Leach Botanical Garden
Encyclopedia
Leach Botanical Garden is a 16 acres (6.5 ha) botanical garden
located in outer southeast Portland, Oregon
. The garden will expand by 5 acres (2 ha) in late 2010 or early 2011.
The garden was established in 1931 as landscaping for the private home of botanist Lilla Leach and pharmacist John Leach, and subsequently donated to the city. The garden was originally named Sleepy Hollow.
Lilla Leach was the first recipient of the Eloise Payne Luquer Medal, from the Garden Club of America, in 1950 for distinguished achievement in botany. From 1945 until 1948, she was director of Save the Myrtle Wood, Inc.
The garden currently features a diverse collection of over 2,000 hybrids, cultivars, native and non-native plants, including alpines, medicinal herb
s, rock garden plants, camellia
s, and 40 genera and over 125 species of fern
s. Many are labeled. The property is divided by Johnson Creek
and most of the land is on an incline. A self-guided tour winds along trails with views of fir
s, ferns, and wildflowers. The garden's director is David Porter.
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
located in outer southeast Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. The garden will expand by 5 acres (2 ha) in late 2010 or early 2011.
The garden was established in 1931 as landscaping for the private home of botanist Lilla Leach and pharmacist John Leach, and subsequently donated to the city. The garden was originally named Sleepy Hollow.
Lilla Leach was the first recipient of the Eloise Payne Luquer Medal, from the Garden Club of America, in 1950 for distinguished achievement in botany. From 1945 until 1948, she was director of Save the Myrtle Wood, Inc.
The garden currently features a diverse collection of over 2,000 hybrids, cultivars, native and non-native plants, including alpines, medicinal herb
Herb
Except in botanical usage, an herb is "any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume" or "a part of such a plant as used in cooking"...
s, rock garden plants, camellia
Camellia
Camellia, the camellias, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. They are found in eastern and southern Asia, from the Himalaya east to Korea and Indonesia. There are 100–250 described species, with some controversy over the exact number...
s, and 40 genera and over 125 species of fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s. Many are labeled. The property is divided by Johnson Creek
Johnson Creek (Willamette River)
Johnson Creek is a 25-mile tributary of the Willamette River in the Portland metropolitan area of the U.S. state of Oregon. Part of the drainage basin of the Columbia River, its watershed consists of of mostly urban land occupied by about 175,000 people as of 2006...
and most of the land is on an incline. A self-guided tour winds along trails with views of fir
Fir
Firs are a genus of 48–55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. They are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range...
s, ferns, and wildflowers. The garden's director is David Porter.
External links
- Leach Botanical Garden on PortlandOnline
- Unique crafts and classes abound at Leach Garden - East Portland News