Mario Vaden
Beaverton, Oregon

My training for landscape care, design and installation was in Oregon; primarily Beaverton and Portland, Oregon. The experience started in 1980 at a Portland Country Club. After only one year, quitting this profession appeared to be a smart option, but my thoughts changed after enrolling in college classes for landscape management and design.

The discovery of knowledge pertinent to soil, grass and trees, inspired me to continue as a horticulturist, finally starting a landscape and tree business in 1988. And this is a great place for business and gardening - a mild climate, the Pacific ocean 80 minutes west, Mt. Hood and almost all year skiing 70 minutes east, the "wind surf ing capitol, the Columbia River Gorge starting 30 minutes northeast, the Rogue river famous for rafting a few hours south - its a lot to be thankful for.

Portland, Oregon is at the north end of the Willamette Valley, a signifant agricultural region of the world. This is considered one of earth's few "Mediterranean" climates. Summer is rather dry, but not too hot. Winter is relatively mild. Other than summer, there are many rainy and cloudy days throughout the year. This western Oregon weather provides a long growing season, and as a result, plants grow rapidly here, both in nurseries and in the wild (where trees as large as Giant Sequoia and Coastal Redwood thrive).

Since trees grow so rapidly in Oregon, improper plant placement can generate problems at an accelerated pace. Proper plant placement must be determined by pruning needs. For those reasons, Oregon designers should understand the pruning needs of each shrub and tree here. A garden will "fall to pieces" in Oregon if there is no pruning remedy. "If it can't be pruned, it can't be retained." I have learned that an intimate knowledge of pruning and arboriculture is the greatest key to successful landscape designing in Oregon - beyond a shadow of doubt.

More information: www.mdvaden.com

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