The Walpole Garden - A PP&R and Friends of Terwilliger Collaboration
The Walpole Garden, a collaboration with our partners at Portland Parks and Recreation, is named after the noted American botanical illustrator Frederick Andrews Walpole who built a house at Eagle Point (300 ft to the north of the garden) in 1895. We are gradually planting many of the native plants he illustrated for the US Botanical Garden before his untimely death of typhoid in 1905.
After years of removing invasives from the long neglected border strip of land between SW Terwilliger Blvd and SW Hamilton Terrace, in 2024, we have completed a number of projects within the Walpole Garden: a labyrinth with spectacular views at the southeast end, a shade garden in the south west corner, a path from Terwilliger through the garden to Bancroft St below, a woodland path through the north section, and a number of locust log seating areas with views throughout the garden. We continue plant native species in its various micro-climates, in addition to the central pollinator garden within the Bancroft right of way (with its buried high pressure gas lines). NWNG installed the Walpole Garden signage that includes high resolution images of Walpole’s Oregon native plant watercolors as a utility wrap on their high pressure gas regulator cover.
Neighborhood volunteers putting finishing touches on Walpole Garden Labyrinth in June 2024. This picture shows its construction (granite Belgian cobblestone borders of the gravel path) with locust stump seat in center. In the distance is the view of the Willamette Valley and mountains beyond.The rectilinear labyrinth design provides repetitive views in the four cardinal directions as one walks to the center and back. The labyrinth is listed on both the Pacific Northwest and international labyrinth web directories and is being increasingly used throughout the year. We have sponsored a number of public sunset labyrinth walks with led lights on the path borders and Native American flute music.(this image is from the winter solstice labyrinth walk)
Along the Terwilliger walking path at the scenic viewpoint in the middle of the Bancroft right of way, we have placed a small seating area using two locust log stump, above. This is a great place to pause your walk or jog and admire the view of the Willamette Valley and Mt Hood in the distance.
We have made an additional stump seating area in the Walpole Garden at the base of the sequoia in the flat area north of the right of way. We are developing a plan for native plantings there. We have made a path, photo above, from near the Tewilliger Parkway pedestrian crosswalk, down through the Walpole Garden to the SW Bancroft and SW Hamilton Terrace intersection. The nearby Terwilliger light post illuminates the steps. The view of the Walpole Garden, its labyrinth and the Willamette from the top of the path is shown. The recent woodland path in the north section of the Walpole Garden is on the left. On the right edge near the top are the stump seats on the Terwilliger Path with wonderful views to the east.
In the central Bancroft Right of way, we have been planting wildflower mixes as we develop a native plant pollinator garden (this view from SW Hamilton Terrace -SW Bancroft intersection looking southwest). We uncovered two long buried sidewalks from 1908 (before Terwilliger Blvd was built) and have added additional gravel paths.
Bob Bonner is standing on right of way sidewalk. He is coordinating this volunteer effort for Friends of Terwilliger. If you are interested in volunteering, send an email to downhillhiker@gmail.com.