In the heart of Portland's Old Town/Chinatown district, occupying a full city block, bounded by NW 2nd and 3rd Avenues, and NW Everett and Flanders Streets, the largest urban classical Chinese Garden outside of China is beginning to take shape. Pro-GroMixes is proud to bea major sponsor of the garden and will be providing ALL the soil mixes for the project. "We wanted to ensure that all the plantings had the best planting medium, and Pro-Gro was our #1 choice -- the only company we wanted to provide the soil for the garden," stated Phyllis Oster, Director of Development of the Classical Chinese Garden Trust. Inspired by the sister city relationship between the City of Portland and Suzhou, China, renowned for having the finest classical urban gardens in the world, the garden will provide a cultural and artistic mecca for the enjoyment, enrichment and education of our residents and visitors.

Portlanders will be amazed by the garden's craftsmanship, the intricate arrangements of water, landscape and architecture. "Lan Su Yuan" -- Garden of Awakening Orchid -- is authentic, some - thing whole and directly from China, not a replica. It will be the one and only of its kind in the world. The garden will feature eight scenic spots or pavilions, with names like "Knowing the Fish", "Can't-Live-Without- Bamboo", and "Spring Rain Washing Flowers", surrounding a central lake. From the pine tree placed atop the highest point to the lotus flowers floating on the lake, to the building shaped like a boat with weeping willows planted nearby, the garden will be full of Chinese symbolism.