Learning from Nature in the Garden

March 2022

Tsuru Soars

by Jim BuckW

hen you venture into a old
growth forest, look at the flora nearest the ground, what
do you notice? You rarely see a mass ofthe same type of plant. There might besword ferns, but they are mixed with
Oregon grape, vancouveria, salmonberry, thimbleberry, bunchberry and a hostof other species.
The plants look healthy and they seemto stay vigorous year after year. While
there are slugs and other predatorsin the forest, these plants do not lookravaged, as many of the plants in ourgardens do. One of the reasons is that
we put our scrumptious veggies likelettuce in groups or rows that serve as amagnet for predators.
If gardeners adopted the characteristicsof the natural forest, their garden plants
would tend to grow better. Predators

wouldn’t easily find veggies scatteredamong other plants that they don’t likeas well, or next to herbs with aromasthat discourage predators.
We used to think plants competed forthe same nutrients in the soil, but scientists are finding that plants often sharenutrients with each other below thesurface of the soil. They collaborate andengage in a give and take through soil
networks that are filled with fungi andbacteria that aid the process.
This is also the reason you want torejuvenate soils with organic matterlike compost and manure and employ
cover crops. When you learn that eachteaspoon of soil has 5,000 bacteria,
which doesn’t count larger organisms
also present, you understand how much
activity is occurring underground.
One subject in the organic gardening

Friends of the Gresham Japanese Garden Newsletter

Jim Buck, Organic Gardenerclass will be companion planting: whatvegetables don’t grow well together
and which ones do. See how to register
below for my “Organic Gardening Fundamentals” class.

2022 Spring Classes - FreeSPRING PRUNING TIPS
AND TECHNIQUESORGANIC GARDENING
FUNDAMENTALSSaturday, March 19, 1-2:30pm
IN PERSON

Monday, April 4 - 6:30-8pm IN PERSON Saturday, May 21, 1-2:30pm
Wed, April 6 - 6:30-8pm ON ZOOMIN PERSON

Jim Card, Garden Director, will cover techniquesof pruning with a focus on aesthetic pruning. He
will demonstrate pruning techniques on shrubs
and trees in the Garden.

Jim Buck, an avid organic gardener since childhood, has a strong interest in native plants andtheir uses by indigenous tribes. In this class, Jim
will cover how to improve your garden’s healthand our environment by growing organically. The
class will include soil preparation, planting succession tips, companion planting, avoiding diseases,
different types of composting, and elements ofpermaculture.

He will also cover:• Basics of aesthetic pruning• Plant groupings• Feeding and mulching• Tool maintenancehttps://www.greshamjapanesegarden.org/
class-registration/

POLLINATORS FOR YOURYARD

Join Deb Peters in the Garden’s greenhouse fora discussion on native host plants for butterflies
and how to create a pollinator yard.
Learn where and how to plant milkweed andother pollinators to attract butterflies and otherpollinators. Learn about keeping mason bees, too.
https://www.greshamjapanesegarden.org/
class-registration/

https://www.greshamjapanesegarden.org/
class-registration/

Volunteer Newsletter Editors: Sue Hughes, Jim Buck, Mary Taylor, and Mary Dickson. Photos by Bill Peterson.

4

Making it RightH

ave you walked down thetouchstone paver walkway in
Ebetsu Plaza and noticed, orshould we say ‘not noticed’ the names
fading on some of the pavers?
Unfortunately, the original pavers had
an aggregate in the cement, making
them excessively hard to engrave. It
compromised the integrity of the entire
process. Over this past year, the engraving on these pavers has deteriorated,causing poor readability.
We fixed the problem in 2020 bychanging paver manufacturer and theengraving method. In addition, in 2021

we added a black stain that is sprayed on
the engraved areas to really make them
pop—with a 40-year life span.
We can’t thank our inaugural paver
donors enough for giving us the confidence and support to build the endowment fund, and we have an obligation to
you to right the wrong.

The original pavers are
all being replaced…
The original pavers are all being replaced and recycled for other usage.
You’ll be able to walk the pathway again
and read your or your loved one’s name!

PHOTOGRAPHER’S VIEW

枯山水
karesansui
Zen Garden
Purchasing a paver is considered a
tax-deductible donation, and 100% of
the proceeds is held in
an Endowment Fundwith Dino Rocha at
Edward Jones.
Order yours today
for $125.00 — they’re
beautiful!

Hina Matsuri, Spring Festival, Celebrates Girls

Pruning Nandina ‘domestica’by Mary Dickson

Source: Sukiya Living MagazineThere are many varieties of nandina that can look good in yourlandscape. Nandina domestica isan evergreen shrub used as an accentin western Japanese gardens. It is not abamboo of any sort, even though Westerners sometimes try and give it theill-advised name of ‘heavenly bamboo’.
It is a useful shrub because it grows wellin partially shady spots, (poorly in direct
summer sun), offers a visual interest ineach of the four seasons, and is a tough,adaptable plant.

Nandina domestica is normally maintained at a height of 6’- 9’, but thegarden keeps its at 4’-6’. Stems growstraight up from the bottom. Althoughfoliage will persist on old stems, flowers
and berries will only appear on new

growth. One way
to encourage berry
production is to root
prune the shrub.
around its perimeter with a sharp
spade. If the stems
becomes too long
and leggy, or if the
shrub becomes too
crowded, prohibiting good air flow,
the appearance canbe improved by cutting some of the oldstems back to theground (See Fig 1). This type of pruning
can be done in early spring. If you wait
too long in the spring, you run the riskof cutting off the buds that produce theberries the following season.
Another pruning technique when the
shrub becomes too tall for the space is
to shorten the upper stems by cutting
just above the petiole (See Fig 1). This
is often done in the winter when the
shrub is dormant and the red berries are
harvested for ikebana arranging.
Little scientific research has been done

Reader BoardJ

Fig 1 - Pruningwith nandinas, but it appears that too
much nitrogen in the soil will result in
more leaves and roots, but weaker fallcolor and fewer berries. Feeding nandinas used tea leaves sometimes makes
the fruit brighter in color. Moist humus
in the soil also helps to improve berrycolor and the dark shine on the leaves.
The GJG uses nandina varieties on Tsuru
Island for their winter color. Watch Ask
Jims! Fall Color video for usage of nandina domestica and nandina firepower.

Tag the Garden

GARDENER’S TIP
March is a good time to plant cold crops
such as kale, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts,
broccoli, sweet peas, and cabbage. As theweather warms, plants will appreciate
nutrient supplements, the more organic
the better.
Your lawn would appreciate aeration andreseeding in the bare spots too. Monitor forslugs and set out mason bees to help withspring pollination.
— Jim Buck, Garden Volunteer

2

apanese people love festivals thatcelebrate historical events, special
people, or local customs. March
3rd is Hina Matsuri, known for many
years as “Girl’s Day.” It’s also called “Doll’sDay” because of the elaborate doll setsthat decorate homes where a daughter
lives. Families pray for their health, prosperity, and good fortune.
Hina Matsuri is one of five sekku (seasonal festivals). Each includes special
foods and decorations, just like ourholidays. Unlike many public festivals
throughout Japan, Hina Matsuri is morefamily-oriented, especially honoring the
girls in the family. Hina Matsuri doll setsare often passed down through the generations, but parents or grandparents
sometimes purchase a new set before
a girl’s first festival. The dolls can bevery simple, but are often in a complex
set, with intricate costumes. They are
dressed like court nobles from the Heianperiod (AD 794-1185).
According to Danny Tiang, writing on
the Bokksu.com blog, people celebrated a similar festival where they prayed
for good fortune. They placed straw or
paper dolls on a raft and pushed themdown the river, as they believed thedolls would carry away evil spirits andcalamity. During the Edo Period (16031868), people began displaying thesedolls in their homes.
Danny explains, “The ornate dolls are

Typical Hina Matsuri doll setsarranged in a tiered order on a red carpet or platform called a hinadan.
Two dolls known as the dairi-bina sit atthe top, and represent the Emperor andEmpress. For many families, this is the
only tier displayed, but there can be up
to 6 tiers. On the next platform sit three
san-nin kanjo, or court ladies. Musiciansof the court or gon-nin bayashi sit on thethird tier, with each of them holding a
different musical instrument.
On the fourth platform sit two ministers, or daijin featuring a table with gifts
for the couple. They may also be known
as the couple’s bodyguards.
Three helpers or shicho sit on the fifth

level, and they are usually depicted as
different types of drinkers. One cries
while another laughs, and the third sits
in anger. There may also be a mandarinorange tree or sakura tree on this level.
The bottom platforms display various
household items.
Certain tiers, figurine placement, accessories, and number may vary according
to familial or regional traditions. This
ornate display is usually featured in one’s
home beginning in February and taken
down quickly on March 3rd.” According
to Japanese tradition, leaving the dolls
up for too long will hurt a daughter’schances of getting married.

Celebrate O-Hanami with Us
Post your messages
at Gresham Japanese Garden’sCommunity Reader Board
located at the farthest endof Main City Park.

Don’t produce enough cans to bother with a
Bottle Drop account? Or, maybe you just likeus. Either way, we’d be thrilled to accept theredemption from your bottles and cans.
Drop us an email, and we’ll arrange to get
you a couple of our labeled bags. Easy peasy
and thank you!
info@greshamjapanesegarden.com

Hanami means “flower watching”
in Japanese. The practice of
O-Hanami is many centuries old
and a long-standing Japanese tradition of welcoming spring. People cometogether, drink and eat together. andenjoy themselves under the beautiful
flower blossoms.
In 2018, the GJG planted 12 Akebo-no cherry trees in Ebetsu Plaza andAmbleside Annex. Last year’s prime
viewing time was the first week in April.

Oregon Koto-Kai playing
Tuesday, April 5th
12pm-12:30pm
To celebrate O-Hanami this year, GJG
has invited Oregon Koto-Kai to play

Tuesday, April 5th, from 12pm-12:30pm
in the Plaza. Bring a lunch, sit underneaththe blossoming boughs of the cherrytrees, relax to the sounds of Japanese3
harps, and enjoy.

Hina Matsuri, Spring Festival, Celebrates Girls

Pruning Nandina ‘domestica’by Mary Dickson

Source: Sukiya Living MagazineThere are many varieties of nandina that can look good in yourlandscape. Nandina domestica isan evergreen shrub used as an accentin western Japanese gardens. It is not abamboo of any sort, even though Westerners sometimes try and give it theill-advised name of ‘heavenly bamboo’.
It is a useful shrub because it grows wellin partially shady spots, (poorly in direct
summer sun), offers a visual interest ineach of the four seasons, and is a tough,adaptable plant.

Nandina domestica is normally maintained at a height of 6’- 9’, but thegarden keeps its at 4’-6’. Stems growstraight up from the bottom. Althoughfoliage will persist on old stems, flowers
and berries will only appear on new

growth. One way
to encourage berry
production is to root
prune the shrub.
around its perimeter with a sharp
spade. If the stems
becomes too long
and leggy, or if the
shrub becomes too
crowded, prohibiting good air flow,
the appearance canbe improved by cutting some of the oldstems back to theground (See Fig 1). This type of pruning
can be done in early spring. If you wait
too long in the spring, you run the riskof cutting off the buds that produce theberries the following season.
Another pruning technique when the
shrub becomes too tall for the space is
to shorten the upper stems by cutting
just above the petiole (See Fig 1). This
is often done in the winter when the
shrub is dormant and the red berries are
harvested for ikebana arranging.
Little scientific research has been done

Reader BoardJ

Fig 1 - Pruningwith nandinas, but it appears that too
much nitrogen in the soil will result in
more leaves and roots, but weaker fallcolor and fewer berries. Feeding nandinas used tea leaves sometimes makes
the fruit brighter in color. Moist humus
in the soil also helps to improve berrycolor and the dark shine on the leaves.
The GJG uses nandina varieties on Tsuru
Island for their winter color. Watch Ask
Jims! Fall Color video for usage of nandina domestica and nandina firepower.

Tag the Garden

GARDENER’S TIP
March is a good time to plant cold crops
such as kale, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts,
broccoli, sweet peas, and cabbage. As theweather warms, plants will appreciate
nutrient supplements, the more organic
the better.
Your lawn would appreciate aeration andreseeding in the bare spots too. Monitor forslugs and set out mason bees to help withspring pollination.
— Jim Buck, Garden Volunteer

2

apanese people love festivals thatcelebrate historical events, special
people, or local customs. March
3rd is Hina Matsuri, known for many
years as “Girl’s Day.” It’s also called “Doll’sDay” because of the elaborate doll setsthat decorate homes where a daughter
lives. Families pray for their health, prosperity, and good fortune.
Hina Matsuri is one of five sekku (seasonal festivals). Each includes special
foods and decorations, just like ourholidays. Unlike many public festivals
throughout Japan, Hina Matsuri is morefamily-oriented, especially honoring the
girls in the family. Hina Matsuri doll setsare often passed down through the generations, but parents or grandparents
sometimes purchase a new set before
a girl’s first festival. The dolls can bevery simple, but are often in a complex
set, with intricate costumes. They are
dressed like court nobles from the Heianperiod (AD 794-1185).
According to Danny Tiang, writing on
the Bokksu.com blog, people celebrated a similar festival where they prayed
for good fortune. They placed straw or
paper dolls on a raft and pushed themdown the river, as they believed thedolls would carry away evil spirits andcalamity. During the Edo Period (16031868), people began displaying thesedolls in their homes.
Danny explains, “The ornate dolls are

Typical Hina Matsuri doll setsarranged in a tiered order on a red carpet or platform called a hinadan.
Two dolls known as the dairi-bina sit atthe top, and represent the Emperor andEmpress. For many families, this is the
only tier displayed, but there can be up
to 6 tiers. On the next platform sit three
san-nin kanjo, or court ladies. Musiciansof the court or gon-nin bayashi sit on thethird tier, with each of them holding a
different musical instrument.
On the fourth platform sit two ministers, or daijin featuring a table with gifts
for the couple. They may also be known
as the couple’s bodyguards.
Three helpers or shicho sit on the fifth

level, and they are usually depicted as
different types of drinkers. One cries
while another laughs, and the third sits
in anger. There may also be a mandarinorange tree or sakura tree on this level.
The bottom platforms display various
household items.
Certain tiers, figurine placement, accessories, and number may vary according
to familial or regional traditions. This
ornate display is usually featured in one’s
home beginning in February and taken
down quickly on March 3rd.” According
to Japanese tradition, leaving the dolls
up for too long will hurt a daughter’schances of getting married.

Celebrate O-Hanami with Us
Post your messages
at Gresham Japanese Garden’sCommunity Reader Board
located at the farthest endof Main City Park.

Don’t produce enough cans to bother with a
Bottle Drop account? Or, maybe you just likeus. Either way, we’d be thrilled to accept theredemption from your bottles and cans.
Drop us an email, and we’ll arrange to get
you a couple of our labeled bags. Easy peasy
and thank you!
info@greshamjapanesegarden.com

Hanami means “flower watching”
in Japanese. The practice of
O-Hanami is many centuries old
and a long-standing Japanese tradition of welcoming spring. People cometogether, drink and eat together. andenjoy themselves under the beautiful
flower blossoms.
In 2018, the GJG planted 12 Akebo-no cherry trees in Ebetsu Plaza andAmbleside Annex. Last year’s prime
viewing time was the first week in April.

Oregon Koto-Kai playing
Tuesday, April 5th
12pm-12:30pm
To celebrate O-Hanami this year, GJG
has invited Oregon Koto-Kai to play

Tuesday, April 5th, from 12pm-12:30pm
in the Plaza. Bring a lunch, sit underneaththe blossoming boughs of the cherrytrees, relax to the sounds of Japanese3
harps, and enjoy.

Learning from Nature in the Garden

March 2022

Tsuru Soars

by Jim BuckW

hen you venture into a old
growth forest, look at the flora nearest the ground, what
do you notice? You rarely see a mass ofthe same type of plant. There might besword ferns, but they are mixed with
Oregon grape, vancouveria, salmonberry, thimbleberry, bunchberry and a hostof other species.
The plants look healthy and they seemto stay vigorous year after year. While
there are slugs and other predatorsin the forest, these plants do not lookravaged, as many of the plants in ourgardens do. One of the reasons is that
we put our scrumptious veggies likelettuce in groups or rows that serve as amagnet for predators.
If gardeners adopted the characteristicsof the natural forest, their garden plants
would tend to grow better. Predators

wouldn’t easily find veggies scatteredamong other plants that they don’t likeas well, or next to herbs with aromasthat discourage predators.
We used to think plants competed forthe same nutrients in the soil, but scientists are finding that plants often sharenutrients with each other below thesurface of the soil. They collaborate andengage in a give and take through soil
networks that are filled with fungi andbacteria that aid the process.
This is also the reason you want torejuvenate soils with organic matterlike compost and manure and employ
cover crops. When you learn that eachteaspoon of soil has 5,000 bacteria,
which doesn’t count larger organisms
also present, you understand how much
activity is occurring underground.
One subject in the organic gardening

Friends of the Gresham Japanese Garden Newsletter

Jim Buck, Organic Gardenerclass will be companion planting: whatvegetables don’t grow well together
and which ones do. See how to register
below for my “Organic Gardening Fundamentals” class.

2022 Spring Classes - FreeSPRING PRUNING TIPS
AND TECHNIQUESORGANIC GARDENING
FUNDAMENTALSSaturday, March 19, 1-2:30pm
IN PERSON

Monday, April 4 - 6:30-8pm IN PERSON Saturday, May 21, 1-2:30pm
Wed, April 6 - 6:30-8pm ON ZOOMIN PERSON

Jim Card, Garden Director, will cover techniquesof pruning with a focus on aesthetic pruning. He
will demonstrate pruning techniques on shrubs
and trees in the Garden.

Jim Buck, an avid organic gardener since childhood, has a strong interest in native plants andtheir uses by indigenous tribes. In this class, Jim
will cover how to improve your garden’s healthand our environment by growing organically. The
class will include soil preparation, planting succession tips, companion planting, avoiding diseases,
different types of composting, and elements ofpermaculture.

He will also cover:• Basics of aesthetic pruning• Plant groupings• Feeding and mulching• Tool maintenancehttps://www.greshamjapanesegarden.org/
class-registration/

POLLINATORS FOR YOURYARD

Join Deb Peters in the Garden’s greenhouse fora discussion on native host plants for butterflies
and how to create a pollinator yard.
Learn where and how to plant milkweed andother pollinators to attract butterflies and otherpollinators. Learn about keeping mason bees, too.
https://www.greshamjapanesegarden.org/
class-registration/

https://www.greshamjapanesegarden.org/
class-registration/

Volunteer Newsletter Editors: Sue Hughes, Jim Buck, Mary Taylor, and Mary Dickson. Photos by Bill Peterson.

4

Making it RightH

ave you walked down thetouchstone paver walkway in
Ebetsu Plaza and noticed, orshould we say ‘not noticed’ the names
fading on some of the pavers?
Unfortunately, the original pavers had
an aggregate in the cement, making
them excessively hard to engrave. It
compromised the integrity of the entire
process. Over this past year, the engraving on these pavers has deteriorated,causing poor readability.
We fixed the problem in 2020 bychanging paver manufacturer and theengraving method. In addition, in 2021

we added a black stain that is sprayed on
the engraved areas to really make them
pop—with a 40-year life span.
We can’t thank our inaugural paver
donors enough for giving us the confidence and support to build the endowment fund, and we have an obligation to
you to right the wrong.

The original pavers are
all being replaced…
The original pavers are all being replaced and recycled for other usage.
You’ll be able to walk the pathway again
and read your or your loved one’s name!

PHOTOGRAPHER’S VIEW

枯山水
karesansui
Zen Garden
Purchasing a paver is considered a
tax-deductible donation, and 100% of
the proceeds is held in
an Endowment Fundwith Dino Rocha at
Edward Jones.
Order yours today
for $125.00 — they’re
beautiful!