Secret Garden and Old Signs

Best viewed large.

This cheerful pocket-sized garden in the heart of downtown Bellingham is unlikely to be seen by anyone except members of the YMCA. It's adjacent to the rear entrance of the Y, and fronts on the alley which separates the parking lot from the building.

Not all the garden is visible. There's a steep terraced portion to the right of the safety barrier strung between the red posts on the far left. I wonder if the gardeners have to use climbing gear when it's time for weeding.

The building adorned by the Star Tobacco/Coca-Cola signs, was built in 1903 as the Hotel Laube, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It was recently converted to low-income apartments. In order to meet current fire safety standards and make it wheelchair-accessible, it was necessary to built an elaborate metal structure of steps and ramps on the outside. You can see some of it -- it obviously doesn't improve the appearance of the place.