Friday, May 17, 2013

Bradner Gardens P-Patch plot B29B


Viburnum x burkwoodii 'Mohawk' with plot B29B at upper right in April 2013

Allium karataviense in May 2013

Pacific Coast Hybrid Iris in May 2013

Geranium sanguineum (Bloody Cranesbill) & Luzula sylvatica 'Aurea' (Golden Woodrush) in May 2013

Campanula medium (Canterbury Bells) & Paeonia veitchii in May 2013

Above are photos from Bradner Gardens P-Patch plot B29B in late April & early May of 2013.  I moved perennials from my garden to the plot in November 2012.  These grew & spread quickly as the weather warmed abruptly from 55F/13C on 4/30 to 65F/18C on 5/1 & on to a record high of 87F/30.5C on 5/6.  Most of the cabbage, carrot, Chinese greens, collards & radish seeds I planted on 3/26 had sprouted by 4/26 when I planted bean & squash seeds.  The beans had begun to sprout when I visited again on 5/7 to water thoroughly after the record heat.  Everything had made it through just fine on the abundant rains of April.  I met with the ornamental border lead for an hour on 5/1, which counted as volunteer work.  I decided to work on an inventory of the plants in the border.  It was planted 10 years ago & may need some renovation.  Click here for earlier posts about plot B29B.  Below are photos of the ornamental border & p-patch.

Syringa meyeri 'Palibin' in the Ornamental Border in May 2013

Bradner Gardens P-Patch in May 2013

Friday, May 10, 2013

April in Seattle

Prunus serrulata (Flowering Cherry) on Beacon Hill April 2013

Rhododendron (Azalea) & Picea (Spruce) on Beacon Hill April 2013

Seed packets on the sidewalk in front of a shop in Chinatown April 2013

King Street Station in Pioneer Square has been renovated & restored for $56 million.  It was built in 1906 with the tower modeled on the campanile in piazza San Marco in Venice.  5 Amtrak trains depart daily for Portland, 2 for Vancouver BC & 1 for Spokane, carrying 672,000 passengers yearly. King Street Station is the 14th-busiest stop in the United States.

Magnolia in Seward Park.

Click here for more photos of April in Seattle.

April 2013 in Seattle was slightly warmer & much wetter than normal.  The mean temperature was 50.8F/10.4C.  The normal mean temperature is 50.3F/10.2C.  Total precipitation was 5.89 inches.  Normal precipitation is 2.71 inches.  The highest temperature was 71F/21.7C, the lowest 38F/3.3C.  There were 5 days with heavy rain, 10 days with rain, 20 days with light rain, 16 days with fog, 4 days with haze, 21 cloudy days, 6 partly cloudy days & 3 fair days.  Even with the abundance of rain, the month was mostly pleasant.  There were 12 days with very little, or no rain.  Temperatures were cool, but not cold.

I moved (temporarily) to a large apartment building on April 6.  Then I ceased to garden, except for an occasional visit to my tiny plot at Bradner Gardens Park.  At 7.6 acres, Othello Park is a fairly large, but not very interesting space across the street behind my building, almost entirely lawn with rather few trees.  It has recently been renovated with a small amphitheater & new asphalt paths.  I walk the dog there.

I get more pleasure looking out from the 7th-floor apartment at the topography of the southern end of the Rainier Valley.  A friend once called this the DEEP south, just 2 miles from the southern city limits.  To the west, there is a woodland along the east flank of Beacon Hill filled mostly with Acer macrophyllum (Bigleaf Maple) & to the east there is quite an assortment of trees in the upscale neighborhood on Graham Hill in Seward Park.  The land also rises to the north to form a low ridge that cuts across the valley at Hillman City.  Here the neighborhoods of Brighton & Dunlap sit in a sort of a bowl.

Friday, May 3, 2013

Why I Write

This blog has now entered its 6th year.  I started with Why I Write on April 26, 2008.  This is the 4th version.  During the first 3 years I wrote of what I knew about gardening & about my own garden, which was my greatest teacher.  But then I ran out of things to say.  I haven't written anything about the Cascadia Garden in the past 2 years.  That is just as well, because my garden, like all good things, came to an end when I left it behind in April 2013.  I had already moved on to the world beyond my garden.  In November 2012, I stopped taking pictures of my garden & began taking photos throughout the City of Seattle.  I call this the urban landscape.  

My posts are now about the urban landscape, parks, public gardens, natural areas & the plants found in them.  I photograph & write about half of them at least a year in advance.  The urban landscape pictures & monthly Seattle climate data are contemporary.  The past 12 months featured posts on Seattle parks I photographed in the spring of 2011, trees & shrubs I photographed in the Washington Park Arboretum in the fall of 2011, & public gardens I visited in Portugal & Galiza in March of 2012.

Most traffic to this blog comes from people who are searching the web for information they hope to find here.  There were about 16,000 visitors during the past year.  The average visit lasted 83 seconds.  84% of them were new visitors.  61% came from the US & Canada.  They seldom left comments.  Fellow garden bloggers: You & your comments are very welcome here.

Click here for past versions of Why I Write.

Friday, April 26, 2013

Xardín de San Carlos

Xardín de San Carlos March 2012

Real Academia Galega, Xardín de San Carlos March 2012

Tomb of Sir John Moore, Xardín de San Carlos March 2012 

Real Academia Galega, Xardín de San Carlos March 2012 

Sir John Moore, Xardín de San Carlos March 2012

The Xardín de San Carlos is located in the city of A Coruña, Galiza.  The garden rests atop massive stone walls built in the 14th century as part of the defensive fortification of the city.  There are excellent views of the Port of  A Coruña & the eastern coastline of the city.  The current form of the garden dates from 1834.  It is primarily a monument to the British Lieutenant-general Sir John Moore, a hero of the Battle of A Coruña, on January 16, 1809.  Moore was mortally wounded when struck by a cannon ball.  The French were unsuccessful in their attack on the retreating British army, which was evacuated by sea 2 days later.  The battle was part of the Peninsula War (1808-14) fought in the Iberian Peninsula by British, Portuguese & Spanish forces against the French, resulting in the defeat of the French under Napoleon.  The garden contains the tomb & a bust of Sir John Moore.  It is pleasantly shaded & a popular site for wedding photography.  The garden conveniently located in the old city near the Castelo de San Antón.

Friday, April 19, 2013

Beyond the Cascadia Garden

Lake Washington at dawn in January 2012 from the lower deck.

Mt Rainier at dawn in January 2010.  You can also see Mt Baker from the garden.  But it appears more rarely at twice the distance.  A two-mountain day is an unusual & exciting occasion.

The concrete rabbit in January 2012.  This was given to me by my old boyfriend Bob in 1995.  My mother called it Bobby Bunny & sometimes Robert Rabbit.  He's moving with me to the new garden.  Snow was uncommon in the garden, rarely more than an inch or two & not every winter.

Sailboats on Lake Washington, with the Cascade Mountains on the horizon, in March 2009 from the upper deck.  This is the view directly below the garden.  The Mt Baker Rowing & Sailing Center is located at Stan Sayres Park here on the lake shore.


The lower path through the stony slope in May 2010


Weigela florida 'Rubidor' in May 2010.  I once saw this advertised as a plant for people with no taste.

The upper path in May 2010 

Beach scene in August 2008.  I'm taking the rocks, driftwood, shells & starfish with me to recreate it in the new garden.

Dark clouds in October 2008

 
MiMi in November 2011. She went to live with my parents.

The house was sold on March 29, 2013.  I left the Cascadia Garden on April 5.  I wasn't very sorry to leave it when it was still cold & wet, with few flowers to make it brighter.  But I was sorry to miss the exuberant month of May. I worked on this garden for 20 years, starting with a box of bulbs in 1992.  This was my first garden, an experiment with some unsatisfactory results.  I did not have enough motivation to fix them all.  It was a gaudy place with foliage in shades of gold, yellow, gray & blue & packed with flowers of all colors. Some called it a cottage garden.  But I thought there were too many shrubs & trees for that.  Parts of it were more like nature, with many native plants.  A garden tourist called it an urban oasis.  Every Easter Sunday my friends & family hunted for eggs.  People toured the garden every year.  Birds & squirrels made nests in the trees.  The tits' nests hung like damp, green socks.  Hummingbirds fed in the flowers.  Raccoons passed through on nocturnal missions.  Cats napped under the bushes. Countless invertebrates lived out their lives.  I never ceased to find new species of insects.  I feel wistful for this garden I didn't really want to keep.

Friday, April 12, 2013

March in Seattle

Narcissus on Beacon Hill in March 2013

Food truck at El Centro de la Raza on Beacon Hill in March 2013

 Madison Park in March 2013

Prunus serrulata (flowering cherry) in Mt Baker in March 2013

Rainier Valley in March 2013

Click here for more pictures of March in Seattle.

March 2013 was warmer & drier than normal.  The mean temperature was 47.9F/8.8C.  The normal mean temperature is 46.5F/8C.  The lowest temperature was 32F/0C, the highest 69F/20.6C.  Total precipitation was 2.74 inches.  Normal precipitation is 3.72 inches.  There were 5 days with rain, 19 days with light rain, 1 day with sleet, 16 days with fog (3 of them at a visibility of less than 1/4 mile), 2 days with haze, 17 cloudy days, 11 partly cloudy days & 3 fair days. 

March felt chilly & the skies were mostly dark with clouds. Light rain fell from time to time.  Arctostaphylos columbiana (hairy manzanita) Clematis armandii (evergreen clematis) major Narcissus (daffodil) Prunus serrulata (flowering cherry) Pulmonaria (lungwort) & Ribes sanguineum (flowering currant) began to bloom.  Around the middle of the month, leaves began to appear on Pyrus calleryana (Callery pear), Salix babylonica (weeping willow) & Syringa vulgaris (common lilac).  Buds swelled on many other shrubs & trees.  The last day of winter came on March 19.  The winter chill had diminished a week before. The last 3 days of the month were much warmer & sunny. Temperatures reached 65F/18.3C on 3/29, 68F/20C on 3/30 & 69F/20.6C on 3/31.

Because it appeared the house would sell, I did not work in the garden, except to remove some native plants for the new garden.  I stored those in the garden at Rusty's house on Beacon Hill, along with rocks, pots & tools.  The sale of the house in Mt Baker closed on March 29.  Meanwhile, the foundation was poured for the new house at Rainier Vista in the Rainier Valley, slightly less than a mile away. 

Friday, April 5, 2013

Fountains of Western Iberia

 Lisbon, Portugal March 2012

Pontevedra, Galiza March 2012

Vigo, Galiza March 2012

Vigo, Galiza March 2012

A Coruña, Galiza March 2012

Friday, March 29, 2013

Bradner Gardens P-Patch plot B29B

Plot B29B March 2013

Luzula sylvatica 'Aurea' in Plot B29B March 2013 

Ribes sanguineum in the ornamental border at Bradner Gardens Park March 2013

This friendly cat lives across the street from the park.  She ran up to me, as she had before.

The meeting room at Bradner Gardens Park March 2013

Click here for more pictures of Bradner Gardens Park.
Click here for the Bradner Blog.

I attended a meeting at Bradner Gardens Park on March 9, 2013.  I was given a tour of the facilities beforehand.  About 30 people came to the meeting.  The room was nice, but chilly with the huge sliding door open.  I heard a number of speakers who were in charge of this or that.  There was a lot of emphasis on completing & recording volunteer hours.  In addition to the fee, everyone is required to do 8 hours of work, outside their own plot, during the season.  I signed up to work in the ornamental border.  I was there 2 hours, which did not count as volunteer work, unfortunately.  
   
I planted the first vegetable seeds in plot B29B on March 26, 2013.  Those were Beta vulgaris ‘Perpetual’ (Swiss Chard) Brassica oleracea ‘Danish Ballhead’ (Cabbage) Brassica oleracea ‘Gai Lan’ (Chinese Broccoli) Brassica oleracea ‘Yu Choi’ (Chinese Greens) Brassica oleracea ‘Vates’ (Collards) Daucus carota ‘Merida’ (Carrot) Daucus carotaPurple Sun (Carrot) & Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus ‘Minowase’ (Daikon).  In southeast Seattle, Asian vegetables are common.

I was very happy to get half of a plot in November 2012 after waiting for only 3 months.  It is located on Mt Baker Ridge, 1.6 miles from my former home in the Mt Baker neighborhood & 1.8 miles from my future home at Rainier Vista in the Rainier Valley, but 4.1 miles from my temporary home at The Station at Othello Park. I moved a number of perennials to plot B29B & planted a shipment of bulbs on November 15, 2012.

Bradner Gardens Park has perhaps the nicest p-patch in Seattle.  There is an excellent view of Downtown Seattle.  The tool shed is spacious & filled with tools.  In the same structure, there is also a restroom with tile-mosaic walls, a kitchen & a meeting room with a fireplace.  The 1.6 acre park contains a pavilion, a native plant garden with a bioswale & seasonal pond, an ornamental border & a basketball court.  From September of 1970 to June of 1971, I was in the 6th grade at John Muir Elementary School Annex on the property that became Bradner Gardens Park.  The baby boom caused my to become so crowded that the 5th & 6th grades were temporarily relocated there in portable classrooms.  

Below is the plant list for plot B29B.  I drew a plan for a formal, nearly symmetrical perennial & vegetable garden.  The plot is said to be 100 square feet, but is really about 60 square feet, not that I'm complaining. 

Plant List
Agapanthus campanulatus: 6
Ajuga reptans ‘Black Scallop’ (Carpet Bugle): 4
Allium cristophii (Star of Persia): 10 bulbs
Allium karataviense: 10 bulbs
Allium unifolium: 50 bulbs
Beta vulgaris ‘Perpetual’ (Swiss Chard): seed
Brassica oleracea ‘Gai Lan’ (Chinese Broccoli): seed
Brassica oleracea ‘Danish Ballhead (Cabbage): 4 from seed
Brassica oleracea ‘Yu Choi’ (Chinese Greens): seed
Brassica oleracea ‘Vates’ (Collards): 4 from seed
Campanula medium (Canterbury Bells): 4
Campanula portenschlagiana (Dalmation Bellflower): 4
Clematis integrifolia: 4
Cucurbita pepo ‘Sunburst': 2 from seed
Daucus carota ‘Merida (Carrot): seed

Daucus carota 'Purple Sun' (Carrot): seed
Fragaria vesca (Woodland Strawberry): 12
Geranium sanguineum (Bloody Cranesbill): 4
Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ (Japanese Forest Grass): 4
Hemerocallis ‘Bela Lugosi’ (Daylily): 1
Hemerocallis 'Root Beer' (Daylily): 1
Hyacinthus ‘Peter Stuyvesant’ (Hyacinth): 8
Iris hartwegii: 4
Lamium maculatum ‘Beacon Silver’: 4
Lilium auratum (Gold Band Lily): 5
Luzula sylvatica ‘Aurea’: 2
Nectaroscordum siculum: 10
Paeonia veitchii: 1
Penstemon x mexicali: 8
Phaseolus vulgaris ‘Serengeti’ (Bush Bean): seed
Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus ‘Minowase’ (Daikon): seed
Scilla peruviana: 5

Friday, March 22, 2013

Jardim Botânico da Ajuda

Jardim Botânico da Ajuda 2012 março

Jardim Botânico da Ajuda 2012 março

Jardim Botânico da Ajuda 2012 março

Jardim Botânico da Ajuda 2012 março

Jardim Botânico da Ajuda 2012 março

Clique aqui para ver mais fotos da Jardim Botânico da Ajuda.

A partir do site do Jardim Botânico da Ajuda

Após o terramoto de 1 de Novembro de 1755, o Marquês de Pombal mandara construir na Ajuda, nessa época subúrbio da capital, um edifício de madeira, abrigo e residência provisória da família real, que ficou conhecido pelo nome de «Paço Velho», e que, no reinado de D. Maria I, desapareceu devido a um incêndio. Para implantação do Real Jardim Botânico, no sítio de Nossa Senhora da Ajuda, D. José I comprou ao conde da Ponte a quinta que este possuía junto ao Paço da Ajuda. Inicialmente esta quinta destinou-se à cultura de frutas e hortaliças necessárias ao palácio real.

Por influência de Miguel Franzini, professor dos príncipes D. José e D. João, netos do rei e filhos da que viria posteriormente a subir ao trono com o nome de D. Maria I, foi projectado o 15.º Jardim Botânico da Europa.

Em 1765, por ordem de D. José, foi encarregado de delinear e dirigir as obras do Real Jardim Botânico da Ajuda o Dr. Domingos Vandelli e de as inspeccionar o ministro da Marinha, Francisco Xavier de Carvalho, irmão do 1.º Marquês de Pombal. Destinava-se o jardim, tal como o Museu de História Natural e o Gabinete de Física, instalados num edifício próximo, à educação dos príncipes, em particular a D. José, então com 15 anos e destinado a suceder a sua mãe, caso não tivesse falecido.

Na Europa, tal como anteriormente se mencionou, já desde 1543 se vinham a construir jardins botânicos destinados a instruir todos os que quisessem estudar os enigmas do mundo vegetal, podendo citar-se, nomeadamente, os de Pisa, Pádua, Bolonha, Montpellier, Estrasburgo, Paris e Madrid.

Vandelli, em 1791, após ter sido jubilado da Universidade de Coimbra, foi nomeado director do inicialmente denominado «Real Jardim Botânico da Ajuda, Laboratório Químico, Museu de História Natural e Casa do Risco». Mandou vir plantas vivas e sementes dos jardins botânicos de todo o mundo, chegando a coleccionar mais de 5000 espécies. No entanto, em finais do século XVIII, apenas existiam 1200 espécies em cultura: a administração do mestre jardineiro Júlio Mattiazi, que Vandelli mandara vir de Pádua, tinha privilegiado as obras e descurado a conservação dos espécimes. Vandelli seguia o sistema natural de Lineu da edição de Murray para classificar as plantas; no início da sua actividade como director do jardim foi-lhe muito dedicado, no entanto, no final deixou-o decair.
 

Por morte de Francisco Xavier de Carvalho, foi o inspector-geral do jardim, Martinho de Mello, que mandou construir duas estufas destinadas a plantas exóticas, promoveu a cultura de plantas úteis, mandou vir do Brasil, Angola e Cabo Verde muitas plantas e remeteu para o Jardim Botânico da Universidade de Coimbra muitas sementes. Foi neste período, e por ordem do rei D. João VI, que o jardim e o museu foram abertos ao público. Todas as quintas feiras, desde que não coincidisse com dias santos, podiam ser visitados. A este inspector sucedeu o marquês de Ponte de Lima. Durante o período da responsabilidade deste último, o número de espécies existentes aumentou devido ao incremento das ofertas pelos governadores das colónias.

O segundo director, Félix de Avellar Brotero, também após ter sido jubilado da Universidade de Coimbra, fez reviver o jardim. Na opinião deste ilustre botânico, iniciador dos estudos de botânica taxonómica, que em 1811 foi empossado como administrador e director, a instituição que lhe tinha sido confiada, apesar de nela se encontrarem muitas plantas raras e úteis em medicina, agricultura e arte, tinha sido estabelecida sem rigor científico. O País tinha sofrido as invasões francesas e as verbas para a manutenção e progresso do jardim tinham sido retiradas. Brotero, que permaneceu até 1828 como director do Jardim Botânico da Ajuda, com os recursos que possuía introduziu os melhoramentos que pôde, inclusive uma fonte no bosque, muita apreciada pelo próprio rei D. João VI, o qual, num passeio ao jardim, após ter regressado ao Reino, recomendou a Brotero que a conservasse, por ter achado a água muito fresca.

Durante o período da administração do Brotero foram cultivadas muitas plantas, no entanto, na opinião do Dr. José Sanctos do Valle (terceiro director), nunca por ordem sistemática. O catálogo das plantas em cultura da autoria de Brotero regista 1370 espécies.

Após a morte de Brotero, o Jardim da Ajuda passou por uma fase de decadência; o longo período da usurpação e a substituição do seu director levaram quase à sua total ruína.

Em 23 de Maio de 1834 foi nomeado director, por decreto de D. Pedro IV, o Dr. José de Sá Ferreira e Sanctos do Valle, lente da Faculdade de Filosofia da Universidade de Coimbra, cargo que desempenhou apenas durante dois anos. Posteriormente, o Real Museu e Jardim Botânico da Ajuda, por decreto de 27 de Agosto de 1836, foi confiado à administração da Academia das Ciências.

Quando, em Janeiro de 1837, a Escola Politécnica foi instituída, foi reconhecido ser indispensável a existência de um jardim botânico, o que não podia ser improvisado de um momento para o outro, pelo que, em Outubro de 1838, Xavier de Almeida, professor da 8ª cadeira (Anatomia e Fisiologia Comparadas e Zoologia) do curso de Introdução à História Natural dos Três Reinos, foi encarregado provisoriamente do ensino da Botânica e da administração do Real Museu e Jardim Botânico da Ajuda. A partir de Novembro de 1838 os dois estabelecimentos passaram a ficar incorporados na Escola Politécnica.

Em Junho de 1839, o ministro dos Negócios do Reino concordou com a incorporação do Jardim Botânico na Escola Politécnica, mas não com a entrega do Museu de História Natural. No mês seguinte a direcção científica do Jardim Botânico era confiada ao lente da 9ª cadeira (Botânica e Princípios de Agricultura), no entanto, no primeiro concurso destinado à escolha de professor para a referida cadeira decidira-se a exclusão do único candidato, o Dr. José Maria Grande, pelo que o Prof. Xavier de Almeida desempenhou na interinidade as funções de director. Após uma segunda votação ordenada pela rainha, D. Maria II, o Dr. José Maria Grande foi aprovado lente da 9ª cadeira e, consequentemente, director efectivo do Jardim Botânico a partir de Julho de 1840.

O célebre botânico austríaco Friedrich Welwitsch encontrava-se em Portugal desde Julho de 1839, a fim de efectuar uma viagem de estudo aos Açores, Canárias e Cabo Verde subsidiada pela “Unio Itineraria”, associação com sede em Essligen, cujo objectivo era proporcionar a realização de expedições científicas. No entanto, devido às tempestades, as viagens entre Lisboa e as ilhas tornaram-se irregulares, o que teve como consequência Welwitsch não ter prosseguido além de Lisboa e ter apresentado uma pretensão na Secretaria de Estado dos Negócios da Guerra para ser nomeado preparador de Botânica na Escola Politécnica. Não estando previsto o cargo de preparador ou demonstrador para a 9ª cadeira, e após o falecimento do mestre do Jardim da Ajuda, foi decidido pelo conselho escolar que se contratasse o Dr. Friedrich Welwitsch como conservador dos estabelecimentos botânicos da escola. Em Dezembro de 1840, o próprio primeiro-ministro, o duque de Palmela, confiou-lhe o lugar de director do Jardim Botânico. Durante a curta permanência do distinto naturalista, muitas espécies novas, muitas delas exóticas, foram enriquecendo o jardim. No final de 1844 Welwitsch já exercia as funções de orientador do Jardim do Lumiar, anteriormente adquirido pelo duque de Palmela, bem como a superintendência de outros jardins que o duque possuía dispersos por diversos pontos do País.

Em 1848, o Prof. Dr. J.M. Grande procurou melhorar as colecções de vegetais em cultura e, tendo entregue o ensino durante alguns dias ao seu substituto, o Prof. Andrade Corvo, concluiu as determinações das plantas ainda não identificadas.

Também o Prof. e Conselheiro João de Andrade Corvo e o Prof. Conde de Ficalho se esforçaram por fazer melhorar o jardim, tentando a sua utilização para o ensino e o seu embelezamento.

Quando, em 1868, Glasnevin, director da Real Associação Botânica de Dublin, visitou Portugal, descreveu do seguinte modo a sua opinião sobre o Jardim Botânico da Ajuda: “Em parte do jardim estão as plantas classificadas segundo o sistema de Lineu, mas em outra parte tivemos o prazer de ver escrita a indicação de que na disposição das plantas se seguiam ali as Ordines Naturales Systematis Lindley.
 

Na era presente interessa examinar aquele antigo jardim, que fornece um dos melhores exemplos que podem encontrar-se do que foram os jardins botânicos no século XVI e parte do XVII. As suas estufas, que são bem poucas, têm igualmente uma construção antiquada, estando bastante vazias no tempo em que as visitámos. As melhores plantas eram as que vimos plantadas em pleno ar, e entre elas notámos com especialidade a Araucaria excelsa, Ficus elastica, Lagerstroemia indica, Pittosporum tobira e Pittosporum undulatum, medindo de altura uns 20 pés e perfeitamente cobertos de semente.

Em 1874 o jardim foi entregue à administração da casa real, tendo decaído progressivamente. No tempo de D. Luís foi mandada edificar a estufa das orquídeas, sob a direcção de D. Luís de Mello Breyner, director da Real Associação Central da Agricultura Portuguesa. A partir daí sucederam-se várias direcções, até que foi entregue ao Instituto Superior de Agronomia, em 1918. Neste ano o Prof. Rasteiro fez a reconstituição do tabuleiro inferior, dando-lhe o mesmo aspecto que já se observava na planta de 1869.

Em 1934, sob a direcção do Prof. André Navarro, ocorreram benefícios importantes e foi também nesta data que o Prof. Caldeira Cabral estabeleceu o traçado dos canteiros do tabuleiro superior, que se tinha perdido completamente.

Em 1975 e 1976, uma comissão de gestão dirigiu o jardim. Desta comissão fazia parte um elemento do Gabinete de Botânica, outro da Secção de Arquitectura Paisagista e outro da Secção de Construções Rurais. Durante este período actualizou-se a identificação de mais de 100 espécies de plantas ornamentais cultivadas no jardim e este serviu de apoio ao ensino e investigação em floricultura.

Friday, March 15, 2013

Seike Japanese Garden

Seike Japanese Garden March 2011

Seike Japanese Garden March 2011

Seike Japanese Garden March 2011

Seike Japanese Garden March 2011

Seike Japanese Garden March 2011

The Seike Japanese Garden can be found at the Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden in the City of SeaTac, south of Seattle in King County.  The garden was relocated to the Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden from the former site of the Des Moines Way Nursery in the City of SeaTac & opened in June 2006. The garden would have been abandoned due to the expansion of SeaTac Airport. The project is believed to be the largest relocation of a Japanese Garden ever attempted in the United States. The Seike family built the garden as a memorial to Toll Seike who was killed in action during WWII in France.  Construction was spurred by Seattle's 1962 World's Fair. The family hired Shintaro Okada, a garden designer from Hiroshima, to assist with planning & construction. Mr. Okada arrived in December of 1960 & construction started in January of 1961. The $350,000 relocation effort focused on recreating the stonework, pond & built elements such as bridges and lanterns, saving only the most significant plants.  The ultimate goal remained a faithful recreation of designer Shintaro Okada's intent & the preservation of a significant local horticultural, cultural & historical amenity.  This is a pleasant, small-scale Japanese garden.