News & Updates for Members - Spring 2016 The Lotus: Beauty and Meaning in Lan Su Letter from the Executive Director ����������������� page 2 Celebrate the lotus—a link to Chinese history and culture—in Lake Zither as they return later this Member Nights in Lan Su ���������������������������������� page 3 summer ��� see page 7 for more information. Lake Zither Update ������������������������������������������������page 4 Lan Su’s Summer Benefit Concert ������������������ page 6 Letter from the Executive Director Lisa James, Lan Su Chinese Garden’s new executive director As the new Executive Director of Portland’s International Relations Director on a recent for Lan Su Chinese Garden, delegation visit to Suzhou, China. We were graciously I wanted to briefly introduce hosted by the Foreign Affairs office and participated in the myself, begin to share my opening ceremony of the 9th Horticultural Exposition, management philosophy and 500 acres including 22 theme gardens, a cultural museum start a conversation about the and 12 theme pavilions in Jiangsu province. future of Lan Su� Additionally, while at the Expo in Suzhou, we participated First, I want to note that it is in the dedication of a “Benson Bubbler” water fountain a genuine honor to serve as that was gifted from PSSCA and the City of Portland in Lan Su’s new Executive Director following Jane DeMarco and honor of Lan Su’s 15th Anniversary. her retirement. As the next in the line of a group of dedicated women who have held this post before me, I don’t need to tell you what a special place Lan Su Yuan is— that’s why you’re a member! I am confident that my time here will be a success because of the strong stakeholder network that has already demonstrated its dedication� It only works when we all collaborate. As Lan Su celebrated its 15th Anniversary last autumn, we have only gotten this far with the help of founding and consistent donors, sponsors, our devoted team of volunteers, hardworking staff, supportive members and guests, the City of Portland and many program partners and cultural associations here and in China. Ms. He Feng chen meets with Lan Su Staff Ms. He Feng Chen, Lan Su’s original landscape designer and now We collectively are the stewards of this wonderful President of the Suzhou Institute of Landscape Architecture Design institution. Lan Su is still relatively young, although it Company, meets with Lan Su Executive Director Lisa James and represents a time and classical design of many centuries horticulturist Mandi Atkinson during their visit. ago. We are dedicated to cultivating an oasis of tranquil beauty and harmony to inspire, engage, and educate all in We visited many more beautiful gardens, had introductory the appreciation of Chinese culture. meetings with the leaders of the Suzhou Foreign Affairs office, Suzhou Garden Bureau, Garden Research Institute Recently, I was fortunate enough to receive a tour through Company, and the Director of Tourism on continuing our sister garden in China—the 900 year-old Master of Nets to build and reinforce partnerships with Lan Su. Very Garden in Suzhou—itself a UNESCO World Heritage special and memorable was our private meeting with the site. It was a delightful and educational experience I highly Executive Director of the Master of the Nets Garden and recommend! Ms. He Feng Chen, the President and Senior Engineer for the Suzhou Institute of Landscape Architecture Design I travelled with two of our Company —and original architect for Lan Su. She said she board members, Shelley still thinks of us often and checks our website to see what Dutton and Shelley we are doing� Peng, and thanks to an anonymous donor, one When we gathered for a group photo at the end of our visit, of Lan Su’s horticulture Ms. He reached out and held onto my hand, and I knew we staff members� We joined have a true friendship with our “sister city” that will only the Portland Suzhou continue to grow� Sister City Association (PSSCA) and the City 2 Lan Su Chinese Garden Member Nights in Lan Su Begin June 29 Members get exclusive access to Lan Su on the last Wednesdays of June, July, August and September from 6 - 8 p.m. Embrace the tranquility of the garden without crowds at four Member Evenings this summer� Enjoy the garden after-hours with your guests at your own pace. Savor complimentary bites and wine provided by Davis Street Tavern, or sit and sip tea, sake and wine in the Teahouse. The Teahouse will be open on all member evenings. Each member evening will include live music from jazz, folk and blues to a traditional Chinese quartet. For more information about your membership benefits, Exclusive Member Access evenings this summer visit www.lansugarden.org/membership� Wander the garden after hours June 29, July 27, August 31 and September 28 from 6-8 p.m. Brand new Items in the garden shop! Use your membership discount to get one of these great new items in the Garden Shop! Rebecca Mackey, Lan Su’s new Director of Retail & Lan Su Executive Director Lisa James recently returned Admissions, has been busy shopping for new and exciting from a trip to China, where she worked with members merchandise for the Garden Shop. Use your member of the delegation to bring back a series of amazing silk discount and come see these great items� scarves. Officially unveiled at a donor event June 1, these scarves showcase a stunning range of styles and colors. Keep an eye out for upcoming sale pricing including chopsticks and aprons during Cuisines of Asia and a buy one, get one sale on cards from The Han Collection (see page 6 for more info on the Han Collection). Lan Su Logo Items Lan Su zen yen soap Show your love for Lan Come try Lan Su’s newest Su with a brand new beauty item, Zen Yen t-shirt or hoodie with an Soap. A blend of essential embroidered logo. The oils designed to promote t-shirts, in both men and a sense of tranquility and women’s styles, are sure to ease, the bergamot mint, fit any member. The Lan clary sage and geranium Su hoodie is perfect for are perfectly paired with a keeping warm on those green tea infusion and tea cool spring mornings. seed oil. Lan Su Chinese Garden 3 Lake Zither rehabilitation project update Learn about the work completed on Lake Zither and the next steps to come Last November, Lan Su closed for 10 weeks to begin the Lake Zither Rehabilitation Project. The project goal was to install a new concrete liner along the pond bottom to replace the rubber liner that was at the end of its lifespan and beginning to fail. As a project with an extended time line beyond when the garden re-opened to the public in February, we wanted to provide you with an update to the work completed, the work in progress, and the updates to come� excavation Lake Bottom Rebar installation Gunite Edging With the help of a small backhoe, Preparation To make the gunite (the concrete- A failure point of the old liner the existing lake bottom was The old liner was removed from like liner material) stronger and was the inability of the material removed and—for several tons of the bottom of the lake along with better able to resist cracking, to remain attached to the Lake river rock—were vacuumed out, many inches of soil and gravel to several thousand linear feet of Tai rock at the water’s edge. The in preparation for the replacement create a suitable base for the new iron rebar was laid across the only solution—without closing of the old, rubber pond liner. liner. It was discovered that the newly prepared gravel and soil the garden for many months and depth of the pond would not be base� rebuilding all of the pond edges as deep as hoped due to a higher and pavilion sides— was a 12” curb than expected water table. ledge of gunite around the lake. Blown Gunite liner Additional Lake Tai Rock waterfall changes return of the koi Once the lake bottom was More than 90 tons of Lake Tai Some members have commented One of the most frequent prepared with secure rebar and rock was shipped from China that the waterfall received some questions Lan Su staff receives is edged border, the gunite material to cover the gunite edging— noticeable changes. While the “When will the koi return?” We was blown and shaped to a depth maintaining the appearance of a majority of the work has been are pleased to announce that the of 9”. This depth allowed the natural edge. The addition of rock completed on the Lake Zither koi have returned! Come down liner to be built so that it could next to the Painted Boat Pavilion project, the waterfall area is being and see them frolicking in and support horticulture and facilities and Terrace while non-traditional, tested for an extended period to amongst the lilies. staff walking on the liner for was necessary. We continue to determine if any more work is maintenance and plant care. search for future options to return needed. More work, including both to their original look. aesthetic updates may occur. 4 Lan Su Chinese Garden Teahouse window Board of Directors project update Officers Kathy MacNaughton, President — MacNaughton Realty Group at Realty Trust During the time Terry Smith, Vice-President — Northwest Evaluation Association of the Lake Zither Jill Chen, Treasurer — Consultant Rehabilitation Raymond W. Cheng, Secretary — Ankrom Moisan Architects, Inc.