By Anne Scheck
Seven years ago, Mount Fir Park in central Independence looked like the setting of a monster movie. Weeds, logs and brambles had turned the city property into what some visitors called “Day of the Triffids,” a 1950s horror film in which plants attacked people. The thick blackberry bushes there, near Ash Creek, sometimes entangled Central High students doing fish counts for a school project.
The “triffids” was a vivid way of referring to out-of-control plants that made the land look nearly impossible to transform, agreed Oregon State University (OSU) Extension horticulturist Neil Bell.
So, when a few members of the OSU Extension Service Polk County Master Gardeners (PCMG) began asking about putting a garden on what was then considered a derelict site, it did seem like science fiction.
“I was a little surprised they were interested,” recalled Shawn Irvine, Independence’s economic development director. But two members of the OSU PCMG – Bill Leedy and Darrell Ward – were sure a “demonstration garden” could be
done there.
Since the master gardeners of PCMG were part of an established and committed volunteer program, OSU’s Mr. Bell was solidly on board. The City of Independence said yes, in the hope that the property could be improved through all this combined “knowledge and expertise,” according to Mr. Irvine.
That’s how a seven-acre arboretum now known as Inspiration Garden was created on F Street, between 7th and 9th. And it seems to be living up to its awe-alluding name.
“I am honestly not sure how to properly convey how much this project has exceeded our expectations,” Mr. Irvine said. It’s become “one of the true gems of the community,” he added.
Today, these acres in the middle of town are home to a dozen gardens and several other special habitats. And no matter what time of year “there is always something to see,” as the Statesman Journal put it.
Seven years ago, Mount Fir Park in central Independence looked like the setting of a monster movie. Weeds, logs and brambles had turned the city property into what some visitors called “Day of the Triffids,” a 1950s horror film in which plants attacked people. The thick blackberry bushes there, near Ash Creek, sometimes entangled Central High students doing fish counts for a school project.
The “triffids” was a vivid way of referring to out-of-control plants that made the land look nearly impossible to transform, agreed Oregon State University (OSU) Extension horticulturist Neil Bell.
So, when a few members of the OSU Extension Service Polk County Master Gardeners (PCMG) began asking about putting a garden on what was then considered a derelict site, it did seem like science fiction.
“I was a little surprised they were interested,” recalled Shawn Irvine, Independence’s economic development director. But two members of the OSU PCMG – Bill Leedy and Darrell Ward – were sure a “demonstration garden” could be
done there.
Since the master gardeners of PCMG were part of an established and committed volunteer program, OSU’s Mr. Bell was solidly on board. The City of Independence said yes, in the hope that the property could be improved through all this combined “knowledge and expertise,” according to Mr. Irvine.
That’s how a seven-acre arboretum now known as Inspiration Garden was created on F Street, between 7th and 9th. And it seems to be living up to its awe-alluding name.
“I am honestly not sure how to properly convey how much this project has exceeded our expectations,” Mr. Irvine said. It’s become “one of the true gems of the community,” he added.
Today, these acres in the middle of town are home to a dozen gardens and several other special habitats. And no matter what time of year “there is always something to see,” as the Statesman Journal put it.
The botanical park now includes a rare and fragile Chinese tree that’s flourishing in one of the only places in the United States where it has taken healthy root; It’s home to an American colonial rose descended from the same variety grown by President George Washington; It grows ancient medicinal plants used by Native Americans to treat pain; It has a “winter garden” with plants at their loveliest when temperatures drop. For example, this December the evergreen shrub Camellia sasanqua is bursting in pink buds – flowers to follow. (See photo at left.)
And soon, in an honor bestowed on only 30 cities, the Inspiration Garden will welcome a "Hiroshima Ginkgo Tree" – a symbol of peace, grown from seeds of a Ginkgo tree that survived the atomic blast in World War II on that city.
The PCMG and the City of Independence competed with scores of other communities for the Ginkgo; It will be the inaugural plant for a new plot, a “peace garden,” with a peace pole from the Monmouth-Independence Rotary Club posted alongside it. The seeds come from Japan’s Green Legacy Hiroshima, and represent survival and reconciliation. The effort was led by Darrell Ward, current chair of the garden.
Perhaps it’s no wonder that some neighbors familiar with the garden call it the city’s most successful urban renewal project to date. It was once largely covered in Scotch broom – a species that’s among the most fertile on earth, producing thousands upon thousands of seeds from a single small plant. As one gardener put it, it was like "turning back a tidal wave."
"And once the weeds were cleared, the problem wasn't over," said Mr. Bell, the OSU horticulturalist who helped oversee the project. The hard-packed soil had been painstakingly roto-tilled and reconditioned with organic material. Even for the crew of master gardeners, "this was a whole different kind of undertaking," he said.
And soon, in an honor bestowed on only 30 cities, the Inspiration Garden will welcome a "Hiroshima Ginkgo Tree" – a symbol of peace, grown from seeds of a Ginkgo tree that survived the atomic blast in World War II on that city.
The PCMG and the City of Independence competed with scores of other communities for the Ginkgo; It will be the inaugural plant for a new plot, a “peace garden,” with a peace pole from the Monmouth-Independence Rotary Club posted alongside it. The seeds come from Japan’s Green Legacy Hiroshima, and represent survival and reconciliation. The effort was led by Darrell Ward, current chair of the garden.
Perhaps it’s no wonder that some neighbors familiar with the garden call it the city’s most successful urban renewal project to date. It was once largely covered in Scotch broom – a species that’s among the most fertile on earth, producing thousands upon thousands of seeds from a single small plant. As one gardener put it, it was like "turning back a tidal wave."
"And once the weeds were cleared, the problem wasn't over," said Mr. Bell, the OSU horticulturalist who helped oversee the project. The hard-packed soil had been painstakingly roto-tilled and reconditioned with organic material. Even for the crew of master gardeners, "this was a whole different kind of undertaking," he said.
It appeared to be "the land that time was forgetting," said Bill Leedy, who along with Mr. Ward is credited as “pioneering” the Inspiration Garden, including battling Scotch broom and other noxious plants while astride a small tractor for hours on end to clear the brush.
And just like Mr. Leedy and Mr. Ward proposed, the result was an actual "demonstration garden," which showcases different varieties of plants and serves as an educational learning experience for anyone touring through its sections.
Certain aspects make it a stand-out among others in the state: It’s believed to be the largest “Master Gardener Demonstration Garden” in Oregon and it also is likely the most diverse, with areas that range from the children’s garden – including a tiny library in a birdhouse bookshelf – to the bee-and-butterfly oasis to the Asian garden, where tiny rocks are raked to make designs next to a water feature. (See “Green Bee” insert for more.)
And just like Mr. Leedy and Mr. Ward proposed, the result was an actual "demonstration garden," which showcases different varieties of plants and serves as an educational learning experience for anyone touring through its sections.
Certain aspects make it a stand-out among others in the state: It’s believed to be the largest “Master Gardener Demonstration Garden” in Oregon and it also is likely the most diverse, with areas that range from the children’s garden – including a tiny library in a birdhouse bookshelf – to the bee-and-butterfly oasis to the Asian garden, where tiny rocks are raked to make designs next to a water feature. (See “Green Bee” insert for more.)
And it’s year-round, with some plants most verdant in December and January. Witch hazel, which provides the world’s most widely used botanical, needs a brisk jolt of cold weather to start its showy, spidery blossoms. Wintersweet produces a sweet-and-spicy scent in chilly air that can reach up to 50 feet away – its glossy yellow flowers often appear in late January. This makes the winter garden a pretty place during the sunshine of Oregon’s “February tease.”
The actual clearing of the unwanted growth started in the fall of 2012, and the first planting was in 2013. Donations of materials and money across the community paved the way.
The city built the concrete walkway and local Boy Scouts helped put a gravel path by Ash Creek. Wood bark paths wind through every garden.
Upkeep is a continual effort by the OSU PCMG. Almost all of the work is done by members, observed Lois Martin, a longtime volunteer who tends the rose garden – and does so without the aid of any chemical treatment.
The actual clearing of the unwanted growth started in the fall of 2012, and the first planting was in 2013. Donations of materials and money across the community paved the way.
The city built the concrete walkway and local Boy Scouts helped put a gravel path by Ash Creek. Wood bark paths wind through every garden.
Upkeep is a continual effort by the OSU PCMG. Almost all of the work is done by members, observed Lois Martin, a longtime volunteer who tends the rose garden – and does so without the aid of any chemical treatment.
This past fall, standing by the seashell-pink and salmon-orange colors of the roses, she pointed to a smudge near one petal. "You may see some mildew and blackspot," she said, though to the untrained eye, roses such as "Old China Pink" and “Coral Cove" seemed to explode in flawless color.
The volunteers typically pay $100 and take 60 hours of classes. To be a certified “Master Gardener,” 60 hours of actually working on the chapter projects is also required, including several hours in the Inspiration Garden.
The collective effort it takes to keep the garden vibrantly growing is a social one, too, Ms. Martin said. "On Friday mornings many of us are out here," she noted. At mid-morning, the group gathers in the central building, to take a break and talk.
The latest topic of discussion is a big new sign on Monmouth Street, pointing the way to the very place where they all volunteer.
The volunteers typically pay $100 and take 60 hours of classes. To be a certified “Master Gardener,” 60 hours of actually working on the chapter projects is also required, including several hours in the Inspiration Garden.
The collective effort it takes to keep the garden vibrantly growing is a social one, too, Ms. Martin said. "On Friday mornings many of us are out here," she noted. At mid-morning, the group gathers in the central building, to take a break and talk.
The latest topic of discussion is a big new sign on Monmouth Street, pointing the way to the very place where they all volunteer.
The CIVICS LESSON: Wetland Areas
State Imposes Fines for Offenders
Wetland identification and mitigation is essential in Oregon’s expansion, according to the state. But just how is it enforced? By the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), which recently imposed a fine of $33,000 on a Salem building company for allegedly polluting watershed in Monmouth, Independence’s neighboring city. (Photo at left) Marshes had been identified close to a construction site, but the run-off went to a ditch that drained into Ash Creek. This reduction in water quality caused changes that increased the turbidity and color, which could “block light from submerged vegetation, reduce photosynthesis and dissolved oxygen, decrease water clarity, and cause detrimental effects to aquatic organisms,” according to DEQ. --AS
The INDY HOP: Top Law Officers Visit Pre-Schoolers
The Book They Read Issues Humorous Kid-Level Cautions
"Never lick a stop sign in winter!” Does this sound like advice that would come from Independence Police Chief Robert Mason or Polk County Sheriff Mark Garton? Well, they imparted this recommendation as part of a recent visit with preschoolers at the Oregon Child Development Coalition in Independence – thanks to reading “Officer Buckle and Gloria,” a Caldecott-winning children’s book. It’s about a police officer and his canine sidekick, a German shepherd named Gloria. While Gloria the dog charms kids with funny background antics, Officer Buckle presumes his young audience is focusing intently on him – making his safety lesson a big success. The two local law enforcement leaders are part of "Fight Crime: Invest in Kids," a group that's working to raise awareness of the role preschool can play in getting kids on a good pathway. “It was fun,” Chief Mason said, adding that the children were “full of energy and questions.” Sheriff Garton agreed. “It’s a great opportunity to bring focus on the need for pre-K, for both funding and for the 20,000 kids in Oregon who aren't able to be served by pre-K,” said Sheriff Garton. The book about Officer Buckle apparently was a hit, even though some of his tips seemed out of the realm of ordinary police work – like urging everyone to “always pull the toothpick out of your sandwich.”
THE GREEN BEE: The City’s Backyard Garden
Kay Beatty, the volunteer who provides oversight of the Inspiration Garden, can remember a time when the soil was so hard it felt as solid as cement. Donors stepped forward with mulch, and the organic matter made a difference that was "like magic," she said.
However, plant selection was just as important. For example, in the Rain Garden (photo at left), trees and bushes can continue to flourish in standing water, and, once it recedes, they continue to do so – even during relatively dry periods. But there’s no chance of over-watering in this sliver of a garden. It catches rainwater, contains it, filters it, and then it spreads into the surrounding soil. Purifying run-off, “quickly, neatly, naturally,” according to the US Department of Agriculture.
However, plant selection was just as important. For example, in the Rain Garden (photo at left), trees and bushes can continue to flourish in standing water, and, once it recedes, they continue to do so – even during relatively dry periods. But there’s no chance of over-watering in this sliver of a garden. It catches rainwater, contains it, filters it, and then it spreads into the surrounding soil. Purifying run-off, “quickly, neatly, naturally,” according to the US Department of Agriculture.
The Asian Garden is considered Mt. Fir Park’s "holy grail of horticulture” because here a relatively rare plant considered too delicate for a place of cool-breeze summers and harsh-rain winters seems to be thriving. This special plant – Emmenopterys henryi (photo at left), which goes by the nickname “Henry” – may put Independence high on the horticultural horizon.
This Chinese tree is one of the few anywhere inthe United States, and it can take decades to bloom. One of less than a handful on the west coast, its counterpart in Sonoma CA, at Quarryhill Botanical Garden, did just that and a lot of plant enthusiasts are waiting to see if Henry at Inspiration Garden will do the same.
This Chinese tree is one of the few anywhere inthe United States, and it can take decades to bloom. One of less than a handful on the west coast, its counterpart in Sonoma CA, at Quarryhill Botanical Garden, did just that and a lot of plant enthusiasts are waiting to see if Henry at Inspiration Garden will do the same.
Near Henry is a purple companion, “Amy,” a hebe plant almost the opposite of the hard-to-cultivate Chinese tree. Amy is so adaptable that purple leaves adorn the plant almost all year long.
The Lower Garden is where Ash Creek meanders, and there are visitors who prefer the trail near the water. Once clogged with abandoned timber and choked by piling leaves, “the Master Gardeners have done a wonderful job and invested a lot of energy in clearing and removing invasive weeds from the riparian area of South Fork Ash Creek at Inspiration Garden,” noted Kristen Larson, executive director of the Luckiamute Watershed Council (LWC). “This helps release the native trees and shrubs present along the creek.”
The Lower Garden is where Ash Creek meanders, and there are visitors who prefer the trail near the water. Once clogged with abandoned timber and choked by piling leaves, “the Master Gardeners have done a wonderful job and invested a lot of energy in clearing and removing invasive weeds from the riparian area of South Fork Ash Creek at Inspiration Garden,” noted Kristen Larson, executive director of the Luckiamute Watershed Council (LWC). “This helps release the native trees and shrubs present along the creek.”
However, the LWC “would love to see additional native trees and shrubs
planted on the creek to create a continuous, connected, multi-level streamside forest so it provides as much shade as possible and maximum habitat benefit for wildlife,” she added.
planted on the creek to create a continuous, connected, multi-level streamside forest so it provides as much shade as possible and maximum habitat benefit for wildlife,” she added.
Where can you find a small child’s headboard that’s part of a flower bed? A little library that looks like it should be a birdhouse (photo to left)? The Children’s Garden, laid out to please little people in a space that’s whimsical and inviting.
And this time of year, the Rose Garden is truly hip. The Eglantine rose bush (photo to left) is budding with rose hips that were used for tea in the mid-1700s, a practice that continues to this day. It blooms big and sprawling, with an apple-blossom scent.
It is one of the two dozen rose bushes that make this part of the garden, when in bloom, smell like a light cloud of perfume. Bees like it too, making the plants look alive with vibration during periods when the pollinators visit there in droves. In fact, the Inspiration Garden is reported to be so mood-elevating it’s said to lighten the hearts of all who pass through.
It is one of the two dozen rose bushes that make this part of the garden, when in bloom, smell like a light cloud of perfume. Bees like it too, making the plants look alive with vibration during periods when the pollinators visit there in droves. In fact, the Inspiration Garden is reported to be so mood-elevating it’s said to lighten the hearts of all who pass through.
Neil Bell is a horticulturalist with the Oregon State University Extension who oversees the Master Gardener program in Polk County and Marion County. Mr. Bell helped tackle nearly every challenge faced by the master gardeners during the building Inspiration Garden, according to several PCMG members. For more information: OSU Extension Service Polk County, 289 E. Ellendale, Suite 301, Dallas, OR. (503-623-8395)
THE BULLETIN BOARD
To Coach Megan Smith, who took Central High’s cheerleading team all the way to a national title last winter, winning isn’t everything … or the only thing … or even the most important thing.
"I am not out to make great cheerleaders, I am out to make great people," she said.
If it sounds like Ms. Smith is defying the dictums by fabled football coaches like Vince Lombardi and Al Davis on the importance of winning, she most certainly is – and it turns out this approach led to a perfect performance and a stunning victory at the 2019 United Spirit Association National Competition in Anaheim CA.
There, the squad from Central High School (CHS) beat 17 other teams to take home the trophy in their division. And, just to qualify for the competition, they had to show acrobatic skill that sent some members flying through the air. They also had to possess the kind of precision exemplified by the New York Rockettes.
This year, the gravity-resistant, unison-attaining champs will try again. And as the holiday rush is underway, these athletes at CHS have been in full swing, too -- at the gym and on tumbling mats.
“When you raise that bar and challenge them, not only do they have to work harder, but their belief in themselves also rises,” explained Ms. Smith, a 2003 CHS graduate. “I don’t set bars they can’t achieve. They know it. They can feel that faith in them, it gives them confidence, and they try harder for me as a result.”
“My daughter has been so positively affected by this experience,” said Martha Zuck, who describes herself as a “grateful parent.” But it isn’t just coaching expertise that’s winning Ms. Smith the kind of community following that seems like gushy hero-worship. Ms. Zuck believes “character development” has been the biggest benefit Coach Smith has bestowed on the team. Almost universally described as lovable when that’s not the thing she’s trying to be, Coach Smith said she strives to be “kind but firm.” That firmness includes a ban on social media use by team members during the 10 weeks of intensive training.
"I am not out to make great cheerleaders, I am out to make great people," she said.
If it sounds like Ms. Smith is defying the dictums by fabled football coaches like Vince Lombardi and Al Davis on the importance of winning, she most certainly is – and it turns out this approach led to a perfect performance and a stunning victory at the 2019 United Spirit Association National Competition in Anaheim CA.
There, the squad from Central High School (CHS) beat 17 other teams to take home the trophy in their division. And, just to qualify for the competition, they had to show acrobatic skill that sent some members flying through the air. They also had to possess the kind of precision exemplified by the New York Rockettes.
This year, the gravity-resistant, unison-attaining champs will try again. And as the holiday rush is underway, these athletes at CHS have been in full swing, too -- at the gym and on tumbling mats.
“When you raise that bar and challenge them, not only do they have to work harder, but their belief in themselves also rises,” explained Ms. Smith, a 2003 CHS graduate. “I don’t set bars they can’t achieve. They know it. They can feel that faith in them, it gives them confidence, and they try harder for me as a result.”
“My daughter has been so positively affected by this experience,” said Martha Zuck, who describes herself as a “grateful parent.” But it isn’t just coaching expertise that’s winning Ms. Smith the kind of community following that seems like gushy hero-worship. Ms. Zuck believes “character development” has been the biggest benefit Coach Smith has bestowed on the team. Almost universally described as lovable when that’s not the thing she’s trying to be, Coach Smith said she strives to be “kind but firm.” That firmness includes a ban on social media use by team members during the 10 weeks of intensive training.
Participants are benched if they post or comment on Instagram, Twitter or any other platform. However, a warning is given instead if the policy-violator removes the post immediately in a fast effort to try to rectify the error -- and an apology is issued and the lapse is acknowledged.
“I want to reward the honesty of admitting a mistake,” Coach Smith explained.
“I love that social media policy. It cuts out all this drama,” said Ms. Zuck. Coach Smith also expects the girls to keep a journal. This self-written chronicle really encourages deep personal reflection, Ms. Zuck added. In fact, family members puzzled by teen behavior might want to follow some of the coach’s examples, according to several parents. “They know I am their number one fan, but they also know I expect a lot from them,” said Coach Smith, a mother herself. “If we lower our expectations of kids, they know it. They feel it.”
"She cares about students, but she expects them to do the right thing, even when it’s unpopular or uncomfortable,” observed Shane Cyphers, CHS counselor. Cheerleading has become so athletically challenging that it’s akin to any other sport, and perhaps even more physically demanding than many, he noted.
Being tossed skyward by teammates means trust and accuracy, he pointed out. In fact, Coach Smith’s favorite memory from the championship isn’t the moment she learned the team had won it. “It was the moment after our first performance. They nailed it. I was so proud. I didn’t know how the other teams did. And I didn’t care,” she said.
“I want to reward the honesty of admitting a mistake,” Coach Smith explained.
“I love that social media policy. It cuts out all this drama,” said Ms. Zuck. Coach Smith also expects the girls to keep a journal. This self-written chronicle really encourages deep personal reflection, Ms. Zuck added. In fact, family members puzzled by teen behavior might want to follow some of the coach’s examples, according to several parents. “They know I am their number one fan, but they also know I expect a lot from them,” said Coach Smith, a mother herself. “If we lower our expectations of kids, they know it. They feel it.”
"She cares about students, but she expects them to do the right thing, even when it’s unpopular or uncomfortable,” observed Shane Cyphers, CHS counselor. Cheerleading has become so athletically challenging that it’s akin to any other sport, and perhaps even more physically demanding than many, he noted.
Being tossed skyward by teammates means trust and accuracy, he pointed out. In fact, Coach Smith’s favorite memory from the championship isn’t the moment she learned the team had won it. “It was the moment after our first performance. They nailed it. I was so proud. I didn’t know how the other teams did. And I didn’t care,” she said.
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