James Card:

EditorBike Repairs at the Park

See It on Facebook
Update on the Ebetsu Plaza. The "TouchStone" areas have been completed. Tendays of construction took place and now
the next phase; soil grading to promote a
healthy environment for trees and otherplants. Most importantly is the correctdrainage in the area. For the same
reason that the Parks and Recreation crewhas found it impossible to mow. There
will be elevations of soil for theplantings especially the cherry trees.
If you missed some of the action that has
taken place at the Plaza since the very
first day of the project, you can go to
Facebook and find The Ebetsu Plaza
Project. There are postings of the day
to day activities with one or more photos
and a description.
Most importantly there will be a record
for the future to document the events andprogress.

About two years ago, the great people atBikes
forHumanity(B4H)
starteddiscussions about bicycle repair education.
Great strides were made this past month andfinally the program will be launched in May.
This program
will teach bike owners
techniques in repairing their own bicycles.
Morein-depth
instructions
willbeavailable to those who may already know afew ins and outs about bicycles. The handson instruction will take place at the COHO
pavilion in Main City Park. More advanced
instruction will take place at the Resource
Center. Both classes are free of charge. A
full announcement will be available at The
CityofGresham’s
website,andat
greshamjapanesegarden.com
andwillbeposted on the announcement board at theCOHO.
Along with instruction from B4H led byAndrew
Shaw-Kitch,
there
will
bearefurbishment session. Bicycles in need ofsome repairs can be donated by the communityand will be repaired at this event. Afterthe restorations are made, the Gresham
Japanese Garden will donate the bicycles topeople in need. With every bicycle donatedback to the community, B4H will be supplyinga helmet to the new owner. More details will
be announced as
the bicycles becomeavailable.
Do you have a bicycle that could berefurbished, used for parts or repaired?
You will be given an acknowledgement ofdonation that can be used as a tax
deduction.
Contact: gresham.japanese.garden@gmail.com

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MARCH 2018 EDITIONPage 1

Bonsai classes
For a couple months the garden has hosted a bonsai workshop with Mark
Vossbrink at the Resource Center. Mark has changed the cost of the program.
New: $20.00 per session
Or 3 sessions consecutively for $45.00
Check the website for details: www.greshamjapanesegarden.com. Also takeadvantage of the upcoming pruning events in April

introduction to a Japanese Garden gives
one incite to nature.

NEW TO THE GARDEN by Jim Card
My wife, Katey volunteers at Sheppard’sDoor, sponsored by Portland RescueMission. A one year program for womenwith or without children, recoveringfrom additions.
I became aware of themen’s program at the Harbor. We had afamily member who went through this 1year program with great success.
Because of our involvement withPortland Rescue Mission, a director of
the Harbor contacted me about service
at the garden during the Discovery
period of the men’s program. Beginning
March 28th, I will host a group offellows to offer them the challenges
that the Garden has in terms ofmaintenance.
But above all it willoffer a new introduction to nature andthe aesthetic senses of the Garden. Iwill begin each session with anintroduction to the Garden and what it
can offer to anyone who wants to relax
and see the world as it really is.
One of the challenges will be for thisintroductory program I am calling“Discovery”, is the consistency ofresidents attending the sessions. Each
person is allowed to leave at any given
time or will graduate out of the
Discovery phase and move on to otheropportunities. So there may be somefluctuation in people and teaching
opportunities. Thus the sessions
cannot build on each other but will
have a review period and then a shortprogression to new subjects.

This program will eventually lead toadditional opportunities like bonsai
pruning and care.
In a previous newsletter, I havementioned Hoichi Kurisu’s installation ofa Japanese Garden at the Oregon State
Prison in Salem, Oregon. It will be a
Japanese style healing garden that will
promote a balance of mental and physicalwellbeing to the prisoners. TheseJapanese style gardens have been used inschools and hospitals. More about Mr.
Kurisu and his accomplishments andapproaches can be found in the Home andGarden section of The Oregonian February 8, 2018.
The volunteers of the garden have seenhow being in this tranquil and serene
atmosphere works with mental and physicalchallenged individuals and we are excited
to see the development of these gentlemen
from the Harbor.

Everyone can be a winner here
regardless if they stay in the programat the Harbor or not. Having an

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MARCH 2018 EDITION

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After the Garden was established with plantmaterials, volunteer Bill Peterson, came up
with the idea of creating the "interactivegarden" as it appears on our website
www.greshamjapanesegarden.com. The site isupdated each month with new listings. There
are over 50 at present.
Along with this index of garden plants, Bill
has created a map that indicates theposition of the camera and elevation of theshot. All of this is included in a special
game that was crafted especially for the Kaz
Kids. Some of the photos shown here are thestudents and Gresham High School staff on
the hunt for the plants in the garden. Also
included are photos of the lunch that took
place at the Resource Center in March forthe students and staff that helped with thetable coaster project. Made with rounds ofplywood, leaves collected from the gardenand topped with a sealant. All are welcometo join the fun each month with the Kaz
Kids. You will not forget it. Check theschedule on the website.
Some of the pictures shown here are of thestudents with the Gresham High School staff
on the hunt for the plants as seen in thepictures with direction from the map of thegarden.
Other pictures will show thestudents and staff undertaking the coasterproject and lunch that took place at theResource Center during the March visit tothe Park/Garden. Join us if you like andenjoy the goings on and fun that happens
every time...you will not forget it. Checkour schedule on the website.

KAZ KIDS SCHEDULE
The Kaz Kids schedule for May 11th will continue
with light clean-up projects in the garden, unlessthere is inclement weather then they will meet in the"Resource Center” This is the last Friday Work Dayof the school year.
Wish to join us...Kaz Kids project begins at 9am until
2pm. Lunch is served. Several volunteers are needed
to assist with the student construction of the takehome projects.

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MARCH 2018 EDITION

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“We are what we repeatedly do, Excellence is2018 Newsletter
Our Corporate Supporters

therefore not an act but a habit.” Aristotle“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 waysthat won’t work.” Thomas Edison

TREE CITY USA

Bentwood Tree Farm
Cardscapes
Cy Graphics
J Frank Schmidt Nursery
Kichler lighting
Moxon Hardwoods
Patterson Nursery
PCI Arbor Equipment
Quality Woodworking Inc
Rainbird
Reardon Nursery
SiteOne
Stamp-Connection

10 Trees in 10 Parks for 10 Years!
Celebrate Arbor Month in April as we begin our 10thyears as a Tree City USA. Help us plant ten trees in tenparks at these fun, free events.
Free Gresham Tree City USA t-shirts for the first 20volunteers. Refreshments provided. Please bringgloves. No RSVP required.
Thursday, April 5 10am to noon
Main City Park’s Tsuru Island
219 S. Main Ave

Annual Plants - Buying the best plants

Indoor flowers that Never Wilt

Try to select the flower plants from the inside ofthe flats. They have less damage fromtransportation.
Purchase very short plants with little or no color.
Never purchase lanky, full flowering plants.
Plant them the day you purchase them.

Saturday, April 7
10am to noon
Gradin Arboretum
2303 SE Palmquist Rd.

Cut hem early in the morning and place in a vase
Add 1 Tbsp. of clear corn syrup and a pinch ofClorox bleach to the water.
This will keep them fresh for days and possibly aweek.

Spirng Flower Bed MaintenanceSaturday, April 14
9am to 1pm
Nadaka Nature Park
17615 NE Glisan StGreshamoregon.gov/events for more events
information orCall Tina Osterink
Natural Resources Planner503-618-2392

ISSUE 26

MARCH 2018 EDITION

Apply mulch to beds if you have not done so in thefall.
Perennials that flower later in the year, such asasters and ornamental grasses, can be divided at
this time.
The more you control insects now the less you will
have to deal with later in the year.
Deadheading the large flowering bulbs can begin
now.
Get those indoor seeds planted for transplant when
the weather is warmer.

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