The Crystal Springs Fernwall Project:
Before the construction comes the destruction

The Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden is not a static showpiece. It is constantly undergoing improvements and renovations.

CRYSTAL SPRINGS RHODODENDRON GARDEN
FERN WALL AND FOOT BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS
Portlmd Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society
In partnership with
Portland parks & Recreation

Thank you for your patience during this construction project. We are doing our best to minimize impacts to your visit as we add a beautiful fern wall and pedestrian bridge to the Garden.

These improvements will increase accessibility and enhance natural resources while creating an exciting new destination within the Garden.

The Portland Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society is implementing improvements as approved in its Conditional Use Master Plan. These include a new fern wall, a new pedestrian bridge. walkway improvements, a spring display, irrigation, and wetland and upland plantings. Initial construction will include establishment of erosion control measures. as well as removal of invasive plants and damaged trees. Following minor excavation, the fernwall and foot bridge will be constructed along with walkway improvements. Final planting will be carried out by Garden volunteers in late summer and early fall.

This project was made possible in part by the generous gifts from the Robert Floweree Foundation, the Frances Furniss Bequest, Friends of the Garden, and admission fees.

Expected completion Fall 2005

General Contractor Burs and Genauer Construction
Landscape Architect: Pivor landscape Architecture
Consulting Designer Marlene Salon

The latest project is now waiting for the new growing season for the ferns to cover the newly constructed wall

As usual, mouse click on any image to see a larger, higher quality version of the same image
A few of the images are already full size, making for slower file loading..

here'sthe area before the expansion The High Bridge...click to see larger image	The site of the Future Fern Wall...click to see larger image
here's during the early phase of the construction The High Bridge...click to see larger image	A picture taken at a later date The future Fern Wall...click to see larger image
later phase two bridges- later...click to see larger image

One of the Major Additions is a bridge connecting the Fern Wall area to the other side of the creek.

Here's looking southn from the garden entrance to the
High Bridge, with the new bluestone bridge to the west

The High Bridge- ...click to see larger image

Three pictures looking down on the bluestone bridge construction process

Fern Wall construction and bluestone bridge Fern Wall construction...click to see larger image
bluestone bridge construction	bluestone bridge construction The High Bridge...click to see larger image
bluestone bridge construction The bluestone bridge with stone decking place ...click to see larger image	Good progress on the actual Fernwall The Fernwall and the bluestone bridge ...click to see larger image
There used to be greenery in the Fernwall area before the construction started. During the process it looks like this This is because the delivery of rock for the Fernwall, and the shaping of the rock for the wall and bluestone bridge created a lot of dust. The newer leaves carry less dust than the older leaves	The plastic sheeting is really a temporary rock slide. ...click to see larger image
End of the construction, and before the start of the new growing season      January, 2006
high bridge and east side of the fernwall from the west	west end of the fernwall from the east
a closeup view of the fernwall, with some of the places where ferns will be growing	Compare the current view with the first thumbnail above, the "before" view of the high bridge