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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Freeway Park

The Seattle Convention and Trade Center and the adjoining Freeway Park were both built straddling  Interstate 5, a major freeway running the full length of the west coast of the U.S. What a great use of empty space over a freeway!  This is the only convention center in the country that is built in such a way.
 
 
The park brings life and beauty to the urban environment.

I must return in summer to see what this park looks like then!
 
Interesting juxtaposition.  Trees were once the towering giants here.
 
Just a matter of perspective, I guess.
 
The azaelias here are ahead of those 30 miles from the city center.  What a welcome dose of color!

At the same time last year, Loree posted images of her visit to this park here. Comparing her images to these, it looks as if the plants are roughly about as far along as  they were then even though we had a colder than average January. 


It amazes me that this whole thing floats above the freeway.  If you go to the edges of the park, you can look down at traffic and contemplate jumping.  Imagine the traffic back up!  And the mess. Yuk!  I wonder what would happen in the event of a major Earthquake?
 
Well, enough of those happy thoughts!  Hope your week is going well.  Happy Hump Day!
 

20 comments:

  1. Ah, such happy thoughts. I hope they have those no-climb fences along the edges.

    Otherwise, nice urban space with actual color you don't see much in cities.

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    1. I'm all about the unicorns, hearts, rainbows, and sunshines! Didn't notice any fences. It is a nice alternative to the freeway.

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  2. I remember reading about this, such a cool use of space! Bringing nature and greenery into an urban area.

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  3. Oh, I wish I had gone out there with you now. Maybe in the summer?

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  4. I think I remember a jumper back when I lived in Seattle. While suicide is never a good thing it sure sucks to possibly take another person with you by causing a catastrophic accident.

    On a happier note...love those hellebores!

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    1. The hellebores were very sweet and echoed so many that we saw inside the convention center.

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  5. Too bad walking alone there can get a woman raped.

    Deirdre

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    1. Oh my Diedre, I'd no idea. Thanks for sending the link to the stranger article. I've only been in this park during the day when there have been a lot of people milling around during events at the convention center. I noticed some of the small spaces but, in my naiveté, thought that they would be nice spaces to have a solitary lunch away from the madding crowd's ignoble strife. Thanks for the heads up!

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  6. http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=11685

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  7. Great use of space. I would love to see PDX do more of this. It creates such an improvement to the gray landscape. Those azaleas are ahead of ones down here as well. A happy thing to look forward too! Cheers, Jenni

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    1. I've only seen beautiful spaces in Portland but then I've not spent a lot of time there and most PDX bloggers don't post ugly images. I wondered if maybe the park gardener cheated and brought in blooming plants but the azeleas looked as if they had been in the ground for years.

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  8. Very lovely park, I really like the rock-like structure in the first picture. Lurie Garden is somewhat similar in that it is built over a parkign garage.

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  9. Surely they have some sort of barrier so people don't jump! It reminds me a bit of the scene in the Wizard of Oz. Fields of flowers with a gleaming, shining city in the background. Just need Toto!

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    1. Seattle is called The Emerald City (The Queen City and The Jet City were former nicknames which lost favor)so your observation has even more meaning.

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  10. That's Frasier Crane's city! Quite innovative!

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    1. I thought of visiting Frazier and Niles at Cafe Nervosa but ran out of time. Maybe next time.

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  11. Peter,I think were deep engineering calculations and thoughts to create this park. Earthquake is rare and Park gives fresh air and greenery.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.