Gerdemann Botanic Preserve

The Gerdemann Botanic Preserve is a garden gem on the west coast of USA!

It’s not one of those high profile and big budget gardens but is well worth a visit if you find yourself on the ocean coast of Oregon. It’s on the edge of a small coastal town called Yachats.

In fact, Portland is a great place to see many great public and private gardens as I’ve found over the 15 years or so that I’ve been visiting that area!

Gerdemann Botanic Preserve is about a 2.5 hours drive from downtown Portland and you’ll be driving through interesting countryside that includes vineyards, hazelnut and walnut plantations, fruit tree orchards and many fields growing grass for seed production.

 

 

Undoubtedly the best time to visit the Gerdemann Botanic Preserve is in spring but beggars can’t be choosers. I was in the area and cheekily reached out to the current curator Andreea Ghetie. She kindly allowed me to visit when the garden was closed for winter. What is more, she kindly showed me around.

 

 

 

 

On the Coast but in a Forest

What makes this garden special is that it is growing in the native forest under huge spruce and western hemlock trees . But look through those trees and you can see the Pacific Ocean!

It’s undoubtedly the shelter and shade these native trees provide enables this garden to grow plants that it really shouldn’t be able to! The evergreen trees not only provide shelter from strong onshore gales but also filter out salts carried on the wind from the ocean.

Taking advantage of the microclimate created there are surprising plants around every corner of the shaded path! Some are natives of Australia, some from South Africa and many from Chile and South America. But the vast majority of garden plants are from China and the Himalayas.

I’m told that the average rainfall here is around 100″ a year and the forest is classified as a temperate rainforest. That results in every surface covered in mosses, lichen and ferns.

But this high rainfall also results in very strong growth of garden plants.

 

Extraordinary Rhododendrons

But it is perhaps the  collection of Himalayan large leaf Rhododendrons that will draw most keen gardeners to Yachats where the garden is based.

These are as the result of the previous owner’s interest. Dr  Jim Gerdemann collected and hybridised these fabulous Rhododendrons and many of the resulting seedlings are now several metres high and still unnamed.

Having moved from the University of Illinois where he spent 30 years as a plant pathology professor, the climate in Yachats must have been totally different. But his interest in the group of large leaf rhododendrons must have strongly influenced his decision to settle there.

Gerdemann also had a strong interest in mycorrhiza and their relationship with rhododendrons. This symbiotic relationship between fungi and plants is increasingly being understood. If you’re interested in this mycorrhizal plant relationship then you will find this earlier blog of mine interesting.

 

Not just Rhododendrons

On my visit I spotted many other great plants to look out for.

There are some fabulous looking tree Magnolia that will be in flower in March when the garden reopens from its winter slumber.

I spotted great clumps of Chilean Fire Tree [Embothrium coccineum] and Lantern Trees [Crinodendron hookerianum] both from South America.

There are many Asian plants such as Corylopsis, Camellia and azalea to discover along the mossy paths that wind their way through this 3.5 acre garden.

Most ferns appear to be of the native kind but they all add to the feeling of secrecy that surrounds this luxuriant garden. Many ferns grow as epiphytes on the stumps of old trees but also along the branches of living ones.

 

 

Tender Rhododendron relatives

 

 

Not all rhododendrons are hardy and a beautiful group called vireya are grown in a greenhouse with a little heat to stop the temperature dropping below freezing.

Dr Jim Gerdemann also hybridised these and so many of the plants growing inside are still unnamed and unique.

Quirkily hanging above the greenhouse door is Dr Jim’s old car number plate which of course reads VIREYA.

 

“Ents”

Not uncommon close to the west coast of USA, there are many examples of trees growing out of the stumps of dead trees. This reminded me of “ents” and add an other world feel to the garden!

The most common examples here are sitka spruce and western hemlock.

But there are plenty of other woody plants to discover growing in this way. For instance I saw salal [Gaultheria shallon] and several species of Vaccinium.

 

 

 

 

Tree House

What better place to stay than actually in this magical garden?

Close to the back of the garden and above the greenhouse there is an enchanting tree house which would make the perfect place to stay away from the busy streets of Yachats.

This property will be listed again on Airbnb soon!

 

 

 

 

Further Details

More details about the Gerdemann Botanic Preserve can be found right here

You’ll also find more information about local hikes and other things to do and see when you are in Yachats on the Oregon coast.

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