What’s Growing in Mary’s Garden?
Mary’s Garden, located to the right of the front gate to Maud Morgan Arts Center, was first dedicated to the memory of Masumi Mary Nagatomi in June of 20
11. Mary Nagatomi was a long time resident of the Agassiz community and an avid gardener. Janet Burns, who regularly maintains the garden with the help of other volunteers, fondly recalls memories of Mary who kept a garden herself outside of her local home. She would often walk by Mary’s yard, and see Mary diligently working away at her neatly kept garden.
Burns says that the dedication and theme of the ABC garden was inspired particularly by this memory of Mary’s own Japanese-inspired garden. Thus, since the dedication the perennials and annuals grown in the garden have taken their roots from those originally grown or imported from Japan. Currently, a few exciting shrubs and flowers can be seen popping up in the garden’s summer season.
One of the most prominent flowers in the garden is the Blue Star Japanese Aster (photograph on the right). This white perennials is a sight to see close up.
This annual beauty almost blends in with it’s light green hue, but in the sunlight the Green Envy Zinnia most definitely lives up to its name (photograph on the right).
The Dwarf False Cypress with its’ origins from Japan and East Asia is now quite popular and can often be found in its miniature form in rock (Zen) gardens (photograph on the right).
Relative of the sunf
lower, these colorful Coreopsis lighten up the garden with their bright colors and can be found in magenta and orange throughout the garden (photograph on the right).
These and many other photographs of what is currently growing in the garden can be found on ABC’s Flickr page .
It’s been over a year since community members first gathered to dedicate the new garden beside 20 Sacramento Street in honor of Ms. Nagatomi; a good friend, neighbor, and longtime supporter of Agassiz Baldwin Community. Although she passed away in August 2010, her memory and love of gardens still blooms fresh here at 20 Sacramento Street.
