures, offering vistas of the canopy, river, and hillside. The arbor and fireside terrace, serving as the starting and ending points of the tree walk, create a sense of embarkation and arrival while providing a sheltered spot to linger.