LEACH GARDEN FRIENDS

BOTANY & HORTICULTURE - THIS YEAR BROUGHT MANY CHANGES TO THE HORTICULTURE DEPARTMENT. WITH THE DEPARTURE OF HEAD GARDENER SCOTT HOELSCHER AFTER 20 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE, A MAJOR RESTRUCTURING OF THE DEPARTMENT WAS SET INTO ACTION. THE ROLE OF HEAD GARDENER WAS DISSOLVED TO REFOCUS EFFORTS IN AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN SITTING ON THE BACK BURNER DUE TO LACK OF CAPACITY. WE NOW HAVE A TEAM OF 3 YEAR ROUND GARDENERS, EACH WITH A DEDICATED MAINTENANCE ZONE. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.ADDITIONALLY, ONE OF THESE POSITIONS WORKS AS THE PROPAGATOR FOR THE GARDEN, A POSITION THAT WAS PUT ON HOLD AFTER THE PREVIOUS PROPAGATOR RETIRED. AFTER YEARS OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE IN THE NURSERY AND GREENHOUSE, THE TEAM IS NOW WORKING IN EARNEST TO MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS TO GET PRODUCTION LEVELS AT OR ABOVE WHERE THEY WERE PRIOR TO 2021. IN 2026, WE HOPE TO BE GROWING LARGE QUANTITIES OF NATIVE PLANTS FOR THE GARDEN'S COLLECTIONS, THE BACK 5 RESTORATION SITE, AS WELL AS THE GIFT SHOP. OF COURSE, WE WILL STILL OFFER MANY OF THE ORNAMENTAL PLANTS THAT PEOPLE HAVE COME TO ASSOCIATE WITH LEACH, SUCH AS JACK-IN-THE-PULPITS AND TRILLIUMS. WHILE NAVIGATING THESE CHANGES, THE TEAM CONTINUED TO WORK DILIGENTLY TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE GARDEN. OVER 800 PLANTS ENCOMPASSING APPROXIMATELY 90 DIFFERENT SPECIES WERE ADDED, MANY OF THOSE SPECIES BEING NEW INTRODUCTIONS TO THE GARDEN'S PLANT COLLECTIONS. THE GARDEN ALSO HOSTED A PLANT RECORDS INTERN, WHO TOOK ON THE MONUMENTAL TASK OF INVENTORYING THE ENTIRETY OF THE POLLINATOR GARDEN'S PLANT SPECIES. IN THE END, OVER 140 DIFFERENT SPECIES WERE CATALOGUED, WITH A GRAND TOTAL OF 4,815 PLANTS GROWING IN THE POLLINATOR GARDEN ALONE. THE HOPE IS TO CONTINUE THESE EFFORTS THROUGHOUT THE GARDEN.

EDUCATION - MAJOR COMMUNITY EVENTS BY THE NUMBERS: SPRING EQUINOX FAIR (635 GUESTS) JUNETEENTH COMMUNITY FREE DAY (1,002 GUESTS) SUMMER NATURE FAIR (534 GUESTS) WINTER SOLSTICE (391 GUESTS) SIP & PICNIC (191 GUESTS) MOMENT (277 GUESTS) OREGON ADVENTURE THEATRE'S "THE WINTER'S TALE" (650 GUESTS AT MULTIPLE PERFORMANCES) RENEGADE OPERA'S BIRD SONGS OF OPERA (200 GUESTS) 105 ATTENDED AN ART CLASS (DRAWING, WATERCOLOR, PRINTMAKING) CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.THE PROGRAMS TEAM BEGAN WORK ON THE FAR MEADOW WITH THE FIRST BERM PLANTING OF SUNFLOWERS AND OTHER COLORFUL POLLINATORS, RESTORED THE PLAY COTTAGE WITH A BEAUTIFUL NEW MURAL, ADDED SEATING MADE BY PORTLAND YOUTH BUILDERS, AND SELECTED LOCAL ARTIST ROSE COVERT TO CREATE A MOONGATE SCULPTURAL INSTALLATION. THE TEAM ALSO HIRED KATHARINE GRACE J. FLORES AS OUR NEW BACK 5 EDUCATION & ECOLOGY MANAGER, THANKS TO GRANT FUNDING SUPPORT FROM M. J. MURDOCK CHARITABLE TRUST.