​Lan Su Chinese Garden: ​The Vision of a Classical Chinese Garden
Justin Blackwell, Curator of Horticulture, Lan Su Chinese Garden
4 December, 2021
​9:30 am - 11:00 am, PT
The earliest known Chinese ornamental plant cultivation goes back 4000 years.  The uncovering of this practice in pre-European expansion era has led to an examination of the narrative of Chinese horticulture.  Lan Su strives to infuse this context into the vision of the future of the botanical collection -- which Chinese plants belong in a classical Chinese garden, which do not, and why.

Join First Saturday PDX as Justin Blackwell, Curator of Horticulture at Lan Su Chinese Garden, speaks about developing a maintenance strategy for the garden with focus on introducing and structuring maintenance practices, nutrient management, pruning using tradition and art as a guide, penjing, Chinese floral arts, and more.  As the garden transitions from a young, new garden to a maturing garden, how will this affect what we do and the future of the plants at Lan Su?  What role will the Ming Dynasty/Suzhou-style classical Chinese botanical garden play in Portland?

More information:  https://www.lansugarden.org/
​About the speaker:
Justin Blackwell learned the craft of Japanese Gardens at the Portland Japanese Garden (PJG) from 2006-2018.  During his tenure at PJG he was also an instructor in pruning, bamboo fences, stone pathways, and garden building. Justin came to Lan Su Chinese Garden in 2018, where he promotes and implements authentic and cultural standards, and develops arts such as a penjing program and Chinese floral arts.  Justin studied landscape design at South Seattle College and garden studies at Kyoto University of Art and Design.
Video of this presentation can be seen here

​Join us after the webinar from 11 - 11:30am in our First Saturday PDX Tea House to further the discussion and online social time.  Bring your cup of tea! 
​(Separate  access link for this will be provided in your single registration for this event.)
This presentation is offered via Zoom Webinar:
  • Join with computer, tablet, or smartphone. 
  • Register here and receive the links to join the webinar and the Tea House in the same confirmation email 
  • ​See our Zoom page for information on how to connect to the event.  
Our program series is supported by Portland State University's Institute for Asian Studies, Northwest China Council and Lan Su Chinese Garden.   All our programs are free and open to the public.