2C
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015
Rediscovering a garden
in the
garden
Q&A
with
Beverly Arnoldy
and Betsy Millard
Q: What is the aim or purpose of the Discovery Gar-
den? When was it started?
A: The Discovery Garden was started during the Lewis
& Clark Bicentennial and was conceived as a place to high-
light the native plants that the Corps of Discovery encoun-
tered during their time here. The garden is just behind the
Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum and marks the original
shoreline where William Clark walked. A couple of years
ago the Washington State Master Gardeners approached
us about taking on the garden as it had gotten quite over-
grown. Since 2013 they have been its steward and it is
looking great!
Photos by Katheryn Houghton/EO Media Group
Master Gardener Beverly Arnoldy explains the bog’s habitat with curious gardeners in a workshop in October.
“There’s been a real effort here to bring back native plants, and as always, remove the weeds. Always with the re-
moving of weeds.”
Q: How many of the master gardeners maintain the
garden?
A: The Master Gardeners in Pacific County are part of the
Master Gardener Foundation of Grays Harbor and Pacific
counties (pnwmg.org). Twelve have contributed volunteer
hours working in the Discovery Garden since the Master
Gardeners took over the maintenance of the garden in
February 2013.
Q: Tell us about the plant varieties in the garden.
A: Almost all of the plants in the garden are native to the
local area. Many of the garden’s native trees and shrubs were
planted as part of the 2005 Lewis & Clark Bicentennial celebra-
tion. Since the Master Gardeners took over the maintenance
of the garden in 2013, we have planted more native shrubs
and many native perennial wildflowers and grasses. The vol-
unteers have planted western yarrow, pearly everlasting, sea
thrift, nootka reed grass, seacoast angelica, ocean spray, red
flowering current, and serviceberry, to name a few.
Q: What is the yearly rhythm of the Discovery Gar-
den? Planting? Pruning? Harvest?
A: That is a very interesting question that you ask. When
we first took over the maintenance of the Museum Discov-
ery Garden in early 2013, it was vastly overgrown. The trees
and shrubs had not been pruned for several years. The gar-
den was overgrown with weeds — especially with horse-
tail, morning glory, shiny geranium, creeping buttercup,
and other non-native invasive plants. Our first workshop
at the museum in February 2013 was on proper pruning
techniques. We used the trees and shrubs to demonstrate
to the workshop attendees and to let them practice prun-
ing on them. Because the weeds were so thick in the open
areas of the garden, we spent several work parties in 2013
and 2014 laying down cardboard and then a thick layer of
wood chips to suppress the weeds.
Beginning in 2015, our group can honestly say that we
are establishing a yearly rhythm. We hold four workshops
a year at the museum — one for each season. Since the
Master Gardeners have taken over the maintenance of
the museum garden, we have completed several projects:
installation of a rain water collection system significantly
cutting down the cost of the museum’s monthly water bill;
installation of three self-watering plant containers display-
ing small shrubs and herbaceous perennials; replacing a
?
9-1-WHAT?
Sharon Kulish-Bayles likes working in gardens because
it’s a continuous lesson. “You have to learn with every
changing element and season, you have to adapt as
surroundings naturally change.”
non-functioning circulating pond with a bog garden; and
removing an aging foot bridge, replacing it with concrete,
drain rocks and small gravel, and making it as part of the
existing walkway.
We are in the process of providing native plant signs for
many of the native plants in the garden as well as adding a
sign at both entrances of the garden announcing the Mas-
ter Gardener’s designation as the county’s demonstration
garden.
Q: How does one become a WSU master gardener?
A: Individuals become Master Gardeners for two basic
reasons, a lifelong desire to learn about gardening and a
willingness to share what you learn with others.
The WSU Master Gardeners Foundation of Grays Har-
bor and Pacific counties is gearing up for the 2016 Master
Gardener training for residents of Grays Harbor and Pacific
counties. Our training is guided by Washington State Uni-
versity Extension program.
Training orientation will take place in January 2016.
Coursework will begin on Saturday, Feb. 6 and continue
every other Saturday through June 18. The training will
actively engage in WSU Master Gardener research-based
methodology using computer-based learning modules
and laboratory instruction led by our own WSU Master
Gardener members. Mentors will be available throughout
the training.
Kelly Rupp adds soil that will be sustainable to the bog’s
unique climate, which changes from Mediterranean in
the fall to dry in the summer.
Q: Is there a gardening book or books that your mas-
ter gardeners group recommends to others?
A: While WSU Master Gardeners are not in the business
of recommending any particular book or website, here are
some of the books and websites that I use when research-
ing a topic or answering a question.
• “Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast, Washington,
Oregon, British Columbia & Alaska,” by Jim Pojar and Andy
MacKinnon.
• “Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest,”
by Arthur Kruckeberg.
• “The New Sunset Western Gardening Book,” Kathleen
Brenzel (editor).
• WSU Gardening in Washington State, http://gardening.
wsu.edu/ — a compilation of fact sheets associated with
home gardening and landscaping.
• WSU Hortsense, http://hortsense.cahnrs.wsu.edu/
Home/HortsenseHome.aspx, — a compilation of fact
sheets for managing common landscape and garden plant
problems using integrated pest management.
• WSU Pestsense, http://pestsense.cahnrs.wsu.edu/
Home/PestsenseHome.aspx — a compilation of fact sheets
that provide information on how to manage common in-
door pest problems.
Beverly Arnoldy is a master gardener active with the Wash-
ington State University Master Gardeners. Betsy Millard is the
e[ecXtive director at the &olXmEia 3aci¿c Heritage MXseXm in
Ilwaco, Washington.
Just saying
W
e realize that the marijuana has only been legal for a month in Ore-
gon, but we are seeing some weirdness on the emergency dispatch
logs.
There is no evidence of a cause-and-effect relationship and what not, but,
sometimes, pot plus crazy equals paranoia.
Follow reporter Kyle Spurr on his 9-1-What? Twitter watch, where a few
of the sometimes head-scratching calls to area dispatch take center stage. The
full feed is at www.twitter.com/9_1_WHAT.
THE BEST OF THE WORST CALLS TO ASTORIA 911 DISPATCH
3 W AY S TO GE T
Y O U R CO PY
TOD AY !
OR DER ON LIN E
w w w .DiscoverO urCoast.com /order
S TOP BY ON E OF OU R 3 LOCATION S
A storia • 949 Exchange St.
Seaside • 1555 N . Roosevelt Dr.
Long Beach • 205 Bolstad A ve. E. #2
o r CALL HOLLY LAR K IN S
at 503-325-3211, x227
Em ail: hlarkins@ dailyastorian.com