A beloved green oasis in Southeast Portland, Leach Botanical Garden is at risk of closing due to a budget deficit left when city funding expired in 2025, according to the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon (HPSO). Horticultural staff hours have been cut by two-thirds, leaving the future of the botanical collection in peril.
Leach Botanical Garden, founded in 1936 and located in southeast Portland, embodies the spirit of the Pacific Northwest. The 17-acre garden is spread across two levels and includes many different types of spaces for gathering, observing, learning, and relaxing. Pathways wind through stands of 80-foot-tall Douglas fir trees. Oregon grape and sword ferns are mixed in with over 2,000 varieties of plants. Moss-covered stones and branches glow green around every turn.
Often described as Portland’s secret garden, this historic site offers visitors a space of refuge within the city limits.
Features include:
- The Aerial Tree Walk.
- A pedestrian footbridge over Johnson Creek that leads to the Historic Stone Cabin.
- Historic buildings from the 1930s.
- A basalt stone sculptural installation by artist Michihiro Kosuge.
- The four-season pollinator garden.
- A family gathering meadow with room to relax, run, and explore.
Garden hours are 10 a.m.–4 p.m. (last entry 3:30 p.m.) Thursday–Sunday.
The HPSO is asking plant lovers for help to protect the Leach botanical collection by considering a monthly donation. Those can be made online at LeachGarden.org/Support/Monthly-Giving. The garden is also in need of skilled volunteers to help keep the collection healthy and beautiful. To volunteer, contact Volunteer Manager Annie Winn at AWinn@LeachGarden.org.