In Washington County Oregon there is a library that is built on a nature preserve. One very beautiful aspect of being a park is they built and modeled the library building around the existing wildlife and trees. Us Oregonians are real suckers for a pretty tree but we are proud of it because we will not cut a tree down unless we have to. This library is proof of that. My kids call this giant tree pictured below the "Alice in Wonderland" tree and insist on always wanting to look in it. They seem to think that they just might fall all the way in to Wonderland. The trees in that cluster are giants and must be at least 50 years old because if I had to guesstimate how big they were I would say three stories tall at least. To get a better prospective of the height of the trees check out the third picture below that has the library which happens to be a two story building.
This just shows how this library was designed around the beautiful trees.
The "Wonderland" hole
The "Wonderland" tree is in the middle at the front of the library.
Besides a beautiful entrance the library also faces out onto the giant duck pond that connects to a series of ponds, paths, and waterfalls. There even is soon to be working docks for electric cars which I think is a first for the county. Here are some of the other places in the park.
A beautiful bent set of trees that is still growing almost to the ground. Behind the bench is a stream that leads to a very large Lilly pad pond.
Lilly pads blooming.
A small waterfall from one of many connecting Lily ponds.
"Tree Island"
I encourage each and every one of you to explore your local libraries this summer because you just never know what you might find.
~Lizzy~
What a gorgeous space around books. Love that tree!
ReplyDeleteOne bad thing about the libraries in the city is that they don't have the space around them for gorgeous grounds like your library. I'd love to have a garden outside my library where I could bring my books to read!
ReplyDeleteDoes a cat disappear into that hole?
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Wow. I wish my library had beautiful trees like that. It is close to a creek, which is gorgeous. But nothing that gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous! This reminds me a bit of the public library in Newton, MA, which has this swamp-y moat-y thing around it -- trees and water and flowers. It's quite beautiful in the summer and autumn. Living in the city, I don't have library branches as green or as pretty -- I certainly envy you!
ReplyDeleteThat's a beautiful location of the library. I can see checking out a book and wandering over to the pond to read it. I'm in a larger urban area, so we don't have anything like that near our libraries.
ReplyDeleteErika, it is so pretty in person the picture does not do it justice. I took the kids there this past week and they both stuck their little heads in again. But they were mortified that SOMEONE had thrown garbage in it. They cleaned it out LOL.
ReplyDeleteMeg, man would that not be cool to have a roof top garden library?
Pricilla, I wish but a kid just might.
Allison, I love water I am so drawn to it. I just recently discovered that the libraries park had other places to go that had water too. I had to share it is too beautiful to pass up.
Audra, they just built this one only 2 or 3 years ago and it was built next to a long establish woodland preserve. I hear the reason people love living in Oregon is for the diverse outdoor activities. Not me though this is about as outdoorish as I get.
Sarah, hehe I wish you could see it too. I am glad you enjoyed the post.
beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAndressa, I agree super pretty.
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