upper garden at
leach botanical garden

The first phase of the Leach Botanical Garden Master Plan marks a significant milestone in the transformation of this treasured 16-acre garden in Southeast Portland, Oregon. This award-winning $11 million initiative establishes the foundational infrastructure for future garden expansions.

The project broadens the garden’s reach and enriches the visitor experience through education and engagement. At the heart of the transformation is an elevated Treewalk—a striking, ovoid structure that begins at ground level near the newly constructed pavilion and fireside terrace. Rising to over 35 feet at its highest point, the Treewalk offers an immersive journey through a second-growth Douglas fir and Western red cedar forest.

The pavilion was designed by team member architect Olson Kundig to be a place of respite and provides opportunity for event rental space in the garden. A gas fire feature adds ambiance on special occasions.

The project also organized the site with much-improved pedestrian paths in concrete and compacted gravel. Of primary importance is the new ADA path, which leads to the treewalk and passes through the new pollinator garden. A grand staircase now connects the historic lower garden to the upper site.

The Pollinator Meadow is a multi-seasonal floral display that is ecologically-minded. Two hundred plus different types of plants compose this three-quarter-acre planting. It is the foreground to the pavilion; winding paths immerse the visitor in the richness of vegetation.