Camellia japonica in bloom at Bush's Pasture Park

Camellia Japonica in Bloom

The park’s extensive collection of Camellia japonica cultivars are in full bloom. These shrubs were likely planted by the landscape architect team of Elizabeth Lord and Edith Schryver. Edith was quite fond of camellias while Elizabeth had a love of lilacs. The park’s camellia japonicas were likely planted in the 1950’s and 1960’s. You can…

Tom Beatty smiles in front of his cake at his retirement party

Tom Beatty Retires as City Horticulturist

Tom Beatty retired as the City’s horticulturist on February 28th.  His departure closes an 18-year tenure during which, among other duties, he served as the head gardener of Bush’s Pasture Park. While Tom had a desk at the park’s historic “root house,” he was more often out in the park supervising ground crews, planting spring bulbs…

Informational poster explaining the plan to remove and replace the park's Shogetsu cherry tree

Shogetsu Cherry Tree Removal & Replacement

The City and MSPC are working together to remove a damaged and failing ‘Shogetsu’ flowering cherry tree near the Conservatory. We have already purchased a replacement ‘Shogetsu’ cherry tree that will be planted in nearly the same location. Gardenia.net calls the Shogetsu cherry tree “One of the finest Japanese cherries” and describes it as “a broad-spreading…

Conservancy Starts Rehabilitating Crabapple Collection

The Conservancy has started the much-needed rehabilitation of the park’s historic crabapple collection, which likely dates back to the 1940’s. The collection was first inventoried and mapped in 2003 by crabapple expert Arthur Jacobsen. He determined that the collection included at least 44 individual trees representing 42 different species or cultivars of Malus. Several trees have…

A stewartia

Bed 542 – Stewartia Bed

This Stewartia Bed contains: Trees Dove Tree (Davidia involucrata) Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana) Butterflies Magnolia (Magnolia x ‘Butterflies’) Elizabeth Magnolia (Magnolia x ‘Elizabeth) Oregon White Oak (Quercus garryana) Orangebark Stewartia (Stewartia monodelpha) Japanese Stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia) Shrubs and Subshrubs Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea ‘Bagatelle’ Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea ‘Golden Ring’ Berberis thunbergii…

French hydrangea

Bed 543 – Crooked House Bed

The Crooked House Playground Bed is immediately north of the playground. It was installed sometime after the land became a City park. The bed includes: Trees Kobus Magnolia (Magnolia kobus) Malus ‘Donald Wyman’ (‘Donald Wyman Crabapple) Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), Unknown cultivar Shrubs & Subshrubs Japanese Fatsia (Fatsia japonica) Miss Kim Manchurian Lilac (Syringa pubescens…

Bed 540 – North Island Bed

Bed 540-the North Island Bed-contains the following plants: Trees Cornus alternifolia ‘Argentea’ Malus x micromalus ‘Kaido Crabapple’ Prunus cerasifera ‘Thundercloud’ (‘Thundercloud’ Purple-leaved Plum) Shrubs & Subshrubs Acanthopanax sieboldianum variegatus Berberis thunbergii ‘Helmond’s Pillar’ Berberis thunbergii ‘Golden Ring’ Berneris thunbergii ‘Crimson Velvet’ Cryptomeria japonica ‘Vilmoriniana’ Fothergilla ‘Mt. Airy’ Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ Impatiens omieana ‘Silver Pink Juniperus communis…