Sponsored by Arts and Cultural
Assistance Grant

2021 Summ

JULY 10JULY 24 - 11am and 5:00pm
AUGUST 7 - 10am and NoonJULY 24

Friends of the Gresham Japanese Garden Newsletter

Oregon Koto-Kai (Japanese Harp) Performances
1:00pm & 2:15pm
Ikebana (Floral Arrangement) Demonstration
3:00pm to 5:00pm

AUGUST 7

Takohachi’s Q (Drums) Performances
11am & 1pm
Art of Bonsai Demonstration
2:00pm to 4:00pm

es

JULY 10 - 11am and 2:45pm

Origami for All Ages and Abilities - Noon to 2pm

Tsuru Soars

ulturalS
eri

GARDEN TOURS

er C

Oregon Koto-Kai (Japanese Harp)
Performances - 1:00pm & 2:15pm

Please enjoy the upcoming
Japanese cultural demonstrations
and performances this summer at
the Gresham Japanese Garden in
Main City Park. Free to all!

July 2021

JULY 10

AUGUST 7

Engross yourself in the sounds of theOregon Koto-Kai as they play Japaneseinspired music on kotos, long horizontal Japanese harps. They will be playing
in the Japanese Garden.

To end our cultural series, we firstbring you an energetic, musical performance by Takohachi, a Portland-based
non-profit organization founded by
Yumi Torimaru. Don’t miss hearing
Shamisen, Taiko, and Bamboo flute
music performing in Ebetsu Plaza!

Oregon Koto-Kai: 1pm & 2:15pm

Origami: Noon to 2:00pm
This interactive origami workshop is
designed for children of all ages AND
abilities. Stop by and make a bird or
two with educator Eileen Holzman.

JULY 24

Oregon Koto-Kai: 1pm & 2:15pm
If you missed the July 10th performance they’re back—this time performing in Ebetsu Plaza.

Oregon Koto-Kai: 1pm & 2:15pm

Art of Bonsai Demo - 2 to 4:00pm
And last we bring you our bonsai workshop instructor Mark Vossbrink giving
you a glimpse of bonsai creations. His
knowledge in the art of bonsai is vastand inspirational. He offers a Saturday
workshop every month, too. Find it
here: www.greshamjapanesegarden.
org/happenings.

Ikebana Demo - 10am to noon
Nana Bellerud returns to demonstrate
Japanese floral arranging—called
Ikebana. Check out her class at www.
greshamjapanesegarden.org/happenings.

Volunteer Newsletter Editors: Sue Hughes, Mary Dickson, and Mary
Taylor. Photos credit, Bill Peterson.

In the Works…

W

e are again extremely fortunate to live in a compassionThe Garden is getting
ate city where businesses
a restroom!
recognize and reward the efforts of theGresham Japanese Garden.
Two years ago, we were able to renogetting running water AND a restroom!
vate the interior of the Resource Center.
The funds are coming from three
We added a kitchen, flooring, a visual
Edward Jones Gresham branches; Dino
display system, and display cases inRocha, Christina Price, and Lynne Page
creasing our ability to offer event rentAND Chase Me Again Foundation.
als, Japanese-focused workshops, andCome see us in the fall and use ourclasses. But, we did not have the funds to indoor restroom.
plumb running water to the kitchen andadd a restroom.
The wonderful news is the Garden is

PHOTOGRAPHER’S PICKA Garden Bridge in the Rain
Sudden showers,a favorite subjectof Edo haiku poets
and ukiyo-e artists,are often depictedwith a criss-crossing
pattern of finelines of rain—adifficult woodblocktechnique.

— Bill Peterson

Sharing the Stage with Plants and People
by Mary DicksonMitsuke Dazai is well known inOregon as a koto performer and founder of Oregon
Koto-Kai, a group of people who are
passionate about playing the Japanesekoto. On July 10 and July 24, members of
the group will perform at Gresham Japanese Garden at 1:00 pm and 2:15 pm.
Mitsuke Dazai grew up in Tokyo, where
her father collected vinyl records ofWestern classical music from the Baroque era to symphonies and German
lieder (art songs). She sang in her churchand school choirs and enrolled in Japan’s
renowned Kunitachi College of Music,
where she majored in vocal performance in the Western classical tradition.

by Mary Dickson
Fortuitously, she took at class in ethnomusicology, studying traditional musicfrom around the world. She found The
Beatles, and recognized their interest inmusic of India and the sitar. She heard
the shamisen and koto, both traditional
Japanese instruments, and wondered
why they were not more frequently
played in Japan.
She studied classical koto music, thenenrolled in the Sawai Koto Institute,Oregon Koto-Kai will beplaying at the Gresham
Japanese Garden July 10thand July 24thwhere she studied contemporary kotomusic. When she moved to Eugene, Oregon, she started playing in a Japaneserestaurant. She now plays worldwide
and collaborates with other musicians
who play a variety of instruments. She
incorporates traditional, contemporary,

July in JapanGARDENER’S TIP
July is a great time to divide irises anddeadhead the first flowerings to stimulate
your plants to produce new blooms.
It’s also a good time to be thinkingof planting what you want for a fall
vegetable crop. These plants may needsome protection from the afternoon sun—especially with our heat wave!
Every month is a good time for turning
your compost. Place around yourvegetables—which will appreciate a little
more mulch in this hot weather.
— Jim Buck, Garden Volunteer

Pollinator Garden Takes Shape

Gion Matsuri(Japanese cultural
festival), a monthlong, is one of themost famous festivals in Japan. The
name comes fromthe neighborhoodof Gion, which ishome to some of the more traditional partsof Kyoto—including the geisha quarter.
Gion Matsuri began in 869 as a way toappease the gods during an epidemic.
Every year, a local boy is chosen as a sacred
messenger to the gods. From July 13 until
the parade ends on July 17, he sits on one of
the many elaborate floats and his feet nevertouch the ground.

Dand pop tunes in her performances, including songs like When You Wish Upona Star. She even likes Irish music playedon the koto! She claims that people inOregon appreciate the differences inmusical styles and instruments. She says,“My job is to bring the instrument alive,
that’s all.”
Mitusuke is enthusiastic about playing
at the Gresham Japanese Garden. She
sees the passion that people have forthe plants in the Garden and especiallynotes the many volunteers who haverenovated the Garden. Her performances will combine her passion for music,
people, and plants. She says of the
Koto-Kai performances, “our joy of being
together and making music together is
our gift to the audience.”eb Peters is a woman on a mission,a mission to improve habitats
for those little creatures which
increase our supply of fruits, vegetables, andflowers. Butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds need specific native plants so they canpollinate plants that are important to ourfood supply.
After moving from Pennsylvania to Troutdale in 2011, Deb had a fortuitous meetingwith another volunteer at Tsuru Island andinvolved herself from the early days of its
restoration. Her grandfather got her interested in gardening, and she now claims,“Gardening is my thing.”
Deb is creating a Pollinator Garden in
the Ambleside Annex picnic area of theGresham Japanese Garden, drawing uponher experience in designing a Pollinator
Garden at Sunrise Park in Troutdale in 2020.
She collected seeds from Sunrise Park, grew
them in the greenhouse, and is transplanting them this summer. She’s also installed adrip system.
The Pollinator Garden has a specific purpose—to increase the habitat necessary tosupport the Western Monarch butterfly. Itsnative habitat has been lost through the useof pesticides and mowing. Butterflies need
Showy Milkweed in small clumps of two to
three plants, since they lay only one egg per
plant. This is the only host plant for Western
Monarchs.

According to the New York Times, thepopulation of Western Monarchs in California has decreased by 99%. California has
planted 30,000 Milkweed plants to try tobring back the Monarchs. Deb is helpingthat effort, since the Monarchs migrate
through Oregon. Deb says that Painted
Lady Butterflies have a greater range of hostplants: hollyhocks, lupine, sage, legumes,
and borage. She is planting a native varietyof Checker Mallow which produces a lovely
subdued blue flower.

Students Excited About Pruning
Name the Turtle

Our turtle on Tsuru Island needs a name!
Can you help us? We’re seeking a name related to Gresham or to Japanese culture. We’ve
extended the deadline to August 31st!
Email your name to
info@GreshamJapaneseGarden.com.
The winner will receive an engraved paver
to be placed in Ebetsu Plaza.

We know the pandemic caused
everyone havoc. The Garden
experienced disruptions as wellwith our educational horticultural program.
Two years ago we partnered with the Gresham-Barlow School District Adult Learning
Program offering job skills in horticulture.
Our students are back!
In this short semester with limited transportation options, we only had five students. They concentrated most of theirefforts repotting over 100 or our heritage
azaleas from 1 gallon containers to 2 gallon
containers. It doesn’t sound like much, but
if you think about it, they learned about soil
mixtures, depth plants should be potted,
watering, and ways to identify dead branches from live branches.
They also planted seeds for the pollinator
garden. Deb Peters, who built our pollinator

garden, gave them an educational lesson onpollinators.
But, when we asked them what they mostenjoy, they said, pruning. Jim Card, Garden
Director was not surprised to hear this. Jimtalks a lot about how pruning is a one-onone connection with nature. It’s a procedure
you follow with the plant. By addressing aplant, you create openness and aesthetic
beauty. In the end you’re creating an artform—it’s instant gratification. Our students
wilil return in the fall, and, guess what, in thefall most of our plants need pruning.

Jim says, “pruning is a one-on-one
connection with nature.“
One of our missions at the Garden is to educate all citizens about horticulture. Teaching them young and providing opportunities to enrich lives brings us the most joy.

The Pollinator Garden will also featuredriftwood and logs which become homes forhover flies and other beneficial insects.
Though she knows that it will take several years to create a successful Pollinator
Garden, Deb’s goal goes beyond planting a
lovely garden. She wants to increase awareness that quality nectar and blooming plants
are needed in all gardens, all year long. Sheplans to network with schools, parks, andher own friends to help them build habitats
for all pollinators. She wants to encouragethem to use fewer pesticides and make asafe garden.
Deb’s passion shows through, and the Pollinator Garden will reflect that passion whenmore pollinators call it home.

Sharing the Stage with Plants and People
by Mary DicksonMitsuke Dazai is well known inOregon as a koto performer and founder of Oregon
Koto-Kai, a group of people who are
passionate about playing the Japanesekoto. On July 10 and July 24, members of
the group will perform at Gresham Japanese Garden at 1:00 pm and 2:15 pm.
Mitsuke Dazai grew up in Tokyo, where
her father collected vinyl records ofWestern classical music from the Baroque era to symphonies and German
lieder (art songs). She sang in her churchand school choirs and enrolled in Japan’s
renowned Kunitachi College of Music,
where she majored in vocal performance in the Western classical tradition.

by Mary Dickson
Fortuitously, she took at class in ethnomusicology, studying traditional musicfrom around the world. She found The
Beatles, and recognized their interest inmusic of India and the sitar. She heard
the shamisen and koto, both traditional
Japanese instruments, and wondered
why they were not more frequently
played in Japan.
She studied classical koto music, thenenrolled in the Sawai Koto Institute,Oregon Koto-Kai will beplaying at the Gresham
Japanese Garden July 10thand July 24thwhere she studied contemporary kotomusic. When she moved to Eugene, Oregon, she started playing in a Japaneserestaurant. She now plays worldwide
and collaborates with other musicians
who play a variety of instruments. She
incorporates traditional, contemporary,

July in JapanGARDENER’S TIP
July is a great time to divide irises anddeadhead the first flowerings to stimulate
your plants to produce new blooms.
It’s also a good time to be thinkingof planting what you want for a fall
vegetable crop. These plants may needsome protection from the afternoon sun—especially with our heat wave!
Every month is a good time for turning
your compost. Place around yourvegetables—which will appreciate a little
more mulch in this hot weather.
— Jim Buck, Garden Volunteer

Pollinator Garden Takes Shape

Gion Matsuri(Japanese cultural
festival), a monthlong, is one of themost famous festivals in Japan. The
name comes fromthe neighborhoodof Gion, which ishome to some of the more traditional partsof Kyoto—including the geisha quarter.
Gion Matsuri began in 869 as a way toappease the gods during an epidemic.
Every year, a local boy is chosen as a sacred
messenger to the gods. From July 13 until
the parade ends on July 17, he sits on one of
the many elaborate floats and his feet nevertouch the ground.

Dand pop tunes in her performances, including songs like When You Wish Upona Star. She even likes Irish music playedon the koto! She claims that people inOregon appreciate the differences inmusical styles and instruments. She says,“My job is to bring the instrument alive,
that’s all.”
Mitusuke is enthusiastic about playing
at the Gresham Japanese Garden. She
sees the passion that people have forthe plants in the Garden and especiallynotes the many volunteers who haverenovated the Garden. Her performances will combine her passion for music,
people, and plants. She says of the
Koto-Kai performances, “our joy of being
together and making music together is
our gift to the audience.”eb Peters is a woman on a mission,a mission to improve habitats
for those little creatures which
increase our supply of fruits, vegetables, andflowers. Butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds need specific native plants so they canpollinate plants that are important to ourfood supply.
After moving from Pennsylvania to Troutdale in 2011, Deb had a fortuitous meetingwith another volunteer at Tsuru Island andinvolved herself from the early days of its
restoration. Her grandfather got her interested in gardening, and she now claims,“Gardening is my thing.”
Deb is creating a Pollinator Garden in
the Ambleside Annex picnic area of theGresham Japanese Garden, drawing uponher experience in designing a Pollinator
Garden at Sunrise Park in Troutdale in 2020.
She collected seeds from Sunrise Park, grew
them in the greenhouse, and is transplanting them this summer. She’s also installed adrip system.
The Pollinator Garden has a specific purpose—to increase the habitat necessary tosupport the Western Monarch butterfly. Itsnative habitat has been lost through the useof pesticides and mowing. Butterflies need
Showy Milkweed in small clumps of two to
three plants, since they lay only one egg per
plant. This is the only host plant for Western
Monarchs.

According to the New York Times, thepopulation of Western Monarchs in California has decreased by 99%. California has
planted 30,000 Milkweed plants to try tobring back the Monarchs. Deb is helpingthat effort, since the Monarchs migrate
through Oregon. Deb says that Painted
Lady Butterflies have a greater range of hostplants: hollyhocks, lupine, sage, legumes,
and borage. She is planting a native varietyof Checker Mallow which produces a lovely
subdued blue flower.

Students Excited About Pruning
Name the Turtle

Our turtle on Tsuru Island needs a name!
Can you help us? We’re seeking a name related to Gresham or to Japanese culture. We’ve
extended the deadline to August 31st!
Email your name to
info@GreshamJapaneseGarden.com.
The winner will receive an engraved paver
to be placed in Ebetsu Plaza.

We know the pandemic caused
everyone havoc. The Garden
experienced disruptions as wellwith our educational horticultural program.
Two years ago we partnered with the Gresham-Barlow School District Adult Learning
Program offering job skills in horticulture.
Our students are back!
In this short semester with limited transportation options, we only had five students. They concentrated most of theirefforts repotting over 100 or our heritage
azaleas from 1 gallon containers to 2 gallon
containers. It doesn’t sound like much, but
if you think about it, they learned about soil
mixtures, depth plants should be potted,
watering, and ways to identify dead branches from live branches.
They also planted seeds for the pollinator
garden. Deb Peters, who built our pollinator

garden, gave them an educational lesson onpollinators.
But, when we asked them what they mostenjoy, they said, pruning. Jim Card, Garden
Director was not surprised to hear this. Jimtalks a lot about how pruning is a one-onone connection with nature. It’s a procedure
you follow with the plant. By addressing aplant, you create openness and aesthetic
beauty. In the end you’re creating an artform—it’s instant gratification. Our students
wilil return in the fall, and, guess what, in thefall most of our plants need pruning.

Jim says, “pruning is a one-on-one
connection with nature.“
One of our missions at the Garden is to educate all citizens about horticulture. Teaching them young and providing opportunities to enrich lives brings us the most joy.

The Pollinator Garden will also featuredriftwood and logs which become homes forhover flies and other beneficial insects.
Though she knows that it will take several years to create a successful Pollinator
Garden, Deb’s goal goes beyond planting a
lovely garden. She wants to increase awareness that quality nectar and blooming plants
are needed in all gardens, all year long. Sheplans to network with schools, parks, andher own friends to help them build habitats
for all pollinators. She wants to encouragethem to use fewer pesticides and make asafe garden.
Deb’s passion shows through, and the Pollinator Garden will reflect that passion whenmore pollinators call it home.

Sponsored by Arts and Cultural
Assistance Grant

2021 Summ

JULY 10JULY 24 - 11am and 5:00pm
AUGUST 7 - 10am and NoonJULY 24

Friends of the Gresham Japanese Garden Newsletter

Oregon Koto-Kai (Japanese Harp) Performances
1:00pm & 2:15pm
Ikebana (Floral Arrangement) Demonstration
3:00pm to 5:00pm

AUGUST 7

Takohachi’s Q (Drums) Performances
11am & 1pm
Art of Bonsai Demonstration
2:00pm to 4:00pm

es

JULY 10 - 11am and 2:45pm

Origami for All Ages and Abilities - Noon to 2pm

Tsuru Soars

ulturalS
eri

GARDEN TOURS

er C

Oregon Koto-Kai (Japanese Harp)
Performances - 1:00pm & 2:15pm

Please enjoy the upcoming
Japanese cultural demonstrations
and performances this summer at
the Gresham Japanese Garden in
Main City Park. Free to all!

July 2021

JULY 10

AUGUST 7

Engross yourself in the sounds of theOregon Koto-Kai as they play Japaneseinspired music on kotos, long horizontal Japanese harps. They will be playing
in the Japanese Garden.

To end our cultural series, we firstbring you an energetic, musical performance by Takohachi, a Portland-based
non-profit organization founded by
Yumi Torimaru. Don’t miss hearing
Shamisen, Taiko, and Bamboo flute
music performing in Ebetsu Plaza!

Oregon Koto-Kai: 1pm & 2:15pm

Origami: Noon to 2:00pm
This interactive origami workshop is
designed for children of all ages AND
abilities. Stop by and make a bird or
two with educator Eileen Holzman.

JULY 24

Oregon Koto-Kai: 1pm & 2:15pm
If you missed the July 10th performance they’re back—this time performing in Ebetsu Plaza.

Oregon Koto-Kai: 1pm & 2:15pm

Art of Bonsai Demo - 2 to 4:00pm
And last we bring you our bonsai workshop instructor Mark Vossbrink giving
you a glimpse of bonsai creations. His
knowledge in the art of bonsai is vastand inspirational. He offers a Saturday
workshop every month, too. Find it
here: www.greshamjapanesegarden.
org/happenings.

Ikebana Demo - 10am to noon
Nana Bellerud returns to demonstrate
Japanese floral arranging—called
Ikebana. Check out her class at www.
greshamjapanesegarden.org/happenings.

Volunteer Newsletter Editors: Sue Hughes, Mary Dickson, and Mary
Taylor. Photos credit, Bill Peterson.

In the Works…

W

e are again extremely fortunate to live in a compassionThe Garden is getting
ate city where businesses
a restroom!
recognize and reward the efforts of theGresham Japanese Garden.
Two years ago, we were able to renogetting running water AND a restroom!
vate the interior of the Resource Center.
The funds are coming from three
We added a kitchen, flooring, a visual
Edward Jones Gresham branches; Dino
display system, and display cases inRocha, Christina Price, and Lynne Page
creasing our ability to offer event rentAND Chase Me Again Foundation.
als, Japanese-focused workshops, andCome see us in the fall and use ourclasses. But, we did not have the funds to indoor restroom.
plumb running water to the kitchen andadd a restroom.
The wonderful news is the Garden is

PHOTOGRAPHER’S PICKA Garden Bridge in the Rain
Sudden showers,a favorite subjectof Edo haiku poets
and ukiyo-e artists,are often depictedwith a criss-crossing
pattern of finelines of rain—adifficult woodblocktechnique.

— Bill Peterson