March 6, 2025
Garden Adventures on the Edge
Norm Jacobs and his wife Deb Zaveson have created Arbutus Garden Arts which, after several iterations, has settled into Southeast Portland. While Deb has retained an eclectic taste in plants, Norm continues an interest in Asian garden design. The nursery specializes in Japanese maples, dwarf conifers, Epimedium, and woodland (species) peonies, all propagated and grown from the plants which have performed well in the garden. They trial new introductions and propagate limited numbers deemed suitable in the face of climate change. Norm’s March 6 talk, “Garden Adventures on the Edge,” will address inspirations gained from gardens visited recently in Japan and Scandinavia with continuing new plant experimentation and development. One direction this has taken them is to create a crevice garden, which he will talk about briefly.
February 6, 2025
From Habitat to the Home Garden: Cultivating Alpine Plants from Mountains Around the World
Join Mark Akimoff as he shares stories of his adventures to far-flung landscapes, from the Southern Alps of New Zealand and the Andes of Chile to the flower filled tundra of Alaska’s White Mountains. He’ll also explore closer-to-home regions, including the Cascades, Siskiyous, and Wallowas. This talk will highlight remarkable rock garden plants observed in their native habitats and the challenges and triumphs of cultivating these unique alpine species in his Willamette Valley Illahe nursery. Check out Mark’s website at https://www.illaherareplants.com His nursery is fabulous!
November 7, 2024
Rock Garden Highlights at Leach Botanical Garden
Drawing inspiration from Lilla and John Leach’s love of botanizing in the Siskiyou Mountains, the Rock Garden at Leach Botanical Garden features plants connected to their trips as well as alpine and desert species and has continued to expand in the decades since its initial construction. Join gardener Sam Mularz as he delves into highlights of the Rock Garden collection throughout the seasons, discusses maintenance practices and challenges, and outlines current projects and plans for the future.
Sam Mularz is the primary caretaker of the Rock Garden and Riparian Zone at Leach Botanical Garden. He began his career in botany working public land stewardship positions around the Pacific Northwest. While moving up and down the Cascades, he spent summers backpacking and developing a passion for native alpine and subalpine plants. Since joining Leach in 2022, Sam has enjoyed applying his passion for these species to tending the rock garden there.