The Dalles, Oregon — The Beautification & Tree Committee proudly honors Diane and John Huber with the May Beautification Award for their outstanding garden at 812 E 12th Street.
When asked to describe their garden, Diane and John wrote, “John and I moved to The Dalles 48 years ago now, in 1977. We arrived in the heat of the summer, the middle of August. It was a typical 100 plus degree day. I remember driving up to one particularly shady house, it was so cool compared to the scorching tempture around us. The shade was deep and wonderful, we came to find out that it was provided by a row of old English trees labeled Plane tree or now known as Sycamore, some call it a button tree. It is the largest deciduous tree in the US. Ours is 25 feet around! As our house was built in 1910 we believe our trees are now over 100 years old. We came to both love this tree and hate its MANY leaves!
My husband and I have adapted to the climate here over time. At first I thought I could grow an English broader flower garden with plants from the Willamette Valley. Finding out the heat was too much for many species. Not wanting to give up on the plants I loved, l began planting trees that would provide shade. The first Japanese maple or Acer palmatum I planted in front of the house when my brother joined the navy in 1978. It now stretches across the whole of the yard and provides many seedlings for us to pot up and spread to neighbors and friends. Spreading the shade! Doing our part in helping with climate control! We counted about 50 trees on our little lot, we started with 5!
In 2019, our 100 year old Cedar tree began to suffer from the increasing summer heat. So John took a hose with a nozzle up to the top of the 40′ tree and attached it so as to be able to provide a gentle mist much like a rain forest for the tree. Thus we saved it from death as many Cedar have died in the area. John has become interested in bamboo. We have three types, Plyllostachys-Nigar, Incense bamboo and a yellow variety as well. The Incense is planted to provide shade for the west side of the house it stretches the length of 50′ and keeps the house much cooler. This year we converted our vegetable garden to a perennial flower garden. I take my inspiration from the famous English gardener Monty Don. This spring has bought an abundance of Hellebore in all colors purples pinks and greens. Bracken ferns have made their home in among the flowers. The magnolias have already blossomed and now the show of David Austin roses will arrive after the rhododendrons. All in all 48 years of gardening here in The Dalles has been challenging but like the last line in a famous poem says -“if you want to be happy for the rest of your life become a gardener.”