Tree Museum Opens Near Zurich, Switzerland

Swiss landscape architect Enzo Enea's Tree Museum comprises his collection over the past 17 years. Sandstone walls frame some of the specimens.

The phrase ''tree museum'' for many people immediately brings to mind Joni Mitchell's 1970 hit ''Big Yellow Taxi.'' Her memorable lyrics included: "They took all the trees, put 'em in a tree museum and charged the people a dollar and a half just to see 'em.''

Her first trip to Hawaii inspired the song and her words - ''paved paradise and put up a parking lot''- came along about the same time the environmental movement was getting some traction in the U.S., particularly among young people at the time.

Joni's ''tree museum'' referred to the Foster Botanical Garden in downtown Honolulu, the oldest botanical garden in Hawaii (if you don't count the natural flora of the islands themselves!). Foster is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was the first of five gardens of the Honolulu Botanical Gardens.

Well, a new tree museum is in town. It opened June 14, 2010 near Upper Lake Zurich in Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland. On display in this outdoor ''museum'' is a collection of 2,000 species of trees.

The museum was designed and built by Swiss landscape architect Enzo Enea with the assistance of Oppenheim Architecture + Design, an architectural firm that also designed Mr. Enea's new headquarters.

The Tree Museum and Enea's headquarters are on the grounds of a 14th Century monastery. The trees are Mr. Enea's personal collection acquired over the past 17 years.

Enea's headquarters is built of locally-sourced wood to blend with the surrounding forest. A green roof and geothermal heating and cooling system are among the sustainable features of the building.

In this tree museum, you'll have to antee 15 Swiss francs ''just to see 'em.'' 12 francs if you're a student!