Port of Ilwaco
Coreopsis and Flanders Field poppy brighten the way
to the port
Upon first moving to Ilwaco, I had a feeling of emptiness at the lack of public gardens, so for a couple of years I cast about for a space to imperialize. Finally, I realized a good one would be a strip four to five feet wide and two blocks long along the Port of Ilwaco Boatyard. The Port gave me permission to take it over, and there I created a garden to beautify the entrance to the port. One of best benefits has been hearing from folks who work at the fish factories that the garden brightens up their morning walk to work. In the last few years, new energy has come to the port with restaurants, art galleries, shops, container gardens, and attractive mini gardens.
The boatyard garden consists of plants that will take the wind tunnel effect coming up from the boat basin: Artemisias, Sedums, Santolinas, grasses, daylilies, and the usual range of beach-tolerant plants.
Note: As of January, 2003, the garden will be bulldozed to permit the burial of electrical line for the port beautification project. The port crew moved a selection of the plants to a holding bed. We will have the bulldozer crew pile the remainder of the garden in a heap, in hopes that some plants and bulbs will survive. Stay tuned to see if the garden reappears at the boatyard or if the plants reappear in other Port of Ilwaco landscaping projects. Well, that's one way to get the bindweed and horsetail weeded out of the garden bed!
Update: As of 2004, the Port has redone this area with round rocks and a few plants. Although I am no longer involved in its maintenance or design, some of the original plants have been reintroduced.
Current update: As of 2010, we have taken back the Ilwaco boatyard as a job for the Port of Ilwaco and have returned it to its former glory!
the first June after planting
the garden attracts bees
and birds
California poppy, Oriental poppy
| Home | Story of Tangly Cottage | Gram's Garden | Public Gardens |
| Secret Gardens | Favourite Plants | Long Beach Peninsula | References & Links | Guestbook |