Friday, April 9, 2010

Looking Back: The 1st Annual FoPo Garden Tour


Garden Tour Builds Community in the City

Linda Goertz


City planners pouring over maps, zoning laws, meetings with politicians jawing-are these really the things that create a community? Or is it possible that simply digging in the dirt-dreaming, sowing, tending and sharing with other gardeners-could spark a neighborhood's spirit of connection?


This past year in mid-southeast Portland, residents of the Foster-Powell neighborhood added zing to their summer with a first-ever neighborhood garden tour, and it was by all accounts a rollicking success. Many visitors came by bike or on foot, others by car. While most were southeast Portland neighbors, at least on family haled from Vancouver, Washington.


One garden host, who counted over 40 visitors, enthused, "I loved one of the visitor's comments that she had been to garden tours in the fancier neighborhoods, where lots are sometimes an acre of luxurious landscaping...but she liked this one because the houses/gardens were more humble and she could get ideas she could really use in her own yard!"





Saturday, April 3, 2010

Plant Sale at the Rhododendrum Garden Today!


I love to walk the paths of the Rhododendrum garden in the spring. Everytime I return there is a new explosion of color.
There are over 94 species of birds that nest around the spring fed lake.

This is great spot to watch the sunset. If you visit the garden after 6:00 pm, it's free and you will feel like you have the place to yourself!
For more information, here's the
Photos and post by Tamra