Up In the Trees

Developing the Tree Walk at Leach Botanical Garden has been an inspiring project for me.  When we first studied the site, we thought the stand of native Douglas firs and western cedars on the hillside between the upper and lower garden areas offered the perfect opportunity to create a feature that would attract and engage visitors.  We envisioned an elevated walk in and through the trees; a new feature that would create a sense of excitement while offering a unique experience.

Five years later, construction is now nearing completion on the imagined Tree Walk.

The fireside terrace and Tree Walk at Leach Botanical Garden offer an immersive forest experience.

The elevation changes 70 feet between the upper and lower gardens at Leach Botanical Garden. An elevated walk in the form of an asymmetrical oval threads through the existing trees and prioritizes views in and out of the site.  The entry to the Tree Walk starts at grade adjacent to a woodland pavilion and gathering terrace.  The terrace offers a fire feature with seating for viewing the forest. 

Phase 1 Improvements under construction at this time.

A second asymmetric oval imposes over the first oval, and serves as the inner edge of the walk. The overlapping oval design creates wider places for gathering and experiencing the tree canopy.  In places, the walk narrows to slightly more than five feet, which will create a sense of adventure while walking on the elevated structure.  The surface is constructed of metal grating to allow visitors to better see the forest floor and to give the feeling of floating above the ground and in the tree canopy.

A construction photo from earlier this Spring showing the Tree Walk in progress.

At the highest point of the walk a visitor will be nearly forty feet above the ground to the enjoy views of the lower garden and Johnson’s Creek.

Construction sketch of Tree Walk sections.

The structure was assembled in the shop prior to delivery in the field to ensure all sections would come together properly.

The structure’s supports and railings are constructed of weathering or Corten steel. The organic color and texture of the material will be low maintenance over time and meld with the organic colors of the tree trunks.

The Tree Walk is designed to be an iconic feature for Leach Botanical Garden –  an attraction that will draw new visitors, as well as bring back regular visitors who will want to experience the garden in different seasons.

We envision that it will be an inspiring and poetic place to experience nature and educate visitors about the forest ecology of the Northwest.