Upcoming Happenings

July 2023

Mark your calendars! Thanks to the cultural grant from the City of Gresham, we’re able to provide you with these events.
July 11

Ikebana for Every Season, 1-2:30pm, $45:
https://www.greshamjapanesegarden.org/calendar/ikebana-for-every-season-5/

July 15 or 20

The Art of Bonsai, 1-3pm, $35: https://www.greshamjapanesegarden.org/bonsai-workshops/

August 5

Pruning Workshop, Onsite at Vanport International, 10am–4pm, $100:
https://www.greshamjapanesegarden.org/calendar/winter-courses-pruning-workshop/

August 26

Koi Expo, 10am-3pm, FreeA family-friendly educational event for those new to the hobby, thinking about becoming a Koi owner,
water quality and more. Designated children’s area with fish identification and origami stations!

Tsuru Soars
Friends of the Gresham Japanese Garden Newsletter

September 10 ‘The Nature of Haiku’ Workshop, In-person with Michael Dylan Welch, 2-4pm, $15
An exploration of haiku poetry with an emphasis on the seasonal and nature-focused aspects of this 		
D
E
C
U
D
RE
poetry, covering such techniques as kigo, kireji, and shasei. Includes a nature walk, writing exercises and a
COSTsharing and feedback session. Thanks to the city of Gresham Cultural Grant, we are able to offer this 		
workshop for a reduced cost. Space is limited. Reserve here.
https://www.greshamjapanesegarden.org/series/haiku-workshop/
October 14-15 Manga: A Brief History & Animation Workshop, 2-day workshop, $45 total
Brian Gonzales, a professional artist, will expose you to the rich cultural history of manga and engage 		you in the physical process of making a traditional cell-based animation. This workshop will be 		
followed by an art contest. Limited to 45 students. Reserve your spot now:
https://www.greshamjapanesegarden.org/calendar/manga-animation-workshop/
November 5

Online Auction Begins, Open House and Ikebana with Nana Bellerud, 2-4pm

Koi Expo
August 26th
10am-3pm
Main City Park
Gresham

Tailored to teach adults how to carefor your koi through healthy water, and soundmaintenance. What happens to a pond andKoi when the unexpected happens?
Children can learn how to identify
Koi by its Japanese name, andlearn its meaning.

Free Expo
Hosted by:
The Gresham
Japanese Garden
and the Northwest Koi & Goldfish Club, NWKG.org

PRESENTATIONS
10:00am: ‘What To Do If The Unexpected
Happens’ presentation
11:30am: ‘Interactive Water Quality’presentation
Children of the Sun Koi:
Koi for sale
Koi Appreciation and
Identification
Childrens Center:
Koi Fishing 			
Koi Matching Game
Koi Coloring Station
Origami Station
K.O.I. Informational Booth“Happenings” information and registration at: GreshamJapaneseGarden.org/
Volunteer Newsletter Editors: Mary Dickson, Sue Hughes, Mary Marrs and Mary Taylor. Photos by Bill Peterson.

Meet the ‘Kyoudou Center’
PHOTOGRAPHER’S VIEW
summer iris
after the rainheads bowedWe think it’s only fitting torename our beloved Resource
Center after a major remodel.
Some volunteers actually still call it the‘Shoebox’.
Meet the ‘Kyoudou Center’ (Key o doe).
You may recognize the word Kyoudou
from our mural. On the barn’s garage- Bill Peterson
door was 共同 Kyoudou: collaboration,
cooperation, community. That’s what wesay, practice, and teach. Soon, we will
have a beautiful space to complement
our mission.
To help with operating costs, theKyoudou Center will be available to rent.
To complete the remodel, a 7’ deck,

8’ wrap-around overhang andan entrance garden are allscheduled to be completed
by September.
It’s a busy time, and thisremodel is a very fulfilling
accomplishment for the Gresham
Japanese Garden volunteers.

Stone is KingTo some, the selection and arrangement of stone are the mostimportant aspects of a garden.
They provide a strong suggestion ofnature, whether it be a mountain, hillor island. Stone also adds balance andstability that you can not achieve withplant material.
When arranging stone, keep in mind its
placement should look natural. Naturalplacements are asymmetrical and leadthe eye along an imaginary axis or along
a hardscape or stream, telling your eye
to pause or maybe turn. (See fig 1)

Celestica Employees Reap Joy in Volunteering
GOOD

with going big. Place your stones fromback to front. Or, if there’s enough room
to move freely around the garden, place
your largest stone first. Be sure and diga hole where the stone is to be placed.
(See fig 2) This helps keep the stone inplace and creates an illusion of emerging out of the soil.

BAD

Fig 1

SELECTION
When selecting your stone, a rockquarry will have a wider selection tochoose from than a garden center. Don’t
THREE BASIC STONE SHAPES
be afraid to go big. It would be difficult
LOW, ROUNDED, OR BLOCKY: This is theto overpower a garden with too large amost common shape. Its base is larger
boulder. Have a plan in mind how you
than its top, generally flat, and has a very
want to move the viewer through thestable appearance.
garden. This will help you make calculatUPRIGHT/COLUMNAR: This shape gives
ed choices on size and shapes.
the appearance of a rugged, mountainColor and looks are important too. Stayous feeling. Almost as tall as wide, but
consistent with your color palette, andstill very stable. This stone (boulder) may
choose stone that looks old and weathstand alone, or as the dominant featureered, so it appears as though it’s been inin a mass grouping.
the garden forever.
PROSTRATE, FLAT: Typically low to the
PLACEMENT
ground, much wider than tall, like a
Placing stone can be a difficult task
stepping stone.
especially, since we said to not be afraid

Fig 2

Stone has always been at the foundation of Tsuru Island. Documentationshows that garden designer Sam Iwamoto, was extremely particular in thetype of stone that was chosen for thepath. Over 5000 stones were handpicked out of the Clackamas River.
When Jim rebirthed Tsuru Island hesearched for like color and material of
the original stone. He found most of it
within five miles of the garden. He also
was able to trace the stones back to the
Glacier Lake Missoula floods.
Source: Sukiya Living Nov/Dec 2022

Cultivation Takes Time

Pruning Broadleaf Evergreen

This year marks the third summer for ourpollinator garden. The plants are cultivatedfrom seed by the students in our Exploratory Program. We still consider the garden awork-in-progress, simply because it takes
time for native plants to mature. And, we
also have resident bunnies who enjoy ourplants. Caging the plants have helped.
Sorry bunnies.

Broadleaf evergreens are the foundational
plants of a garden. They’re also shrubs thatcan easily get overgrown and out of balance
in a landscape.
On a glorious Saturday, Francheska Snyder,taught 10 pruning program students her artof pruning broadleaf evergreen shrubs forhealth, aesthetics and size management.

GARDEN TIPS
Our summers have been getting drier for
longer periods,which puts strain on plants
and trees needing moisture.
Mulching your garden spaces will help
conserve plant moisture and reduce theneed for water. Composting can also help.
Add organic material to your soil that will
help retain moisture and nutrients. Keepmulch 6” from the trunks of trees to reduce
the risk of rot, pests, or diseases.
— Jim Buck, Garden Volunteer
and Organic Gardenerby Mary MarrsT

hey say they get a lot of joy fromvolunteering at the Gresham
Japanese Garden. That’s
something we never get tired of hearing.
“You just fall in love with the garden
because it’s so alive,” said Celestica
employee Katsumy Keller. She andothers have found that joy through theiremployer’s volunteer program.
Paul DeWater, Human Resources
Administrator at Celestica’s Portland
office, said that every year employees
are offered 16 hours of paid time tovolunteer nd has organized up to
30 different employees for monthly
volunteering since March.
Whether it’s pulling invasive grasses
from Johnson Creek banks, deadheading
spent blossoms of heirloom azaleas,
Partnering with Jim seemedor digging up shrubs and trees inlike a good fit. Every month,preparation for the resource centerPaul and other employees
remodel, Celestica employees have been show up ready to work; they
pitching in. “I knew that I wanted to give receive a lot of information
Above photo: Paul DeWater hauls debris off the island. Belowback to the community,” said Celesticaand learn new skills from Jim,
photo: Employees hard at work clearing the west bank of
Tsuru Island.
production operator Paul Jumroon. He
activities director Sue Hughes,
says that paid time for volunteering isand other volunteers.
nice, but it’s not the most important“Everyone here is so welcoming. They’re “The more I’m here in the garden,
thing to him. Contributing to the garden eager to teach us and offer their wisdom.”
the more I see the beauty that I
has become his pleasure and reward.
That’s something that Jumroon didn’t
didn’t see before.”“When I come back to the garden,
expect. Having never worked with
DeWater brings a different array of
I’m happy to see what I’ve helped toplants before, he’s learning about plant
employees each time. Some go backaccomplish.”care, how to prune, what plants needto the office and tell others about what
Celestica, an international company
to be healthy. Sounding introspective,
with 40 offices worldwide, manages the he says, when learning something new they did, what a great time they had,which encourages others. He knows thatdesign, manufacturing, and marketingand focusing on the plants, it’s likevolunteering can inspire teamwork andof electronic products. Their buildings,
meditation. “It’s calming, and that’s ateam building. Even employees frombordering both Portland and Gresham, good thing for me.”different departments are getting tohave up to 250 employees, with about
Katsumy, also a production operator,
know each other because of volunteering
50 who volunteer locally. When Paulsaid that she didn’t know much about
DeWater was asked to manage theirgrowing plants or gardening either. She together.
DeWater appreciates the personal value
volunteer program, he pulled from hisappreciates the opportunity to learn
own college experience at a Seattle
about both, and admits that there’s a lot of volunteering and comes on his own
food bank. He looked for sustainable
she wasn’t aware of. “The more I’m here time to help on Saturdays. When asked
opportunities that could be more thanin the garden, the more I see the beauty how this has affected him, he says with a
big smile that it, “makes him feel lighter.”short-term activities that sometimes
that I didn’t see before.”require extra time and energy for thereceiving organization.

Stone is KingTo some, the selection and arrangement of stone are the mostimportant aspects of a garden.
They provide a strong suggestion ofnature, whether it be a mountain, hillor island. Stone also adds balance andstability that you can not achieve withplant material.
When arranging stone, keep in mind its
placement should look natural. Naturalplacements are asymmetrical and leadthe eye along an imaginary axis or along
a hardscape or stream, telling your eye
to pause or maybe turn. (See fig 1)

Celestica Employees Reap Joy in Volunteering
GOOD

with going big. Place your stones fromback to front. Or, if there’s enough room
to move freely around the garden, place
your largest stone first. Be sure and diga hole where the stone is to be placed.
(See fig 2) This helps keep the stone inplace and creates an illusion of emerging out of the soil.

BAD

Fig 1

SELECTION
When selecting your stone, a rockquarry will have a wider selection tochoose from than a garden center. Don’t
THREE BASIC STONE SHAPES
be afraid to go big. It would be difficult
LOW, ROUNDED, OR BLOCKY: This is theto overpower a garden with too large amost common shape. Its base is larger
boulder. Have a plan in mind how you
than its top, generally flat, and has a very
want to move the viewer through thestable appearance.
garden. This will help you make calculatUPRIGHT/COLUMNAR: This shape gives
ed choices on size and shapes.
the appearance of a rugged, mountainColor and looks are important too. Stayous feeling. Almost as tall as wide, but
consistent with your color palette, andstill very stable. This stone (boulder) may
choose stone that looks old and weathstand alone, or as the dominant featureered, so it appears as though it’s been inin a mass grouping.
the garden forever.
PROSTRATE, FLAT: Typically low to the
PLACEMENT
ground, much wider than tall, like a
Placing stone can be a difficult task
stepping stone.
especially, since we said to not be afraid

Fig 2

Stone has always been at the foundation of Tsuru Island. Documentationshows that garden designer Sam Iwamoto, was extremely particular in thetype of stone that was chosen for thepath. Over 5000 stones were handpicked out of the Clackamas River.
When Jim rebirthed Tsuru Island hesearched for like color and material of
the original stone. He found most of it
within five miles of the garden. He also
was able to trace the stones back to the
Glacier Lake Missoula floods.
Source: Sukiya Living Nov/Dec 2022

Cultivation Takes Time

Pruning Broadleaf Evergreen

This year marks the third summer for ourpollinator garden. The plants are cultivatedfrom seed by the students in our Exploratory Program. We still consider the garden awork-in-progress, simply because it takes
time for native plants to mature. And, we
also have resident bunnies who enjoy ourplants. Caging the plants have helped.
Sorry bunnies.

Broadleaf evergreens are the foundational
plants of a garden. They’re also shrubs thatcan easily get overgrown and out of balance
in a landscape.
On a glorious Saturday, Francheska Snyder,taught 10 pruning program students her artof pruning broadleaf evergreen shrubs forhealth, aesthetics and size management.

GARDEN TIPS
Our summers have been getting drier for
longer periods,which puts strain on plants
and trees needing moisture.
Mulching your garden spaces will help
conserve plant moisture and reduce theneed for water. Composting can also help.
Add organic material to your soil that will
help retain moisture and nutrients. Keepmulch 6” from the trunks of trees to reduce
the risk of rot, pests, or diseases.
— Jim Buck, Garden Volunteer
and Organic Gardenerby Mary MarrsT

hey say they get a lot of joy fromvolunteering at the Gresham
Japanese Garden. That’s
something we never get tired of hearing.
“You just fall in love with the garden
because it’s so alive,” said Celestica
employee Katsumy Keller. She andothers have found that joy through theiremployer’s volunteer program.
Paul DeWater, Human Resources
Administrator at Celestica’s Portland
office, said that every year employees
are offered 16 hours of paid time tovolunteer nd has organized up to
30 different employees for monthly
volunteering since March.
Whether it’s pulling invasive grasses
from Johnson Creek banks, deadheading
spent blossoms of heirloom azaleas,
Partnering with Jim seemedor digging up shrubs and trees inlike a good fit. Every month,preparation for the resource centerPaul and other employees
remodel, Celestica employees have been show up ready to work; they
pitching in. “I knew that I wanted to give receive a lot of information
Above photo: Paul DeWater hauls debris off the island. Belowback to the community,” said Celesticaand learn new skills from Jim,
photo: Employees hard at work clearing the west bank of
Tsuru Island.
production operator Paul Jumroon. He
activities director Sue Hughes,
says that paid time for volunteering isand other volunteers.
nice, but it’s not the most important“Everyone here is so welcoming. They’re “The more I’m here in the garden,
thing to him. Contributing to the garden eager to teach us and offer their wisdom.”
the more I see the beauty that I
has become his pleasure and reward.
That’s something that Jumroon didn’t
didn’t see before.”“When I come back to the garden,
expect. Having never worked with
DeWater brings a different array of
I’m happy to see what I’ve helped toplants before, he’s learning about plant
employees each time. Some go backaccomplish.”care, how to prune, what plants needto the office and tell others about what
Celestica, an international company
to be healthy. Sounding introspective,
with 40 offices worldwide, manages the he says, when learning something new they did, what a great time they had,which encourages others. He knows thatdesign, manufacturing, and marketingand focusing on the plants, it’s likevolunteering can inspire teamwork andof electronic products. Their buildings,
meditation. “It’s calming, and that’s ateam building. Even employees frombordering both Portland and Gresham, good thing for me.”different departments are getting tohave up to 250 employees, with about
Katsumy, also a production operator,
know each other because of volunteering
50 who volunteer locally. When Paulsaid that she didn’t know much about
DeWater was asked to manage theirgrowing plants or gardening either. She together.
DeWater appreciates the personal value
volunteer program, he pulled from hisappreciates the opportunity to learn
own college experience at a Seattle
about both, and admits that there’s a lot of volunteering and comes on his own
food bank. He looked for sustainable
she wasn’t aware of. “The more I’m here time to help on Saturdays. When asked
opportunities that could be more thanin the garden, the more I see the beauty how this has affected him, he says with a
big smile that it, “makes him feel lighter.”short-term activities that sometimes
that I didn’t see before.”require extra time and energy for thereceiving organization.

Upcoming Happenings

July 2023

Mark your calendars! Thanks to the cultural grant from the City of Gresham, we’re able to provide you with these events.
July 11

Ikebana for Every Season, 1-2:30pm, $45:
https://www.greshamjapanesegarden.org/calendar/ikebana-for-every-season-5/

July 15 or 20

The Art of Bonsai, 1-3pm, $35: https://www.greshamjapanesegarden.org/bonsai-workshops/

August 5

Pruning Workshop, Onsite at Vanport International, 10am–4pm, $100:
https://www.greshamjapanesegarden.org/calendar/winter-courses-pruning-workshop/

August 26

Koi Expo, 10am-3pm, FreeA family-friendly educational event for those new to the hobby, thinking about becoming a Koi owner,
water quality and more. Designated children’s area with fish identification and origami stations!

Tsuru Soars
Friends of the Gresham Japanese Garden Newsletter

September 10 ‘The Nature of Haiku’ Workshop, In-person with Michael Dylan Welch, 2-4pm, $15
An exploration of haiku poetry with an emphasis on the seasonal and nature-focused aspects of this 		
D
E
C
U
D
RE
poetry, covering such techniques as kigo, kireji, and shasei. Includes a nature walk, writing exercises and a
COSTsharing and feedback session. Thanks to the city of Gresham Cultural Grant, we are able to offer this 		
workshop for a reduced cost. Space is limited. Reserve here.
https://www.greshamjapanesegarden.org/series/haiku-workshop/
October 14-15 Manga: A Brief History & Animation Workshop, 2-day workshop, $45 total
Brian Gonzales, a professional artist, will expose you to the rich cultural history of manga and engage
you in the physical process of making a traditional cell-based animation. This workshop will be 		
followed by an art contest. Limited to 45 students. Reserve your spot now:
https://www.greshamjapanesegarden.org/calendar/manga-animation-workshop/
November 5

Online Auction Begins, Open House and Ikebana with Nana Bellerud, 2-4pm

Koi Expo
August 26th
10am-3pm
Main City Park
Gresham

Tailored to teach adults how to carefor your koi through healthy water, and soundmaintenance. What happens to a pond andKoi when the unexpected happens?
Children can learn how to identify
Koi by its Japanese name, andlearn its meaning.

Free Expo
Hosted by:
The Gresham
Japanese Garden
and the Northwest Koi & Goldfish Club, NWKG.org

PRESENTATIONS
10:00am: ‘What To Do If The Unexpected
Happens’ presentation
11:30am: ‘Interactive Water Quality’presentation
Children of the Sun Koi:
Koi for sale
Koi Appreciation and
Identification
Childrens Center:
Koi Fishing
Koi Matching Game
Koi Coloring Station
Origami Station
K.O.I. Informational Booth“Happenings” information and registration at: GreshamJapaneseGarden.org/
Volunteer Newsletter Editors: Mary Dickson, Sue Hughes, Mary Marrs and Mary Taylor. Photos by Bill Peterson.

Meet the ‘Kyoudou Center’
PHOTOGRAPHER’S VIEW
summer iris
after the rainheads bowedWe think it’s only fitting torename our beloved Resource
Center after a major remodel.
Some volunteers actually still call it the‘Shoebox’.
Meet the ‘Kyoudou Center’ (Key o doe).
You may recognize the word Kyoudou
from our mural. On the barn’s garage- Bill Peterson
door was 共同 Kyoudou: collaboration,
cooperation, community. That’s what wesay, practice, and teach. Soon, we will
have a beautiful space to complement
our mission.
To help with operating costs, theKyoudou Center will be available to rent.
To complete the remodel, a 7’ deck,

8’ wrap-around overhang andan entrance garden are allscheduled to be completed
by September.
It’s a busy time, and thisremodel is a very fulfilling
accomplishment for the Gresham
Japanese Garden volunteers.