Seaside's public landscapes invite sight, touch and smell by Janet Loughrey

S ometimes a city needs to get down in the dirt and play. That's what Seaside decided a few years ago after noticing a disconnect between its image as a kid-friendly tourist destination and its landscaping downtown. The main street, Broadway, home to shops, restaurants and arcades, is packed on sunny days with locals and tourists set on enjoyment. But Broadway's landscaping, far from reflecting a sense of fun or civic identity, consisted of a few island beds with nondescript juniper and other tough but mundane plants found in commercial landscapes.

Another Broadway planting combines catmint, purple coneflower, Agastache 'Blue Fortune,' geraniums, nicotiana and hebe

No more. These days, theme gardens in the islands capture the essence of local businesses near them. There are kitchen gardens in front of the Pig n' Pancake and Dooger's Seafood and Grill. Plants found in the beds, such as blueberries, oregano, lettuce and rosemary, are actual ingredients used in the restaurants' menus. An apothecary garden at Holladay Drug Store includes medicinal herbs and flowers such as echinacea, digitalis and artemesia. "Dyer's plants," historically used to color fabrics, are located in front of several clothing stores. They include calendula, golden marguerite and coreopsis.

While some of Seaside's beds feature foliage, this one is filled with flowers that include yellow marguerite daisy, purple felicia daisy, geranium and sweet pea

Whimsically named plants, including chocolate cosmos and vanilla heliotrope, are planted in the nearby community gardens, along with plants for children to touch, such as lamb's ear and phlomis. There are plants for the blind to feel and smell, such as lilies, agastache and red-hot poker. Taller vegetation is located at eye level for wheelchair-bound people; yellow flowers attract the failing eyesight of senior citizens. There are old-fashioned coastal favorites such as dahlias and daylilies

The city hired two local women, landscape designer Tina Miller and gardener Pam Fleming, to design and maintain the new gardens. Local residents had a hand-and trowel-in them, too. Residents, including three generations of one family, turned out to help plant the community gardens in a brick courtyard at Downing Mall.

	Layers of blooms include nicotiana and Agastache 'Blue Fortune'

Miller is pleased with peoples' interactions with the gardens. "I've seen a father picking up his young daughter so she could smell a tall lily. A woman bends down and pinches a leaf to taste the oregano. I see people stroking the foliage, taking pictures, writing notes about the plants.

"When Pam is maintaining the beds, people are always coming up to her and asking what the plants are and how to take care of them. We give tours a couple of times a year for people who are interested in finding out more about the themes and the plants."

Others have noticed positive responses to the gardens. "There seems to be more respect from the public," says Peter TerHar, owner of TerHar's Clothing Store. "We see less vandalizing. People spend more time walking down Broadway and enjoying the town."

"The gardens make the downtown more inviting and attractive to visitors," says Wayne Poole, president of the Seaside Downtown Development Association and owner of Pig n' Pancake Restaurant.

Miller wanted to create theme gardens that would reflect the city's sense of fun and capture the essence of local businesses. When it came time to plant the "Community Gardens," a brick courtyard area at Downing Mall, Miller threw a "planting party." Local residents, including three generations of one family, turned out to help with the installation..

Perhaps the most poignant garden is at the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial adjacent to the public library. Using the Victorian language of flowers, Miller chose plants that symbolize the emotions of the war. Snowdrop/galanthus (renewal), rosemary (remembrance), bellflower/campanula (gratitude), holly/ilex (recovery) and Oriental lilies (innocence; youths going off to war) are a few of the plants found here. Bouganvillea vines twine up three flowering cherries.

Miller's artful plant combinations are more likely seen in a botanical garden than in a busy downtown. Plants are chosen for adaptability to coastal weather and soil conditions, sturdiness, length of bloom time, visual interest, availability and ease of maintenance.

Lamb's ear, Pennisetum 'Hameln,' geum, pearly everlasting and smoke tree blend color and texture.

Foundation plants such as smoke tree (Cotinus) and New Zealand flax (Phormium) are combined with complementary annuals and perennials. The plants are selected to fit into the themes of each garden.

Before any gardens were planted, Miller and Fleming observed foot traffic patterns one busy Memorial Day weekend to see how the public reacted to the garden areas. They found where people tied up their dogs, took shortcuts, or made a path to a drinking fountain. They took notes and left these edges and areas unplanted. Each year, they evaluate what works and what doesn't, fine-tuning the plans for the following year.

The gardens are financed by the downtown district and administered by the City of Seaside. Local business and property owners pay a fee based on the square footage of their property along the street. Recently, hanging baskets were added, paid for by local residents and businesses.

Miller hopes to design a garden by the old theater building that will include plants named after movie stars. "I think that means there will be lots of roses and irises," she says with a laugh.

This article was first published in the Oregonian's Homes&Gardens section on November 4, 1999

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