Garden Travel Food and Wine

Iconic Ira Keller Fountain: Portland

In the book, 1001 Gardens You Must See Before You Die …there’s an entry I wrote for an iconic 20th Century Modern public space in Portland, Oregon: Ira Keller Fountain Park.

Ira’s Fountain: Dedicated by the City of Portland to Ira C. Keller

“Strength and Beauty Come From Us – Not From Tyranny”

You’ll want to download a self-guided Walking Tour Map to experience the downtown’s trove of fountains.

Landscape Design on Amazon.com

Designed by Angela Danadjieva, associate of renowned American landscape architect, Lawrence Halprin, the interactive water feature achieved the goal of providing access to water so that people might revel in its sensory pleasures. The city of Portland acknowledges how fountains can enliven a neighborhood, and to that end, offers such pleasurable spots for families and friends to gather.

In this city that celebrates fountains, the Ira Keller fountain reprises in all its contemporary angularity the wondrous power of the natural world, encountered an hour or so outside the urban environment.

Mt. Hood (Photo: Alice Joyce)

As in the crags and commanding waterfalls of Oregon’s Cascade Mountains, the lure of rushing water produces a compelling, profound effect on our sensibilities. Explore Portland and you won’t be disappointed. The city itself is a vibrant hub for adventures of all kinds, from wine and foodie fun to street festivals, markets, and proximity to rejuvenating outdoor activities.

Multnomah Falls (Photo: Alice Joyce)

Eco-friendly in every way, the city boasts convenient public transportation, a haven for cycling, and a wealth of green spaces – scroll the link — And stay tuned for additional features on the parks, gardens and scenic wonders of Portland and environs.

Columbia River Gorge (Photo: Alice Joyce)

Portland Interlude: Cistus Nursery

Cistus Nursery – Sauvie Island

Photo: Alice Joyce

Plant shopping while in Portland?

You’ll want to plan a stopover at one of the Portland area’s most enticing plant emporiums:

Cistus Nursery, operated by plantsman extraordinaire, Sean Hogan;

author of Trees For All Seasons … & … Flora: The Gardener’s Bible.

Zonal Denial: Cistus (Photo: Alice Joyce)

I reconnected with Sean during a trip to Portland, and reveled in the opportunity to revisit his Portland home. Its well-known, head-turning parkway and lush front yard plantings were featured in my book, Gardenwalks in the Pacific Northwest. Sean’s private garden in the rear of the house is an intimate, visually exciting space teeming with rare plants.

After catching up on the changes since my last visit, we made our way 20 minutes north of Portland to Cistus on Sauvie Island, a bucolic landscape of you-pick organic farms to delight foodies, beach camping, and a marina situated along the Multnomah Channel.

Fuchsia boliviana 'Alba' (Photo: Alice Joyce)

The Cistus nursery set-up is instructive and informative, with signage that helps to explain plant groupings and cultural needs. If you’ve a passion for plants, Cistus might prove irresistible, with arrays of exceptional species and cultivated varieties.

Cistus on Sauvie Island (Photo: Alice Joyce)

Stroll through the nursery’s borders and you’ll discover a wealth of specimens with uncommon foliage and flowers; rare trees that demand pride of place as focal points; shrubs and succulents for varied habitats and garden conditions.

Albizia j. 'Summer Chocolate' (Photo: Alice Joyce)

Click here for a link to the web site’s photo gallery of available plants.

Fargugium 'Kaimon Dake' (Photo: Alice Joyce)

Drought tolerant plants are becoming ever more popular, as the issue of global warming comes to the fore, and concern for water usage increases.

Green Roofs Thrive in Eco-Friendly Portland

Portland, Oregon

Multnomah County Bldg Green Roof Photo © Alice Joyce

Portland, Oregon is on top of the Green Scene. Visitors to ‘PDX’ (that’s how most Portlanders refer to their city) discover wildflowers and organic veggies cultivated on the Multnomah County Building: Covering 12,000 square feet, this landmark demonstration eco-roof features amenities such as a stone terrace and educational signage, while the produce grown here is donated.

Enjoy your own up-close look at the Multnomah Building’s eco-roof at 501 S.E. Hawthorne Boulevard in Portland: Open to the public during regular business hours – take the elevator to the 5th floor. For an overview of the project, link to Carlton Hart Architecture.

Portland’s Central Library, the Multnomah County Library Eco-Roof is located downtown at 801 S.W. 10th Avenue. A high point of my Portland foray was touring the garden with John Cabrera, Facilities Supervisor.

Completed in September, 2008, the structure utilizes 24″ x 24″ pallets, which added to the ease of installation. The 4″ deep soil blends organic and inorganic materials, mixed with Zebra, a water-retentive product made from natural cornstarch.

: Portland Library Roof Detail

The benefits of the roof are numerous. Plantings help to capture the majority of stormwater runoff, cut down on the cost of electricity for heating and cooling, and absorb UV rays.

The roof features some 17,000 plants; drought-tolerant sedums and grasses that create a wildlife habitat, and reduce air pollution. An eco-roof is believed to filter the air, actually removing airborne particles, as it absorbs carbon dioxide. The roof’s aesthetic allure comprises a rich textural carpet knit of an abstract pattern that changes with the seasons. The summer scene pictured features peachy pink tones melded with brick red & mahogany hues alongside pale blue-grey & shades of green, with yellow blooms and feathery inflorescences!

: Central Library Eco-Roof (Alice Joyce)

Click for information on touring: Portland’s Central Library Eco-Roof

Portlanders know how to enjoy life!

PDX is not only a most hospitable city, it’s a haven for foodies, wine lovers, and beer connoisseurs. Open 7 nights a week, Noble Rot is a popular wine bar with its own rooftop Culinary garden. The restaurant on East Burnside occupies the 4th floor of an LEED platinum building with an underground aquifer for pure water; the eco-roof factors into the rating.

The 3000-square-foot kitchen garden is presided over by Chef Leather Storrs. The Chef allowed me to nibble my way through the aisles, and explore the various planting methods, including 50 shallow kiddie pools, with 3 inches of soil and a layer of perlite on the bottom. Chef Leather grows peppers, horseradish, various basils, as well as lettuces, herbs & flowers for his ‘roof greens salad.’ I sampled strawberries, sweet tender cucumbers, a lemony form of cilantro, nasturtium bloom, and the delectable Tromboncino squash.

: Noble Rot roof garden (Alice Joyce photo)

It’s a chemical free garden, with a system for composting, and raised planters. Patrons enjoy a great view of the downtown skyline from Noble Rot’s outdoor terrace, situated below the corner of the garden where the eco-roof is planted with herbs and Mediterranean low-water species.

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Iconic Ira Keller Fountain: Portland

Portland Interlude: Cistus Nursery

Green Roofs Thrive in Eco-Friendly Portland

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