Since the shovels first hit the ground to build it, Portland Japanese Garden has been a site of continual change. While the most significant alterations to the landscape were made throughout the 1960s and again in 2017 with the addition of the Cultural Village, there hasn’t been one moment throughout the organization’s existence that there hasn’t been some kind of work being done. It’s all part of Portland Japanese Garden’s commitment to kaizen, or continuous improvement. As we enter into the heart of spring and all the beauty that it promises, we wanted to share some updates we’ve made to our grounds.
Bonsai Return!
One of the most beloved features of Portland Japanese Garden are the bonsai that are displayed in the Ellie M. Hill Bonsai and Jubitz Oregon Terraces. Tucked away every winter to help ensure their wellbeing, the bonsai’s return truly marks the beginning of spring at the Garden. Between both terraces, we’ll be featuring approximately 20 trees and 12 accent plants. Some will be rotated out in the coming months to reflect the upcoming summer and autumn seasons. Make sure you keep an eye out for summer—we anticipate showing two Pacific Bonsai Expo award-winning trees! As always, our incredible bonsai docents who volunteer their time to the organization will be on hand to answer any questions you might have.
Are you particularly excited to see some bonsai? Make sure you come by the Garden on April 26 and 27 to see our Bonsai Society of Portland Exhibition. This show will include dozens of bonsai from the Society members’ private collections, including several world-class examples of this ancient Japanese art form.
Chisangaki Fences
If you’ve strolled through the Crumpacker Family Bamboo Allee to reach our historic garden spaces in the last few weeks, you may have noticed two short and bright green fences running parallel to each other ahead of the Nezu Gate. They are made of bamboo and are rendered in the chisangaki style. Believed to have originated at Chishakuin, a Buddhist temple in Kyoto, they feature kumiko, or diagonally placed frets of bamboo. The kumiko wind up creating a pattern of hishi (diamonds) in the negative space.
Bamboo fence connoisseurs may note that these fences appear very similar to the Ryōanji-gaki style, named for their origin at Ryōanji, another Buddhist temple in Kyoto. Chisangaki fences are a touch shorter.
Podocarpus Hedges
More recently, we have refreshed the hedges that line the pathway between the Tea and Strolling Pond Gardens. In 2024, the Garden Department installed new hinoki hedges, replacing hemlock that had experienced root and fungal issues. Over the course of the year, it was determined that the hinoki was not thriving and needed to be replaced. Enter Podocarpus macrophyllus, commonly known as Buddhist pine.
A plant often used in Japanese gardens, podocarpus, or inumaki in Japan, is a robust plant that enjoys well-drained soil and partial shade. The hedges near the Tea House used to be planted in what was, essentially, a very long concrete planter. In the interest of providing a better environment for the roots of the podocarpus, our gardeners hammered out the bottom of the planter. They then placed each plant with enough distance in between to help prevent stress on their roots.
Strolling Pond Garden Maintenance
Finally, guests may have seen a fair amount of activity taking place in our Strolling Pond Garden near the Heavenly Falls. Perhaps most noticeable has been a dark purple hue to the pond water. This is because the water is being treated to help stave off infection in our koi. Curious about how we care for these beloved creatures? Make sure you attend our koi cultural talk on April 30. Experts Linda Montgomery and Danielle Cheney will discuss how the Garden’s fish are cared for, in addition to more information about their cultural significance.
Related: Learn more about koi, the “living jewels” of Portland Japanese Garden
Simultaneously, the gardeners have also been working to improve the flow of water in this area. The first is working to repair a leak in the streambed ahead of a small waterfall that gently cascades into the pond underneath the Zig-Zag Bridge. They’ve also installed new wattles to prevent erosion. This is not the only site at Portland Japanese Garden to use this bamboo feature. You can see older versions in the Entry Garden. It took over 200 hours to weave these wattles before they were placed there as part of our 2017 expansion!