2021 in RetrospectWe’re very fortunate that the
pandemic did not halt thegood work of the Friends ofthe Gresham Japanese Garden. Plants
still grew, weeds still tried to overrun
the space, volunteers worked wearing
masks, and the Garden never closed.

HANGING FLOWER BASKETS
We finally were able to make large hanging flower baskets and install at Main City
Park. Our first year’s hurdles were water
and worms. We learned by trial and error.

January 2022

Tsuru Soars

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

2021 SUMMER
CULTURALSERIESFor five weekends
this past summer,
HORTICULTURE PROGRAM
we orchestrated
This fall, our students from Gresham-BarJapanese cultural
2021 ACCOMPLISHMENTS low School District returned to the Garperformances andden’s Horticulture program. The students
FREE CLASSES
workshops. For most of the performers, thishave been busy repotting azaleas and lily was the first time they performed live in a year!
This was the first time we conductedclasses. In all, we put on eight free class- grass, making mud balls, prepping seeds We had 50-80 attendees each weekend. The
Garden volunteers worked hard to offer a posies, one on Zoom and the rest in person. for next year’s Pollinator Garden planttive experience for everyone. We thank the City
ings, and learning basic pruning skills.
NEWSLETTER
of Gresham for the Cultural & Arts Assistance
RESTROOM
Yes, we brought the newsletter back!
Grant to bring Japanese culture awareness tothe community!
Fostering sustainability means informing Thanks to Lynne Page, Christina Price,

Dino Rocha (all with Edward Jones),
Chase Me Again, Portland Star Plumbing,
COMMUNITY READER BOARD
McCord Construction, and Orient ElectricThis was in the works in 2020, and thenprovided us with an accessible restroom
completed in 2021. Thanks to Nick Bacon
which will be ready by early 2022. Wefor taking this project on for his Eagle
also gained a working kitchen, so grab a
Scout service.
cup of tea, and join us for conversation
on Garden Saturdays.
AMBLESIDE ANNEX
We finished building Ambleside Annex
TRAVELING DISPLAY
which includes a pollinator garden. This
Thanks to Gresham’s Riverview Comsummer, Deb Peters reported she saw
munity Bank, we’ve been able to probutterflies and bees on the pollinatormote the Garden and Japanese culture
plants that we grew in the greenhouse.
through a display in their foyer.

Friends of the Gresham Japanese Garden Newsletterand teaching the community.

THE MADARIN
DUCKA second Rip
Caswell sculptureadorns Ebetsu
Plaza. This one was
donated by David
and Kendra Baumann and family,
and GOPA, in loving
memory of theirfriend, Steve Terrill.

Koi are Complex

2022 Japanese Cultural Workshops
THE ART OF BONSAI

IKEBANA ARRANGEMENTORIGAMI FOR EVERYONE

Tuesdays - 1-3pm: January 11,
Connect with nature and experience the March 8, May 10, July 12, Sept. 6,
November 8
stress-relieving benefits of this hobby.

Saturdays - 3-4:15pm: February 12,
March 12, April 9

Third Saturday of the month: 1-3pm

Eileen Holzman, artist, retired art eduLearn the art bonsai arrangement with Nana Bellerud covers flower arranging
cator, and art therapist teaches children
instructor, Mark Vossbrink. In eachconcepts, techniques, tools, and plant
and adults how to fold models that inworkshop a new plant is introduced and care. Participants may use the instructor’s clude geometric boxes, animals, insects
shaped to bonsai. Cost: $35.00
vases and tools. Cost: $55.00
and designs using beautiful colored andpatterned papers. Cost: $20.00
https://www.greshamjapanesegarden. https://www.greshamjapanesegarden.
org/calendar/art-of-bonsai-5/
org/product/ikebana-for-the-season/
https://www.greshamjapanesegarden.
org/product/family-origami-folding/Volunteer Newsletter Editors: Sue Hughes, Mary Taylor, Bill Peterson and Mary Dickson. Photos by Bill Peterson.

In Japan, the name nishikigoi (living
jewel koi) was a term first used as
far back as 200 years ago in a villageof Niigata Prefecture in Japan, where
farmers bred black carp as a food source.
The result was a vibrantly-colored carp
(carp means koi in Japanese) that stoodout from the rest with its rare beauty. As
awareness grew, many started to appreciate koi like a fine work of art.
Now, koi symbolize luck, prosperity,
good fortune, strength, and perseverance and are identified as the nationalfish of Japan and a universal symbol forpeace all over the world.

There are over 200 varieties of koi; themost popular classification isgosanke which is madeup of kohaku, taisho
sanshoku sanke, andshowa sanshoku varieties. Each class of koi
has its own distinct details for identification;colors, patterns, andbody confirmation,
and are typically describedbased off another classification within the >200
varieties.

PHOTOGRAPHER’S VIEW
大年にかぎつて雪の降にけりôtoshi ni kagitte yuki no furi ni keri
marking the end, of another year…
snowfall— Issa 1806

Koi are incredibly smart. They
can be trained to eat from outof your hand and mouth. They
have an average lifespan of
about 50 years and are omnivores that feed on pond
plants.

Tips for Pruning Japanese Maples

M

aples, oaks, beech and conifers thrive in the more temperate, cool summer climateof the Pacific Northwest, and more specifically the Gresham/Boring/Troutdalearea that’s influenced by the ColumbiaRiver Gorge winds. PNW gardeners andlocal nurseries are also blessed with
abundant, fresh and clean water.
Do you ever wonder why laceleaf
maples are found in many yards in yourneighborhood? First, they are the mostfamiliar and widespread form of Japanese maples. Second, they are outstanding specimens as accents in lawns,
containers, or companion plants.
There are basically two forms of maple
trees, the upright and the weeping. The
question is, do you know how to prune
them? Let’s start with talking about their
growth habits.
The upright maple grows long, lateralbranches that generally extend above
and over the viewer. The branches are
stiff and fan out with lightweight foliage
swaying back and forth with the breeze
The branches on dissectum varieties,“weeping” or “laceleaf”, tend to grow out
and downward with very sharply cut,flimsy leaves.
It’s important to understand how maples naturally grow in order to achieve
your desired shape. Shaping should
start once the young tree is established,about 2-3 years after planting. The mostimportant thing to remember about
Japanese maples is, prune often, andlightly (every 6-8 weeks.) Of course, likemost people, staying on top of pruning
is an arduous, forgotten task. Luckily,
maples are forgiving trees, and you
won’t need to do much to make themlook good.

The most important thing toremember about Japanesemaples is, prune often, and lightly.
Structural pruning should be donein the dormant season (Nov-Jan), wellbefore the sap starts rising and prior toleaf production. Corrective pruning andminor shaping can be done any time of
the year, except Feb-May, when the sap
is rising and the plant’s energy is devoted to the emergence and developmentof the young leaves.
All Japanese maples produce branchlets with opposite buds (see Fig 1). On

Earn School Credit

Pruning the Forks cont’da long straightshoot, there will
be nodes withbuds on opposite sides ofthe shoot. Thisbranching pattern can be seen
on any Acer palmatum species.
Unlike pines andmost evergreens,Fig 1 - Branching
Japanese maples
CAN produce buds on the woody barkof the trunk and large branches. If you
remove a limb or branchlet, it’s likely a
bud and stem will emerge from that cut.
When left unpruned, these stems willgrow into an unattractive, bushy mess ofsuckers.
First start with the basic pruning task ofremoving dead and crossing branches.
Once this is done, your next goal is to deal
with the 3-way forks that can be foundnear the end of every branch.
You have seven options for dealing with
3-way forks (see Fig 2). Creating a Y pattern is usually the best option (A, B, C).
Doing nothing (D) or leaving the center

2022 Calendars - $10.00

While the soil is looser, eradicate ivy orat least trim it at the base of trees it has
climbed.
— Jim Buck, Garden Volunteer
and Organic Gardener

Middle schools, high schools, and colleges
understand when students volunteer in theircommunity, well-rounded compassionate
students may emerge.
Like Nadia, an 8th grader at St. Therese, theGarden is the perfect setting for students toexperience horticulture practices, aesthetic
pruning, and Japanese landscape and architecture.

Support the Garden by purchasing ourGresham Japanese Garden 2022 calendar,featuring spectacular photos of the Garden
revealed throughout the seasons.
Send an email to:marketing@greshamjapanesegarden.com

Fig 2 - 3-Way Fork

Sources: Japanese Maples: The Complete
Guide to Selection and Cultivation, andSukiya Living Nov/Dec 2015.

Gardening CalendarK

eeping a schedule of when to prune, fertilize, and clean up debris can be a helpful resource to gardeners. Below is acompilation of useful action items for gardeners. Think too about turning this calendar into a “working calendar” andinclude pruning notes.

JANUARY – FEBRUARY

MAY – JUNE

• Winter fertilize all your plants with alower nitrogen number and higher
potassium number, to help plants
stay healthy and strong during thewinter months.

• Candle pines (see June 2021).

• Clean, repair, and sharpen gardening
tools.

• Prune your blooming broad leaf
evergreens such as, rhododendrons,
camellias, and azaleas.

• Structurally prune your maples tothe shape you desire.

GARDENER’S TIP
1. Spread a light coating of wood ash
over your vegetable beds.
2. Turn your compost pile and cover it to
avoid it becoming too saturated withthe rains.
3. Begin planning what seeds to orderfor indoor starts.

stem (F) are both less-favorable options. ened, clean pruners or snippers to make
There are also times when it is appropri- your cuts.
ate to remove one of the outside stems, FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
or the center and one outside stem.
1. Try to encourage lateral, not vertiTo arrive at your decision, consider thecal branching.
direction you want this branch to grow.
2. Encourage alternate branching
You generally want to remove a stem
patterns in the trunk and branches.
that’s pointing back toward the trunk,
3. Long straight branches are undeand keep a stem that’s pointing outward
sirable. A branch with curves andfrom the trunk. By turning a 3-way into aplenty of Y branches is desirable.
Y, you will help emphasize the pattern, thin
4. Don’t prune too much.
out the tree, and help create S-shaped
5. Strive to allow bits of dappled
branches that alternate back and forth.
sunlight to penetrate throughRemember to make your cuts above theevenly distributed foliage.
branch collar so as not to break the nat6. Open up the front of the tree soural barrier of defense against disease.
you can see the tree’s handsome(See Basic Pruning, Dec 2021.)
trunk.
Remember to always use well-sharp-• Repair/add irrigation.
• Repair bamboo fences.
• Apply bark dust to garden beds.

• Transplant trees or shrubs.

• Start feeding koi when waterreaches 50°.

MARCH – APRILJULY – AUGUST• Plant ground covers and any ball andburlap (B&B) trees and potted plants.

• Weed around your water plants.

• Gently thin your maples byremoving crossing branches andextensive summer growth.
• Plant spring bulbs.
• Transplant moss.
• Divide and transplant lily bulbs.
• Stop feeding koi when water drops
below 50° (October).
NOVEMBER – DECEMBER• Fertilize ground cover and turf.

• Plant plugs in your hanging baskets.

• Cut off bamboo rhizomes shoots tocontain further running.

• Check irrigation damage.

• Weed out and water your moss.

• Stake your peonies, hydrangeas, andSEPTEMBER – OCTOBER
clematis.
• Structurally prune to their shape• Repair your trellises.
your non-blooming broad leaf ever• Tidy up beds and paths.
greens such as, boxwoods, junipers,• Lightly prune Japanese maples.
and euonymus shrubs.

• Cut off bamboo rhizomes shoots
to contain further running.
• Remove leaves and debris frompaths and under shrubs and trees.
• Thin hedges.
• Trim ferns back to the ground before
fronds emerge.
• Dry bamboo lumber.

Tips for Pruning Japanese Maples

M

aples, oaks, beech and conifers thrive in the more temperate, cool summer climateof the Pacific Northwest, and more specifically the Gresham/Boring/Troutdalearea that’s influenced by the ColumbiaRiver Gorge winds. PNW gardeners andlocal nurseries are also blessed with
abundant, fresh and clean water.
Do you ever wonder why laceleaf
maples are found in many yards in yourneighborhood? First, they are the mostfamiliar and widespread form of Japanese maples. Second, they are outstanding specimens as accents in lawns,
containers, or companion plants.
There are basically two forms of maple
trees, the upright and the weeping. The
question is, do you know how to prune
them? Let’s start with talking about their
growth habits.
The upright maple grows long, lateralbranches that generally extend above
and over the viewer. The branches are
stiff and fan out with lightweight foliage
swaying back and forth with the breeze
The branches on dissectum varieties,“weeping” or “laceleaf”, tend grow out
and downward with very sharply cut,Pruning the Forks cont’da long straightshoot, there will
be nodes withbuds on opposite sides ofthe shoot. Thisbranching pattern can be seen
on any Acer palmatum species.
Unlike pines andmost evergreens,Fig 1 - Branching
Japanese maples
CAN produce buds on the woody barkof the trunk and large branches. If you
The most important thing to
remove a limb or branchlet, it’s likely aremember about Japanese
bud and stem will emerge from that cut.
maples is, prune often, and lightly. When left unpruned, these stems will
Structural pruning should be donegrow into an unattractive, bushy mess ofin the dormant season (Nov-Jan), wellsuckers.
before the sap starts rising and prior toFirst start with the basic pruning task ofleaf production. Corrrective pruning and removing dead and crossing branches.
minor shaping can be done any time of Once this is done, your next goal is to deal
the year, except Feb-May, when the sap with the 3-way forks that can be foundis rising and the plant’s energy is devot- near the end of every branch.
ed to the emergence and development
You have seven options for dealing withof the young leaves.
3-way forks (see Fig 2). Creating a Y patAll Japanese maples produce branchtern is usually the best option (A, B, C).
lets with opposite buds (see Fig 1). On
Doing nothing (D) or leaving the center

flimsy leaves.
It’s important to understand how maples naturally grow in order to achieve
your desired shape. Shaping should
start once the young tree is established,about 2-3 years after planting. The mostimportant thing to remember about
Japanese maples is, prune often, andlightly (every 6-8 weeks.) Of course, likemost people, staying on top of pruning
is an arduous, forgotten task. Luckily,
maples are forgiving trees, and you
won’t need to do much to make themlook good.

Earn School Credit

2022 Calendars - $10.00

While the soil is looser, eradicate ivy orat least trim it at the base of trees it has
climbed.
— Jim Buck, Garden Volunteer
and Organic Gardener

Middle schools, high schools, and colleges
understand when students volunteer in theircommunity, well-rounded compassionate
students may emerge.
Like Nadia, an 8th grader at St. Therese, theGarden is the perfect setting for students toexperience horticulture practices, aesthetic
pruning, and Japanese landscape and architecture.

Support the Garden by purchasing ourGresham Japanese Garden 2022 calendar,featuring spectacular photos of the Garden
revealed throughout the seasons.
Send an email to:marketing@greshamjapanesegarden.com

Fig 2 - 3-Way Fork

Sources: Japanese Maples: The Complete
Guide to Selection and Cultivation, andSukiya Living Nov/Dec 2015.

Gardening CalendarK

eeping a schedule of when to prune, fertilize, and clean up debris can be a helpful resource to gardeners. Below is acompilation of useful action items for gardeners. Think too about turning this calendar into a “working calendar” andinclude pruning notes.

JANUARY – FEBRUARY

MAY – JUNE

• Winter fertilize all your plants with alower nitrogen number and higher
potassium number, to help plants
stay healthy and strong during thewinter months.

• Candle pines (see June 2021).

• Clean, repair, and sharpen gardening
tools.

• Prune your blooming broad leaf
evergreens such as, rhododendrons,
camellias, and azaleas.

• Structurally prune your maples tothe shape you desire.

GARDENER’S TIP
1. Spread a light coating of wood ash
over your vegetable beds.
2. Turn your compost pile and cover it to
avoid it becoming too saturated withthe rains.
3. Begin planning what seeds to orderfor indoor starts.

stem (F) are both less-favorable options. ened, clean pruners or snippers to make
There are also times when it is appropri- your cuts.
ate to remove one of the outside stems, FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
or the center and one outside stem.
1. Try to encourage lateral, not vertiTo arrive at your decision, consider thecal branching.
direction you want this branch to grow.
2. Encourage alternate branching
You generally want to remove a stem
patterns in the trunk and branches.
that’s pointing back toward the trunk,
3. Long straight branches are undeand keep a stem that’s pointing outward
sirable. A branch with curves andfrom the trunk. By turning a 3-way into aplenty of Y branches is desirable.
Y, you will help emphasize the pattern, thin
4. Don’t prune too much.
out the tree, and help create S-shaped
5. Strive to allow bits of dappled
branches that alternate back and forth.
sunlight to penetrate throughRemember to make your cuts above theevenly distributed foliage.
branch collar so as not to break the nat6. Open up the front of the tree soural barrier of defense against disease.
you can see the tree’s handsome(See Basic Pruning, Dec 2021.)
trunk.
Remember to always use well-sharp-• Repair/add irrigation.
• Repair bamboo fences.
• Apply bark dust to garden beds.

• Transplant trees or shrubs.

• Start feeding koi when waterreaches 50°.

MARCH – APRILJULY – AUGUST• Plant ground covers and any ball andburlap (B&B) trees and potted plants.

• Weed around your water plants.

• Gently thin your maples byremoving crossing branches andextensive summer growth.
• Plant spring bulbs.
• Transplant moss.
• Divide and transplant lily bulbs.
• Stop feeding koi when water drops
below 50° (October).
NOVEMBER – DECEMBER• Fertilize ground cover and turf.

• Plant plugs in your hanging baskets.

• Cut off bamboo rhizomes shoots tocontain further running.

• Check irrigation damage.

• Weed out and water your moss.

• Stake your peonies, hydrangeas, andSEPTEMBER – OCTOBER
clematis.
• Structurally prune to their shape• Repair your trellises.
your non-blooming broad leaf ever• Tidy up beds and paths.
greens such as, boxwoods, junipers,• Lightly prune Japanese maples.
and euonymus shrubs.

• Cut off bamboo rhizomes shoots
to contain further running.
• Remove leaves and debris frompaths and under shrubs and trees.
• Thin hedges.
• Trim ferns back to the ground before
fronds emerge.
• Dry bamboo lumber.

2021 in RetrospectWe’re very fortunate that the
pandemic did not halt thegood work of the Friends ofthe Gresham Japanese Garden. Plants
still grew, weeds still tried to overrun
the space, volunteers worked wearing
masks, and the Garden never closed.

HANGING FLOWER BASKETS
We finally were able to make large hanging flower baskets and install at Main City
Park. Our first year’s hurdles were water
and worms. We learned by trial and error.

January 2022

Tsuru Soars

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

2021 SUMMER
CULTURALSERIESFor five weekends
this past summer,
HORTICULTURE PROGRAM
we orchestrated
This fall, our students from Gresham-BarJapanese cultural
2021 ACCOMPLISHMENTS low School District returned to the Garperformances andden’s Horticulture program. The students
FREE CLASSES
workshops. For most of the performers, thishave been busy repotting azaleas and lily was the first time they performed live in a year!
This was the first time we conductedclasses. In all, we put on eight free class- grass, making mud balls, prepping seeds We had 50-80 attendees each weekend. The
Garden volunteers worked hard to offer a posies, one on Zoom and the rest in person. for next year’s Pollinator Garden planttive experience for everyone. We thank the City
ings, and learning basic pruning skills.
NEWSLETTER
of Gresham for the Cultural & Arts Assistance
RESTROOM
Yes, we brought the newsletter back!
Grant to bring Japanese culture awareness tothe community!
Fostering sustainability means informing Thanks to Lynne Page, Christina Price,

Dino Rocha (all with Edward Jones),
Chase Me Again, Portland Star Plumbing,
COMMUNITY READER BOARD
McCord Construction, and Orient ElectricThis was in the works in 2020, and thenprovided us with an accessible restroom
completed in 2021. Thanks to Nick Bacon
which will be ready by early 2022. Wefor taking this project on for his Eagle
also gained a working kitchen, so grab a
Scout service.
cup of tea, and join us for conversation
on Garden Saturdays.
AMBLESIDE ANNEX
We finished building Ambleside Annex
TRAVELING DISPLAY
which includes a pollinator garden. This
Thanks to Gresham’s Riverview Comsummer, Deb Peters reported she saw
munity Bank, we’ve been able to probutterflies and bees on the pollinatormote the Garden and Japanese culture
plants that we grew in the greenhouse.
through a display in their foyer.

Friends of the Gresham Japanese Garden Newsletterand teaching the community.

THE MADARIN
DUCKA second Rip
Caswell sculptureadorns Ebetsu
Plaza. This one was
donated by David
and Kendra Baumann and family,
and GOPA, in loving
memory of theirfriend, Steve Terrill.

Koi are Complex

2022 Japanese Cultural Workshops
THE ART OF BONSAI

IKEBANA ARRANGEMENTORIGAMI FOR EVERYONE

Tuesdays - 1-3pm: January 11,
Connect with nature and experience the March 8, May 10, July 12, Sept. 6,
November 8
stress-relieving benefits of this hobby.

Saturdays - 3-4:15pm: February 12,
March 12, April 9

Third Saturday of the month: 1-3pm

Eileen Holzman, artist, retired art eduLearn the art bonsai arrangement with Nana Bellerud covers flower arranging
cator, and art therapist teaches children
instructor, Mark Vossbrink. In eachconcepts, techniques, tools, and plant
and adults how to fold models that inworkshop a new plant is introduced and care. Participants may use the instructor’s clude geometric boxes, animals, insects
shaped to bonsai. Cost: $35.00
vases and tools. Cost: $55.00
and designs using beautiful colored andpatterned papers. Cost: $20.00
https://www.greshamjapanesegarden. https://www.greshamjapanesegarden.
org/calendar/art-of-bonsai-5/
org/product/ikebana-for-the-season/
https://www.greshamjapanesegarden.
org/product/family-origami-folding/Volunteer Newsletter Editors: Sue Hughes, Mary Taylor, Bill Peterson and Mary Dickson. Photos by Bill Peterson.

In Japan, the name nishikigoi (living
jewel koi) was a term first used as
far back as 200 years ago in a villageof Niigata Prefecture in Japan, where
farmers bred black carp as a food source.
The result was a vibrantly-colored carp
(carp means koi in Japanese) that stoodout from the rest with its rare beauty. As
awareness grew, many started to appreciate koi like a fine work of art.
Now, koi symbolize luck, prosperity,
good fortune, strength, and perseverance and are identified as the nationalfish of Japan and a universal symbol forpeace all over the world.

There are over 200 varieties of koi; themost popular classification isgosanke which is madeup of kohaku, taisho
sanshoku sanke, andshowa sanshoku varieties. Each class of koi
has its own distinct details for identification;colors, patterns, andbody confirmation,
and are typically describedbased off another classification within the >200
varieties.

PHOTOGRAPHER’S VIEW
大年にかぎつて雪の降にけりôtoshi ni kagitte yuki no furi ni keri
marking the end, of another year…
snowfall— Issa 1806

Koi are incredibly smart. They
can be trained to eat from outof your hand and mouth. They
have an average lifespan of
about 50 years and are omnivores that feed on pond
plants.