Summer Greetings!
We are more than halfway through what promises to be a historic year for the Portland Botanical Gardens. With a plan to close on the McCormick & Baxter site by the end of the year, we are ramping up efforts across the board—from site planning to public engagement to fundraising.
To that end, what fun to connect with garden supporters at the July 12th Rancho Cistus Extravaganza, hosted by Cistus Design Nursery owner and Portland Botanical Gardens’ founding board member, Sean Hogan. Over 2,000 people visited during the day, with talks from Kenton Seth (of crevice garden fame) and Dan Hinckley (legendary NW plantsman and author), tours by Sean, and a host of food and drink vendors. It was a glimpse into the festive and educational atmosphere of gardens, and of a near future when similar events and celebrations occur at the Portland Botanical Gardens.
Upcoming Opportunities
Online Plant Auction
Portland Botanical Gardens will launch its first online Plant Auction this week!
The auction runs from this Thursday, July 24 through Sunday, July 27. All proceeds go to the Portland Botanical Gardens and its effort to establish the garden at the McCormick & Baxter site in North Portland.
This trial event features notable plants donated by Cistus and One Green World, two nurseries who have long supported the creation of a major urban garden in Portland. Thank you! For winning bidders, plants can be picked up in Portland at One Green World or Cistus, or shipped anywhere in the country (cost based on location).
Open House during First Thursday in the Pearl
You are invited to an informational Open House for Portland Botanical Gardens on August 7th from 5:00-7:00 PM at its office in the Pearl District. The Open House will overlap with the bustling First Thursday in the Pearl, with the option of exploring the many galleries and shops before or after.
The space can host up to 30 comfortably. A short presentation will be given with time for questions, answers and discussion. Refreshments will be provided.
If you can’t make this one, we will host Open Houses again in September or October.
Garden Updates
Conceptual Master Planning
Portland Botanical Gardens continues its due diligence and pre-planning work, but we are also consolidating much of the learning and feedback gathered over the past year into a conceptual master plan. Drafts of the plan and other studies of the site have informed discussions with stakeholders, donors, and the public agencies managing the sale of the McCormick and Baxter site.
For the most recent presentation of the vision and planning for the garden, see A Botanical Garden by the River, which was shared this spring in consecutive webinars with Tribal governments and the general public, respectively. The presentation is also posted on the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) McCormick & Baxter website, along with other project information and a survey for public feedback. As the lead agency in both management and sale of the historic superfund site, DEQ has worked with Portland Botanical Gardens to ensure a meaningful community engagement process is in place prior to and after acquistion.
Garden Study
Over the past academic year, three University of Oregon Landscape Architecture graduate students focused their independent master’s projects on the development of a botanical garden and public greenway at the McCormick and Baxter site. Portland Botanical Gardens’ Research Director, Michael Geffel (LND LAB), served as academic liaison and external advisor for the students throughout the year.
Following their graduation, the research team presented their projects to a panel including Portland Botanical Gardens’ staff, advisors and board members. Their posters were later shared at the Rancho Cistus Extravaganza on July 12th.
The selected project topics (below) illuminate the wide range of research opportunities at the proposed Garden site. Research, education, and vocational training are central to the mission of PBG, and the non-profit will partner with academics, community groups, and conservation leaders to develop this “living laboratory” so that the Garden can serve as a resource for the next generation of environmental stewards.
- Eva Kahn – FROM CONTAINMENT TO CONNECTION: Designing the Ecotone in a Post-Superfund Landscape
- Jennifer Ginn – THE ART OF CLIMATE SCIENCE: A Case Study and Primer in Applying Climate Project Data to Human Scale Design Development in Landscape Architecture
- Steven Garcia – TRANSLATION, TRANSFORMATION & EDUCATION: Bringing Oregon’s Distant Landscapes into Portland’s Urban Center to Support Outdoor Education
Support the Garden
Donate
Conducting due diligence — including feasibility studies, pre-planning and outreach — has cost over $225,000 to date, with a comparable value in volunteer and pro bono work making it all happen. Thanks to these many donors, volunteers and project partners, a home for the Portland Botanical Gardens is closer than ever to becoming a reality.
Visit the Donate page on the website to learn more and contribute. Note: Portland Botanical Gardens is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and all donations are tax deductible. Its Federal Tax ID number (EIN) is 84-4535065.
We are also actively seeking pledges for the purchase and start-up, currently estimated at $6.5MM. If you want to learn more about pledging and the associated benefits of being a founding donor, please reach out directly to Matt Taylor (mtaylor@portlandbg.org).
Volunteer
It was great to meet new people on July 3rd at a small Open House event for volunteers. As noted above, we plan to do three more Open Houses this year during First Thursdays in the Pearl – great opportunities to learn more about the project and potential roles for volunteers. For August 7, please RSVP here.
Ultimately, a modern botanical garden thrives when there is a robust volunteer culture supporting its mission and working in the garden. While we have specific office and fundraising work for volunteers, we are also planning ahead to the many hands needed for the eventual garden.
For now, please sign up for the Volunteer List (just email info@portlandbg.org if you want to be added) to get direct invitations for learning and work opportunities.
Advocate
We appreciate grass roots support, and are so grateful for the kind words and other encouragement we have received so far. Some ways you can advocate for the garden are:
- Tell your friends and family about the Portland Botanical Gardens, and point to the website (www.portlandbg.org) for basic information on the project.
- Fill out the DEQ Community Survey.
- Follow and support the Portland Botanical Gardens on Instagram.
- Send a letter (or email) of support for the garden: mail to 108 NW 9th Ave #201,Portland, OR 97209 or email info@portlandbg.org.