September 24, 2020
Welcoming Fall
Dear Friends:

The past seven months have been challenging for us all. The pandemic has taken many lives and the recent fires have destroyed Oregon's beautiful forests and natural habitats. We hope you and your families have remained safe and well during these unsettling times.

Like many nonprofits, these unexpected events have negatively impacted our bottom line. We are fortunate to have received COVID-19 emergency financial support from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Oregon Cultural Trust, Oregon Community Foundation and several individuals to help tide us over as we look ahead to 2021.

And, we still have plenty to report!

Our Last Open Garden of the Season
This Saturday, September 26, 10am - 1pm

Stop by this Saturday for a final look at the Gaiety Hollow garden this season.

Wander at your leisure, guided by our new garden map and brochure. The FREE self-guided tour features the various garden "rooms" favored by Lord & Schryver. Enjoy the colorful zinnias and a variety of pollinators.

Make sure to take a peek at our restored and fully functioning Reserve Garden. Our hard-working volunteers and staff appreciate this much needed upgrade.

We are glad to report that despite COVID-19 challenges, we welcomed over 100 visitors to the Gaiety Hollow garden this year.
DEEPWOOD Garden Tours

Thursdays at Noon through Mid-November

Free Lord & Schryver docent-led tours of the historic gardens take place each Thursday at noon through mid-November. Meet at the picnic tables by the parking lot.

COVID-19 protocols of wearing masks and social distancing will be followed.
Our longtime friend, Ruth Roberts, passed away earlier this month. Ruth’s research on pioneering landscape architects Elizabeth Lord and Edith Schryver led to the creation of the Lord & Schryver Conservancy, the restoration of the historic gardens at Deepwood and Gaiety Hollow, and the establishment of our extensive Archive. We will miss Ruth and are naming our annual Women in Horticulture Program in her honor.

Ruth Roberts
Women in Horticulture Program

#ILoveMyPlantJob
Friday, November 6, 9am to 2pm  
Online via Zoom 
The Lord & Schryver Conservancy and Chemeketa Community College’s Horticulture Department are co-hosting this program. The story of Elizabeth Lord and Edith Schryver, founders of the first woman-owned landscape architecture firm in the Pacific Northwest, will set the stage. Seven women currently employed across the horticulture industry will be the speakers.
 
Participants will learn about the many exciting career opportunities in horticulture including what different positions entail, possible career pathways, and tips on how to get a job or internship. Each speaker will have 30 minutes for her presentation and Q&A, with breaks between speakers.

Jennifer Jewell, weekly podcast host and author of The Earth in Her Hands, is our keynote speaker. Other speakers confirmed so far include:


We will offer a similar program in Spanish later in November.  

To find out more about either program or to add your name to the Zoom invitation list, contact Pam at pam@lordschryver.org or (971) 600-6987. Yes...men are welcome too! 

Thank you to the Herbert A. Templeton Foundation and Marion Cultural Development Corporation for funding this program. 
Archive Activities

The Lord & Schryver Conservancy Archive consists of hard copy and digitized documents including drawings, landscape plans, oral histories, plant lists, and correspondence as well as historic images. We continue to digitize many of these assets to make them more accessible.

Progress is being made on our StoryMap project. Here, we use mapping software to identify the physical location of each garden designed by Lord & Schryver, organize digitized materials into individual "garden stories" and then present these stories online. Over 25 garden stories have been written and uploaded so far. Take a look!

We appreciate the financial support provided by the William S. Walton Charitable Trust and the Schwemm Family Foundation for this project. These funds enable us to scan the many historic documents required to tell these unique garden stories.
Bulp Planting Time!
This October, our garden manager and volunteers will plant over 700 bulbs, mostly tulips, to recreate Lord & Schryver’s 1956 Flower bulb plan.

We expect the fruits of our labor to be another spectacular flower show next spring! 
Horticulture and Natural Science Program
We are piloting a hands-on educational program for students in grades 1-3. This program is modelled after a similar program we held with Straub Outdoors students this spring.

The six-week program will meet at Gaiety Hollow once a week. It is limited to 8 students and Covid-19 guidelines will be followed. Students will explore a new topic each week including:

  • Carnivorous Plants
  • Critters in the Garden
  • Keeping our Water Clean
  • Art in the Garden
  • Birds and Pollinators
  • Fish and Aquatic Life

Activities will take place both in the garden and indoor classroom setting. Instructors will include Mark Akimoff, our garden manager, and educational coordinators from local government agencies.

As we move through these uncertain times, we hope you and your loved ones remain in good spirits and health. We look forward to seeing you in person in the not too distant future. Until then, please enjoy time spent in your garden or favorite nature spot.

Please keep in touch. If you haven’t already, sign up to receive our upbeat Weekly Blog. You can also follow us on Instagram and Facebook where you can share your gardening experiences at #lordschryver. And always feel free to connect with us directly at info@lordschryver.org.

With appreciation,
Pam Wasson
Executive Director

Visit the LSC website for the latest news.
Lord & Schryver Conservancy | 971-600-6987 | info@lordschryver.org | www.lordschryver.org