And a Celebration of Life for Doug Wilson
Northwest Region - open to members and non-members
Friday and Saturday, May 16 and 17
Sunday May 18 Celebration of Life
Portland, Oregon
Join enthusiastic members from both the Maple Society of North America and the American Conifer Society in Portland, Oregon to enjoy the fresh spring growth of maples and conifers in the Pacific Northwest.
Members, you'll need to be logged in.
Non-Members, remove the "X" where it asks you to log in with a user name and password.
NOTE: you are only planning to attend Sunday's Celebration of Life for Doug Wilson, no registration is necessary, but an RSVP will be forthcoming on the Oregon Garden's website.
Our Weekend itinerary
Friday, May 16 - The Nurseries Tour
8:00 - 10:00 am: Iseli Wholesale Nursery
May is a busy time at Iseli yet they have graciously invited us to enjoy their amazing demonstration garden of maples and conifers at their headquarters. Iseli is a wholesale grower of dwarf conifers, Japanese maples, ornamental trees and shrubs that provide 12 Months of Color® to quality garden center retailers and professional landscapers throughout the United States and Canada. Plants will not be available for sale.
10:15 am: Don Schmidt Wholesale Nursery
Next door to Iseli is Don Schmidt Nursery. Alan Tabler is going to give us a tour of the farm which specializes in field grown (without supplemental water) Japanese maples. Don Schmidt sends it’s balled and burlapped plants throughout the US. (Plants will not be available for sale.)
Lunch on your own
Afternoon: Crowfoot Nursery
Located near Sandy Oregon, Crowfoot Nursery is a family owned business that specializes in conifers sourced and grafted or rooted from trees on their own property—many of which are not found in most garden centers or nurseries. . Their passion for collecting has been expanding their conifer family for two decades, as attested by an amazing well-marked demonstration garden. Plants will be available for sale.
Late Afternoon: Arbutus Garden Arts Nursery
Located In Portland, Oregon, Arbutus Nursery has a demonstration garden full of Japanese Maples and dwarf conifers. They specialize in noteworthy Japanese maples with unique features, dwarf conifers, and Epimediums. The garden shows a fondness for seasonally interesting plants and packs a lot into a relatively small area, with many cutting edge and unusual varieties. Plants will be available for sale.
Saturday, May 17 - The Private Gardens Tour
The following private gardens will be open for self-guided exploration; you may visit them in any order within the hours they've listed below. Details and addresses will be provided to you after registration.
Jeffrey Herbst and Marjorie Erwin Garden
Available between 10am – 4pm
This lovely, extensive garden is nestled comfortably along the Tualatin River among towering firs and cedars. The garden not only showcases rare "collector" conifers and maples, it also has a large collection of other ornamentals, including Rhododendrons, Camellias, various shrubs and perennials.
Anton and Jill Klemens Garden
Available between 10am – 4pm
This garden showcases a wide variety of rare Conifers & Japanese Maples. The garden is on a corner lot in an urban setting with a sloped yard featuring many boulders and accent rocks, water features, and strolling pathways. Anton and Jill have lived in the house for over 14 years and the former lawn has been transformed over the years and is now a fantasy of conifers and maples. In addition, splashes of color have been added to the garden with different Alpines, Hardy Fuchsias, Lilies, Clematis, and other perennials. They also have a vast collection of mature container plants displayed on their decks. Sundial Urban Garden
Janet and Ed Roberts Garden
Available between 10am – 4pm
This hidden garden, two blocks from the Portland Rose Test Garden and Japanese Garden, overlooks Washington Park and Mt. Hood and rests on a 3/4 acre flat lot. It is both an historic house and garden, built in 1929. The garden contains several of the original architectural details, stonework and plants, including a pieris hedge, camellias, rhododendrons and a large Styrax tree, which shields the house and garden from the busy street. It has been intensely gardened for most of those years, including the 44 years that the Roberts family has lived here. The garden is informal, fluid in style, continuing to evolve as new hybrids and unusual plants become available. In addition to conifers, both planted in ground and in beautiful pots, there are myriads of roses, dahlias and perennials in carefully matched color schemes. Says Janet, "Ed and I both tremendously love to work in our garden, doing most of the maintenance ourselves, with help for the heavier tasks."
Gene Rozenboom and Randy Patton Garden
Available between 9am – 5pm; lunch will be provided between 11am - 5pm
This urban garden showcases dwarf conifers and over 50 Japanese maple cultivars. The garden is located on a hillside and contains artfully constructed rock and block walls to create layered garden interest. Steel elements provide raised planting beds, light bollards, signage, BBQ and sculpture. Unusual plants abound. Get a taste of what you'll be enjoying in person in this video made for Garden Gate Magazine, courtesy of Gene Rozenboom.
Other Places of Interest in the Portland Area
As time allows, you may wish to add these to your itinerary as well:
Hoyt Arboretum – American Conifer Society reference garden
The Oregon Garden – American Conifer Society reference garden
Cornell Farms Nursery and Cafe – Retail Nursery
Portland Nursery – Retail nursery
Sunday, May 18 - Doug Wilson Celebration of Life
10:00 am to 2:00 pm
879 W Main Street in Silverton, Oregon
For those of you who are either American Conifer Society members or who knew Doug Wilson, there will be a Celebration of Life for Doug, who passed away unexpectedly on September 30, 2024 on Sunday May 18. An RSVP link will be posted to the Oregon Garden's website. The schedule is as follows:
10:00 - 11:30: Arrive at your leisure, stroll the Conifer Garden; light appetizers and beverages will be available at the J. Frank Schmidt Jr. Pavilion.
11:30 - 12:30: Memorial ceremony at the Pavilion
1:00: Memorial in the Conifer Garden; unveil the memorial tree / engraving.