Upcoming Happenings

April 2023

Assessing and Pruning an Overgrown Landscape, Zoom: April 13th, Thursday 6-8pm $45
Managing an overgrown landscape can be overwhelming. How do you even start? Learn ways to gracefully bring your landscape back into a scaled composition with Francheska Snyder.
Francheska Snyder is the current owner/operator of Niwa Method, a landscape business specializing
in Japanese gardens. She has previously worked at the Portland Japanese Garden, Shofuso JapaneseHouse and Garden, and Wyck Historic House and Garden. She holds a certificate in Ornamental Horticulture, a 3rd Term Master Level certificate from the Ohara School of Ikebana and is a recognized
Chanticleer Scholar. She also uses her time and talent on the board of Leach Botanical Garden, and now
consulting and teaching for the Gresham Japanese Garden.
NOTE: The class will be recorded and available for two weeks.

Tsuru Soars
Friends of the Gresham Japanese Garden Newsletter

Course Recap, Onsite: Saturday, April 15th, 12:30-1:30pm $20
This is an optional one-hour Course Recap to the Assessing and Pruning an Overgrown Landscape course. Tsuru Island will be
your classroom to review how to access and tackle an overgrown landscape with personalized attention by Francheska.

Ikebana for Every Season, Tuesday, April 11th, 1-2:30pm $45
The Art of Bonsai, Saturday, April 15th or Thursday, April 20th, 1-3pm $35
Pruning Workshop, Onsite: May 6th, 9am–3pm $100
This all-day pruning workshop will combine everything you’ve learned from the courses into an all-day hands-on pruning
workshop at Vanport International’s Japanese Garden in Boring, Oregon with instructor Francheska Snyder.

Mark your calendars! Thanks to the cultural grant from the City of Gresham, we’re able
to provide you with these events.
May 16‘How To Haiku’ Workshop with Michael Dylan Welch. Zoom, Cost $20
An overview of haiku poetry, and a short history of Japanese haiku. 		
This workshop explores the targets to aim for. Includes writing 		
exercises, sharing and feedback.

August 26

Educational Koi Expo, FreeA family-friendly educational event for those new to the hobby and/or
those thinking about becoming koi and pond owners.

September 10 How To Haiku’ Workshop, In-person with Michael Dylan Welch, Cost $45
The writing exercise will take place on Tsuru Island.
October 14-15

November 5Manga: A Brief History & Animation Workshop Cost $45
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 anart contest. Limited to 45 students. Reserve your spot now by sending
an email to sue@GreshamJapaneseGarden.com.

Volunteer
Orientation
Wednesday, April 5th
5:30-7pm
In the greenhouse behind
the Resource Center
219 S Main Avenue
Have you been thinking about
volunteering, but didn’t know
if we’re the right organization
to fit your needs.
Join us on the 5th, listen
about our story, and thebreadth of our organization.
Maybe there’s a somethingthat interests you. (It’s not all
gardening!)

Remodel Open House and Ikebana with Nana Bellerud

More “Happenings” information on: https://www.greshamjapanesegarden.org/
Volunteer Newsletter Editors: Mary Dickson, Sue Hughes, Mary Marrs and Mary Taylor. Photos by Bill Peterson.

And the Winner is…

T

he Gresham Japanese Garden
Speaking of supporters, another big
has a tremendous need for fund- shout out goes to Bob McDonald. He
ing the remodel of the Resource donated the Cabo trip to the Garden,
Center, and we couldn’t be happier inand he sits on the board for the Center
the support we received from everyone for the Arts Foundation.
who participated in our most recent
Our hearts are full, but our remodeling
Cabo San Lucas vacation raffle. Our total spreadsheet tells us to keep on fundraisticket sales were $6,160.00!
ing. In the works…another raffle for a
The drawing took place Saturday,
week’s vacation on the Coast and maybe
March 11th during Garden Saturday. The a plant sale?
winner is Sue O’Halloran. For those ofPlease hang in there with us. The
you who don’t know Sue, she is one ofGarden, accompanied by a Japanese-inthe managing partners with KMO Realspired building, is sure to become theEstate, known for her acuteness in com- cultural destination in East County.
mercial real estate. And, she’s also a big
supporter of arts and culture in Gresham.

PHOTOGRAPHER’S VIEW
Feel the warm spring day
Garden plants display colors
Sit here on the bench– Bill Peterson

Bob McDonald, Sue O’Halloran and Sue’s husband
Al Richards

Family-Owned Business Highlights

Have a Pruning PlanAs spring approaches, we all want
to start playing in our gardens.
All gardens should start with aplan, but we’re a little biased at GJG andare constantly re-aligning the overallplan of each shrub and tree, and thegarden as a whole.
So, as you pursue your retail nursery,
rely on a plan and ask yourself thesequestions. Do I need foundation plants,
or a specimen tree? What’s my height
limitation, color desire? Evergreen,
deciduous, sun/shade, shape? This will
not only help your shopping experience,but keep you on task. You still have a lotof work ahead of you after you pick theright plant material.
In Japan, nurseries provide plantmaterial that has already been pruned
for several years or decades. A specimen
tree will look like a specimen tree when
you buy it. Most Western nurseries do
not prep prune their inventory, so it’s left
to the gardener to know how to prune
suitably for their garden.
Take our common nandina domestica‘heavenly bamboo’ multi-trunk shrub.
When you’re shopping, look at its canestructure. Are there crossing canes orones growing sideways? Make sure
you have enough viable canes to keep,
and remove to thin, so air can passthrough. This keeps the plant healthy
and reduces the trapping of leaves
and debris. Once you’ve removed theobvious problem canes at the base, you
can choose to cut other canes. Whereyou make your cut will flush out new
growth. Yes, you can cut all the canes
to the bottom and they will grow back,but it’s not recommended on a newly
purchased plant. Wait a few years, until
you’ve studied its growth habits in yourspace AND see what needs to be done
to fulfill your garden plan.
Nandina domestica can stay short andcompact, tall, or leggy. If you plant in
too shady of a spot, it won’t be adorned
with its winter reds. So as you cansee, this plant is very versatile, it’s anevergreen and fairly easy to prune.
Pruning instructor, Francheska Snyder,will be talking about these issues in her
upcoming pruning course, ‘Assessing
and Pruning an Overgrown Landscape.’
The key to purchasing a plant at anurseries and then planting in that
perfect spot (you think), is to give it timeby Mary Marrs

G

Nandina domestica ‘Heavenly Bamboo’to acclimate. Be patient. Don’t prune
too much off at once. Pruners devise
landscape plans as far as five years out.
They take notes about how it reacted tolast year’s pruning and photos are also areally good resource. Just don’t rely onthat shrub or tree you brought homefrom the nursery to be ready-to-plant.
They rarely are.
We’ve talked a ton about the top of
the plant, but pay attention to the rootsystem too. If you see roots breaking
through the bottom of the container
don’t buy it. Pull it out of the container
and if it’s root bound, don’t buy it either.
Happy Planting!

Employees With a Heart

It’s Time to Fertilize

For Bess Wills, the owner of Gresham Ford“The Dealer with a Heart”, philanthropy issecond nature. She encourages her employees to contribute to a “slush fund”, tobe given to a local non-profit. Karl Davis, aGresham Ford employee and Garden volunteer asked for this slush fund to be directed
to our Exploratory Program.
And the connections keep getting better.
Karl’s wife Michelle, works with our students
in the school disctrict!

Japanese maples, woody shrubs, rhodies,azaleas and trees with a trunk diameter of6” or less should be fertilized in early spring
before leaves emerge.
Most woody plants begin the new year’s
growth with energy stored from the year
before. An application of fertilizer gives anadditional boost to this new growth.

GARDEN TIP
Avoid damping-off fungus affecting
cucumbers, beans, peppers and tomatoes, that with our gardening enthusiasm
we tend to plant too early.
Damping-off fungus is fostered by wet,cool conditions, so wait until the soil
warms sufficiently before putting out
these vegetable starts. And, do not add
any fertilizer until leaves have emergedon the plants you started from seeds.
— Jim Buck, Garden Volunteer
and Organic Gardenerresham may be Oregon’s
are appreciated,” Mike said, “and thatfourth largest city, but it feels
your contributions are valued.” And Jim’s
good that we still have that
response, “Boy, are they ever!”hometown feeling anchored by
Our second family-owned businessfamily-owned businesses.
highlight goes to Tyson Redfern, secondOrient Electric is our first family-owned generation owner of Gresham Heating
business highlight. Mike Opray started
and Air Conditioning. The volunteer
at Orient Electric as an apprentice
construction team of the Garden madeelectrician over 20 years ago, before
the decision to get rid of the drop
he and his wife Kristi bought it in 2012. ceiling. The volunteers were overjoyed
Jim Card and Mike Opray at Orient Electric’s office.
Today, their sons Clinton, Jacob, andwith that decision, but as one also
to school to study architecture andLuke work beside them as journeyman knows, with changes comes effects.
electricians, and the previous owner still They removed the drop ceiling knowing engineering, then came back to work inworks in the office.
the ancient duct work would have to be the business. When his dad passed awayin 2010, Tyson had many years working
When it came to wiring the greenhouse dealt with.
in the industry. In 2014, he officiallyin 2018, Garden director Jim Card called Connecting with Tyson was a hugetook over Gresham Heating and Air
his friend Mike. He told him how muchrelief to our budget and our sanity.
Conditioning.
money the Garden had to spend fromEven though Tyson doesn’t install theHis business card includes the title
a Community Enhancement Grant, and type of ductwork we needed anymore,“Comfort Specialist” which he explains
Mike gave a fair estimate. Mike didn’t
he provided a great solution and a fairmeans that he specializes in creatingtell Jim the real cost, and in the end
quote.
HVAC comfort systems for homes. He
donated a good portion of the labor and Tyson and his crew, which included
seems to prefer that title over “Owner”. As
materials. And when volunteers couldn’t his experienced cousin Corey andfigure out some of the extra electricalapprentice Galen, completed the project owner, Tyson has his eyes set on a bigger
space to expand his crew. And, with theneeds on their own, Orient Electric came in one day.
coaching advice from a retired businessback and finished the job—withoutowner in the trade, Tyson is developing
charge. “Just helping a friend out,” Mikethe plan.
said. “Just helping people move forward.”
Whether it’s as lead technician or owner,“Just helping a friend out,”
he appreciates his family’s history in
Gresham. His grandfather was the city’s
he said. “Just helping people
first inspector, and Redfern Avenue andmove forward.”
Redfern Place are streets named after him.
– Mike Opray, Owner, Orient Electric
Tyson remembers his own time as a
Mike says something he likes about Jim
kid down at Johnson Creek catchingis that he’s frugal, and more importantly
Tyson Redfern with Gresham Heating and Air crawdads. Back then, he admits, Tsuru
working in the Resource Center.
knows how to optimize what people
Island wasn’t in the best of shape. “I’mbring to the table to make sure it adds
really glad that there’s an organization
Tyson said, when he worked with hisvalue to the larger picture. So while
taking care of it now”.
dad, he learned to assess projects andOrient Electric has the skills, people, andWith the attention and generosity fromproblem solve on-site. For this project,experience, Jim has a way of bringing
OrientElectric and Gresham Heating andTyson creatively figured out how to fit
the right folks together to make a
Air Conditioning, it sure feels like we live
over 120-feet of new ductwork along
project better.
the building’s structural beam. Jim says, in a much smaller town. We can count on
Since the greenhouse, the Garden
two local family-owned businesses who“They did a really clean job.”
has leaned on Orient Electric for theirgenuinely care about the community
Tyson’s dad Loran started therestroom installation and now theand are helping the Gresham Japanesecompany in 1992 and based it out of
remodel of the Resource Center.
Garden move forward.
their Gresham home. Tyson had gone
“There’s a joy knowing that your skills

Family-Owned Business Highlights

Have a Pruning PlanAs spring approaches, we all want
to start playing in our gardens.
All gardens should start with aplan, but we’re a little biased at GJG andare constantly re-aligning the overallplan of each shrub and tree, and thegarden as a whole.
So, as you pursue your retail nursery,
rely on a plan and ask yourself thesequestions. Do I need foundation plants,
or a specimen tree? What’s my height
limitation, color desire? Evergreen,
deciduous, sun/shade, shape? This will
not only help your shopping experience,but keep you on task. You still have a lotof work ahead of you after you pick theright plant material.
In Japan, nurseries provide plantmaterial that has already been pruned
for several years or decades. A specimen
tree will look like a specimen tree when
you buy it. Most Western nurseries do
not prep prune their inventory, so it’s left
to the gardener to know how to prune
suitably for their garden.
Take our common nandina domestica‘heavenly bamboo’ multi-trunk shrub.
When you’re shopping, look at its canestructure. Are there crossing canes orones growing sideways? Make sure
you have enough viable canes to keep,
and remove to thin, so air can passthrough. This keeps the plant healthy
and reduces the trapping of leaves
and debris. Once you’ve removed theobvious problem canes at the base, you
can choose to cut other canes. Whereyou make your cut will flush out new
growth. Yes, you can cut all the canes
to the bottom and they will grow back,but it’s not recommended on a newly
purchased plant. Wait a few years, until
you’ve studied its growth habits in yourspace AND see what needs to be done
to fulfill your garden plan.
Nandina domestica can stay short andcompact, tall, or leggy. If you plant in
too shady of a spot, it won’t be adorned
with its winter reds. So as you cansee, this plant is very versatile, it’s anevergreen and fairly easy to prune.
Pruning instructor, Francheska Snyder,will be talking about these issues in her
upcoming pruning course, ‘Assessing
and Pruning an Overgrown Landscape.’
The key to purchasing a plant at anurseries and then planting in that
perfect spot (you think), is to give it timeby Mary Marrs

G

Nandina domestica ‘Heavenly Bamboo’to acclimate. Be patient. Don’t prune
too much off at once. Pruners devise
landscape plans as far as five years out.
They take notes about how it reacted tolast year’s pruning and photos are also areally good resource. Just don’t rely onthat shrub or tree you brought homefrom the nursery to be ready-to-plant.
They rarely are.
We’ve talked a ton about the top of
the plant, but pay attention to the rootsystem too. If you see roots breaking
through the bottom of the container
don’t buy it. Pull it out of the container
and if it’s root bound, don’t buy it either.
Happy Planting!

Employees With a Heart

It’s Time to Fertilize

For Bess Wills, the owner of Gresham Ford“The Dealer with a Heart”, philanthropy issecond nature. She encourages her employees to contribute to a “slush fund”, tobe given to a local non-profit. Karl Davis, aGresham Ford employee and Garden volunteer asked for this slush fund to be directed
to our Exploratory Program.
And the connections keep getting better.
Karl’s wife Michelle, works with our students
in the school disctrict!

Japanese maples, woody shrubs, rhodies,azaleas and trees with a trunk diameter of6” or less should be fertilized in early spring
before leaves emerge.
Most woody plants begin the new year’s
growth with energy stored from the year
before. An application of fertilizer gives anadditional boost to this new growth.

GARDEN TIP
Avoid damping-off fungus affecting
cucumbers, beans, peppers and tomatoes, that with our gardening enthusiasm
we tend to plant too early.
Damping-off fungus is fostered by wet,cool conditions, so wait until the soil
warms sufficiently before putting out
these vegetable starts. And, do not add
any fertilizer until leaves have emergedon the plants you started from seeds.
— Jim Buck, Garden Volunteer
and Organic Gardenerresham may be Oregon’s
are appreciated,” Mike said, “and thatfourth largest city, but it feels
your contributions are valued.” And Jim’s
good that we still have that
response, “Boy, are they ever!”hometown feeling anchored by
Our second family-owned businessfamily-owned businesses.
highlight goes to Tyson Redfern, secondOrient Electric is our first family-owned generation owner of Gresham Heating
business highlight. Mike Opray started
and Air Conditioning. The volunteer
at Orient Electric as an apprentice
construction team of the Garden madeelectrician over 20 years ago, before
the decision to get rid of the drop
he and his wife Kristi bought it in 2012. ceiling. The volunteers were overjoyed
Jim Card and Mike Opray at Orient Electric’s office.
Today, their sons Clinton, Jacob, andwith that decision, but as one also
to school to study architecture andLuke work beside them as journeyman knows, with changes comes effects.
electricians, and the previous owner still They removed the drop ceiling knowing engineering, then came back to work inworks in the office.
the ancient duct work would have to be the business. When his dad passed awayin 2010, Tyson had many years working
When it came to wiring the greenhouse dealt with.
in the industry. In 2014, he officiallyin 2018, Garden director Jim Card called Connecting with Tyson was a hugetook over Gresham Heating and Air
his friend Mike. He told him how muchrelief to our budget and our sanity.
Conditioning.
money the Garden had to spend fromEven though Tyson doesn’t install theHis business card includes the title
a Community Enhancement Grant, and type of ductwork we needed anymore,“Comfort Specialist” which he explains
Mike gave a fair estimate. Mike didn’t
he provided a great solution and a fairmeans that he specializes in creatingtell Jim the real cost, and in the end
quote.
HVAC comfort systems for homes. He
donated a good portion of the labor and Tyson and his crew, which included
seems to prefer that title over “Owner”. As
materials. And when volunteers couldn’t his experienced cousin Corey andfigure out some of the extra electricalapprentice Galen, completed the project owner, Tyson has his eyes set on a bigger
space to expand his crew. And, with theneeds on their own, Orient Electric came in one day.
coaching advice from a retired businessback and finished the job—withoutowner in the trade, Tyson is developing
charge. “Just helping a friend out,” Mikethe plan.
said. “Just helping people move forward.”
Whether it’s as lead technician or owner,“Just helping a friend out,”
he appreciates his family’s history in
Gresham. His grandfather was the city’s
he said. “Just helping people
first inspector, and Redfern Avenue andmove forward.”
Redfern Place are streets named after him.
– Mike Opray, Owner, Orient Electric
Tyson remembers his own time as a
Mike says something he likes about Jim
kid down at Johnson Creek catchingis that he’s frugal, and more importantly
Tyson Redfern with Gresham Heating and Air crawdads. Back then, he admits, Tsuru
working in the Resource Center.
knows how to optimize what people
Island wasn’t in the best of shape. “I’mbring to the table to make sure it adds
really glad that there’s an organization
Tyson said, when he worked with hisvalue to the larger picture. So while
taking care of it now”.
dad, he learned to assess projects andOrient Electric has the skills, people, andWith the attention and generosity fromproblem solve on-site. For this project,experience, Jim has a way of bringing
OrientElectric and Gresham Heating andTyson creatively figured out how to fit
the right folks together to make a
Air Conditioning, it sure feels like we live
over 120-feet of new ductwork along
project better.
the building’s structural beam. Jim says, in a much smaller town. We can count on
Since the greenhouse, the Garden
two local family-owned businesses who“They did a really clean job.”
has leaned on Orient Electric for theirgenuinely care about the community
Tyson’s dad Loran started therestroom installation and now theand are helping the Gresham Japanesecompany in 1992 and based it out of
remodel of the Resource Center.
Garden move forward.
their Gresham home. Tyson had gone
“There’s a joy knowing that your skills

Upcoming Happenings

April 2023

Assessing and Pruning an Overgrown Landscape, Zoom: April 13th, Thursday 6-8pm $45
Managing an overgrown landscape can be overwhelming. How do you even start? Learn ways to gracefully bring your landscape back into a scaled composition with Francheska Snyder.
Francheska Snyder is the current owner/operator of Niwa Method, a landscape business specializing
in Japanese gardens. She has previously worked at the Portland Japanese Garden, Shofuso JapaneseHouse and Garden, and Wyck Historic House and Garden. She holds a certificate in Ornamental Horticulture, a 3rd Term Master Level certificate from the Ohara School of Ikebana and is a recognized
Chanticleer Scholar. She also uses her time and talent on the board of Leach Botanical Garden, and now
consulting and teaching for the Gresham Japanese Garden.
NOTE: The class will be recorded and available for two weeks.

Tsuru Soars
Friends of the Gresham Japanese Garden Newsletter

Course Recap, Onsite: Saturday, April 15th, 12:30-1:30pm $20
This is an optional one-hour Course Recap to the Assessing and Pruning an Overgrown Landscape course. Tsuru Island will be
your classroom to review how to access and tackle an overgrown landscape with personalized attention by Francheska.

Ikebana for Every Season, Tuesday, April 11th, 1-2:30pm $45
The Art of Bonsai, Saturday, April 15th or Thursday, April 20th, 1-3pm $35
Pruning Workshop, Onsite: May 6th, 9am–3pm $100
This all-day pruning workshop will combine everything you’ve learned from the courses into an all-day hands-on pruning
workshop at Vanport International’s Japanese Garden in Boring, Oregon with instructor Francheska Snyder.

Mark your calendars! Thanks to the cultural grant from the City of Gresham, we’re able
to provide you with these events.
May 16‘How To Haiku’ Workshop with Michael Dylan Welch. Zoom, Cost $20
An overview of haiku poetry, and a short history of Japanese haiku. 		
This workshop explores the targets to aim for. Includes writing 		
exercises, sharing and feedback.

August 26

Educational Koi Expo, FreeA family-friendly educational event for those new to the hobby and/or
those thinking about becoming koi and pond owners.

September 10 How To Haiku’ Workshop, In-person with Michael Dylan Welch, Cost $45
The writing exercise will take place on Tsuru Island.
October 14-15

November 5Manga: A Brief History & Animation Workshop Cost $45
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 anart contest. Limited to 45 students. Reserve your spot now by sending
an email to sue@GreshamJapaneseGarden.com.

Volunteer
Orientation
Wednesday, April 5th
5:30-7pm
In the greenhouse behind
the Resource Center
219 S Main Avenue
Have you been thinking about
volunteering, but didn’t know
if we’re the right organization
to fit your needs.
Join us on the 5th, listen
about our story, and thebreadth of our organization.
Maybe there’s a somethingthat interests you. (It’s not all
gardening!)

Remodel Open House and Ikebana with Nana Bellerud

More “Happenings” information on: https://www.greshamjapanesegarden.org/
Volunteer Newsletter Editors: Mary Dickson, Sue Hughes, Mary Marrs and Mary Taylor. Photos by Bill Peterson.

And the Winner is…

T

he Gresham Japanese Garden
Speaking of supporters, another big
has a tremendous need for fund- shout out goes to Bob McDonald. He
ing the remodel of the Resource donated the Cabo trip to the Garden,
Center, and we couldn’t be happier inand he sits on the board for the Center
the support we received from everyone for the Arts Foundation.
who participated in our most recent
Our hearts are full, but our remodeling
Cabo San Lucas vacation raffle. Our total spreadsheet tells us to keep on fundraisticket sales were $6,160.00!
ing. In the works…another raffle for a
The drawing took place Saturday,
week’s vacation on the Coast and maybe
March 11th during Garden Saturday. The a plant sale?
winner is Sue O’Halloran. For those ofPlease hang in there with us. The
you who don’t know Sue, she is one ofGarden, accompanied by a Japanese-inthe managing partners with KMO Realspired building, is sure to become theEstate, known for her acuteness in com- cultural destination in East County.
mercial real estate. And, she’s also a big
supporter of arts and culture in Gresham.

PHOTOGRAPHER’S VIEW
Feel the warm spring day
Garden plants display colors
Sit here on the bench– Bill Peterson

Bob McDonald, Sue O’Halloran and Sue’s husband
Al Richards