Gerdemann Garden Saved

The garden is a celebrated regional treasure of biological diversity with exotic plants, native species, and hybrids developed by Dr. Gerdemann.

Twenty-five years ago, Dr. Jim Gerdemann, a botanist and plant pathologist and Professor Emeritus of the University of Illinois, and his wife, Janice, retired to the central Oregon coast. They purchased 3.5 acres of spruce and hemlock bordering the Siuslaw National Forest, and began developing a botanical garden. Today that garden is a celebrated regional treasure of biological diversity with exotic plants, native species, and hybrids developed by Dr. Gerdemann to survive in the coastal climate and nestled within the woodland landscape.

The garden is an attraction that draws scientists, naturalists, gardeners, researchers and students from around the world, as well as a special place of beauty and serenity where the public has always been welcome to stroll along meandering paths, enjoy the bright sparkle of a blooming rhododendron or the unexpected sight of a tropical palm, and marvel at the extraordinary range of plants that grow in this sheltered glen just a few blocks from the roaring surf of the Pacific.

As the Gerdemanns neared their eighties, the future of the garden became a concern to them as well as to the greater Yachats community. In response to this challenge, the Gerdemanns teamed with View the Future, a nonprofit conservation organization, in hopes of preserving and protecting the garden for future generations. In 2007, the project had a major boost with a generous contribution to the young non-profit organization that will fund the purchase of a conservation easement which will protect this significant garden forever. Furthermore, an endowment fund has been established to provide adequate resources for maintenance, capital improvements, and the establishment of education and apprenticeship programs.

How to Help

Tax-deductible contributions to the endowment fund may be made to:
View the Future
P.O. Box 443
Yachats, OR 97498