of telling the story of a public park . The intent of author Nina Shoroplova in writing the book was to allow herself the “ purposeful wandering ” of the subtitle . She skillfully brings the reader along on this journey , using individual trees as markers and focal points in telling the natural and human history of this 1000-acre peninsula of green space and the adjacent , densely populated city .
This makes for an engaging book to read , but a hard one to describe . While the book is helpful if you are planning to explore the park , I recommend it more for reading as a narrative . I gained much understanding and appreciation for the histories of the indigenous peoples and the many immigrant nationalities that make up the city of today , as well as the importance of trees in all cultures .
Shoroplova gives much of the credit for the early history she recounts to Major James Skitt Matthews ( 1878 – 1970 ), who established the city archives and , like herself , was from Wales . She describes him as an “ irascible Welshman who insisted on single-handedly seeking out and detailing the early stories of Vancouver .”
For more recent history , the author consulted with living experts , including interviewing Alleyne Cook shortly before he died in his nineties . Cook designed and established the very popular Ted and Mary Grieg Rhododendron Garden , a 22-year project completed in the 1980s . Shoroplova skillfully weaves the story of bringing rhododendrons from the Grieg ’ s remote specialty nursery on Vancouver Island and incorporating them , along with complimentary flowering trees , into the existing landscape .
Clematis Brewster Rogerson ( 1921 – 2015 ) spent most of his academic career teaching English at Kansas State University . The purchase of four clematis plants began the focus of the latter part of his life , leading after retirement to his move to Oregon for a climate more conducive to his favorite genus .
His efforts to develop a comprehensive collection are recounted in “ A Passion for Clematis ,” by the Friends of the Rogerson Clematis Collection . Now grown at the Luscher Farm , owned by the City of Lake Oswego , Oregon , this assemblage is one of the newer horticultural treasures to visit in the Pacific Northwest .
The garden is divided into many sections , all highlighted in this short book . These include heirlooms more than hundred years old , species and cultivars from different regions of the world , and Rogerson ’ s favorite selections . If one is overwhelmed by these choices , a beginner ’ s garden demonstrates several easy , widely available selections .
Rogerson ’ s comments in a letter to another avid collector will resonate with many gardeners : “ Being no botanist by training , and only a rather clumsy gardener , I find I need to pick up everything I can from every clematis grower , big or little , I can find , and so far I ’ ve done pretty well .”
Conifers John Albers has highlighted his garden of 20 years in Bremerton and his passion for sustainable gardening practices in two previous books . Now , he turns his attention to a favorite plant group : conifers , especially dwarf and small
28 v Washington Park Arboretum Bulletin