Heather Garden

Heather Garden at the Cottage Grove Community
Hospital, mid-January 2012

By Colette Kimball

In the middle of January, I had the opportunity to visit the Heather Garden at the Cottage Grove Community Hospital. I had heard about the Garden before, but had never had the opportunity to see it. I must say, on that dreary Sunday afternoon, I was pleasantly surprised; the Heather Garden was filled with the most brilliant reds, accented by light pinks and chartreuse – all in the middle of January!

One of the perks of being Club president is that I get to meet and talk with others in the gardening community, and serendipitously just a few days after my visit to the Heather Garden, I received an email from Ella May Wulff of the Oregon Heather Society. I learned from Ella May about the short history of the Garden and the Oregon Heather Society’s goals.

A brief history
Planting of the Heather Garden began in the fall of 2004, after the Facilities Director of the Community Hospital contacted the Oregon Heather Society about planting a heather garden on a steep slope near a drainage ditch. Since that initial planting, plans have changed to accommodate other plantings, an accidental oil spill, and other problems that one might expect when planting in a publicly-accessible space such as this. The outcome is a bright spot of color in the middle of January.

How you can help
Twice each year, members from the Oregon Heather Society gather in Cottage Grove (some driving over two hours to get here) to prune and maintain the Heather Garden. Members of the community and the Garden Club, are encouraged to help. The next pruning party is Sunday, March 10, from 11am to 1pm. Please join us!

The Heather Garden is on Village Street just before the Emergency Entrance. You’ll learn about heathers and heather culture, and have the opportunity to take home clippings to root and begin your own heather garden. Bring clippers, a knee pad, and a lunch to enjoy with others after the heather is pruned.

March in the Grove

There are a lot of gardening-related events happening in Cottage Grove this month. See below for events the Garden Club will be hosting or participating in.

Plants ready for the 2010 Plant Sale

Sunday, March 4: The Garden Club will be having a transplanting workshop and potting party at 531 E. Adams St. (The corner of 6th and Adams). Drop in between 11am and 2pm. This is in preparation for the May Plant Sale.

Tuesday, March 6: At Garden Club this month, Brinsley Burbidge will talk about "Plants of a (US) Tropical Island."  The meeting begins at 6:00, social time about 6:45, and Brinsley's talk begins at 7:00. For more info, click here.

Saturday, March 10: There is a Heather Pruning Party at the Cottage Grove Community Hospital, hosted by the Oregon Heather Society,  11:00am to 1:00pm. The Heather Garden is on Village Street just before the Emergency Entrance. You will learn about heathers and heather culture, and have the opportunity to take home clippings to root and begin your own heather garden. Bring clippers, a knee pad, and a lunch to enjoy with others after the heather is pruned.

Saturday, March 17: The Garden Club tours Bohemia Park with Faye Stewart, 1:00 pm 10:00 am.

Tuesday, March 20: Board meeting at the Community Center, 6:30-8:00 pm.

Friday, March 23: Willamette District General Meeting at Oakridge, Molly Juillerat will be speaking on "Invasive Species." Coffee starts at 9:30, Potluck Lunch at 12:00. All Garden Club members are invited to attend this bi-annual meeting.

Sunday, April 1: District-wide trip to Gossler’s Nursery, 1:00 pm.

Finally, don't forget to put our April meeting on your calendars. On Tuesday, April 3, we will hear about "Irrigation for the Home Gardener" presented by Marty Gascoyne, 6:00-8:00 pm. Marty is one of our favorite speakers, and we are delighted to have him return again this spring.

Plants of a (U.S.) Tropical Island: March Program

The US Virgin Islands are a favorite cruise ship destination and vacation get-away. The island of St. Croix is the most remote of these and, as a non-volcanic island, has a different vegetation from most of the other West Indies. Also it has a high mountainous central ridge and wind that almost always comes from the same direction. As a result, the vegetation varies from rain forest to desert over a very short distance.

Mango Flowers

Formerly the home of the Taino people, the island was "discovered" by Columbus and then successively occupied by seven different nations, among whom the Danish left the greatest impact, before finally being sold to the US.

Historically, sugar cane was the main agricultural crop. Much of the island‘s agricultural history remains as ruins now buried deep in forest. As it is the most isolated, rugged and least visited of the islands it also still has large areas undeveloped and in some cases unexplored. For three years, our presenter, Brinsley Burbidge worked on St. Croix and explored the island intensively, often cutting trails into the least accessible mountainous areas. Along with his wife Julie, he also worked with local plant experts (including the island‘s "Weed Woman") and the Department of Agriculture.

On March 6, Brinsley will give an illustrated talk about the island, its dramatic and very scenic topography, and the way that plants (both native and introduced) have been important (and continue to be) in the islands history.

Join us from 6:00-8:00 pm at the First Presbyterian Church, 216 South 3rd Street. Please enter through the garden area, to the left as you face the front doors. Our meeting begins at 6pm, social time and refreshments follow, with the presentation beginning at 7pm. All guests welcome.

Community Events

Members of the Cottage Grove Garden Club are participating in two upcoming community events. Please join us.

Turtle. Row River Nature Park.

On Saturday, February 25, the Coast Fork Watershed Council is hosting a tree planting at the Row River Nature Park (previously known as East Regional Park). Meet at the weigh station on Row River Road at 9am. We'll be helping the Watershed Council plant big leaf maple trees, among other plants. Wear winter clothes, boots, and bring a water bottle. The Watershed Council will provide work gloves, snacks, and refreshments. Please call the Watershed Council to RSVP: (541) 767-9717.

Heather Garden at the Hospital

On Saturday, March 10, the Oregon Heather Society is sponsoring a pruning event at the Heather Garden at the Cottage Grove Community Hospital. Learn how to identify heathers and when to prune them. Oregon Heather Society members will demonstrate correct pruning techniques during the semi-annual pruning of the hospital's heather garden.

The Heather Garden is located to the left as you face the front of the Hospital. Bring pruners, a kneeling pad, gloves and a lunch. 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Contact Ella May at (541) 929-6272  for more information.

February Events

Can you feel the excitement about spring growing? To help satisfy that garden-itch, here's a listing of gardening related events happening this month in the Cottage Grove area.

February 1: registration has opened for the "Hardy Plant Weekend" being held in Eugene from June 7-10.  The theme is "Into the Woods/Out of the Woods," focusing on shady and near-shady gardens. Visit The Hardy Plant Group for more information.

February 7 (Tuesday): Cottage Grove Garden Club will be making "Seed Bombs" in a workshop led by Andrea Mull.

February 9 (Thursday): American Rhododendron Society Eugene Chapter Presents "Plant Hunting in China" with Mike Stewart, owner of Dover Nursery. 7pm.

February 13 (Monday): Native Plant Society of Oregon - Emerald Chapter. Dave Predeek talks on “Flora of the Wallowa Mountains in Northeastern Oregon.” 

February 14 (Tuesday): Hardy Plant Group welcomes Jack Olson speaking on "Rhododendrons as Perennials."

February 17 (Friday): Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council leads the Garden Club along the Row River Nature Trail to showcase local restoration efforts. 2pm.

February 20 (Monday): Avid Gardeners Presents FAVORITES—Tried and True and New! Learn from Avid Gardeners board members (Mark Bloom, Alice Doyle, Ernie and Marietta O’Byrne ) about their top picks in both ornamentals and edibles, from great (but often unsung) reliables to the newest offerings.

February 21 (Tuesday): Cottage Grove Garden Club Board Meeting at the Community Center from 6:30-8:00 pm.

February 25 (Saturday): Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council hosts a tree planting at the Row River Nature Park. All interested community members are encouraged to help. 9am-noon. Please RSVP with the Watershed Council.