A Short Hike In Gerdemann Botanic Preserve Yachats

In 1981, Jim and Janice Gerdemann purchased an acre of property on the edge of the Siuslaw National Forest in Yachats. Thickly forested with spruce and hemlock, but on a sloped site adjacent to the ocean, it was the perfect place to test the hardiness of rare and unusual plants from all over the world. For almost 30 years, Jim (a retired University of Illinois plant pathology professor) and Janice (a retired teacher) collected and planted unusual specimens, most of which they grew from seed on the wooded hillside with its myriad microclimates. Over the years, the site grew into a unique, 3.5-acre, richly-planted botanical preserve. The Gerdemann’s world travels, as well as Jim’s research into mycorrhizal fungi, informed their intense interest in growing seemingly challenging plants and helped them succeed with plants often deemed tender.