Secluded in the lush, rolling hills of Southern Portland, the Willamette Valley Medical Center is an acute-care, full-service facility that spans 7.5 acres.

The property management likes to keep the aesthetic as simple as possible, utilizing native plants and little color—a unique request for our landscaping team to address.

Challenges

1) The property is situated in an area of hills that are between the coast and a valley. Due to this unique location, the property and surrounding areas are in their own “microclimate” which can result in unexpected weather changes. 

2) Willamette Valley Medical Center neighbors a helicopter training facility, so aircraft is often taking off, flying, and landing overhead. All this movement kicks up a lot of dust and debris in the area. This means that barkdust, which helps keep beds looking clean and weed-free, cannot be used in beds on the property. 

3) Also, when the maple trees on-site go dormant in the fall, the leaves that drop on the property cause potential hazards for medical staff, patients, and visitors. 

Because Willamette Valley Medical Center is a hospital that accommodates patients, guests, doctors, and staff during all hours, our team needs to be intentional and mindful about traffic patterns to effectively service islands within the hospital’s parking lot. 

Solutions

1) Our team keeps a close eye on winter weather patterns to ensure they are on-site at the first signs of inclement weather in order to lay granule and liquid deicer to keep the property clear and safe for ambulances, doctors, and patients. 

2) Instead of using barkdust, our team suppresses weeds in flower beds with the application of pre-emergent combined with weekly, detailed hand-weeding.  

3) When the leaves fall from their trees an Autumn, the team must make changes to their on-site service plans. Instead of mowing, they pivot to leaf cleanup. Leaf cleanup on the property is focused on clearing pathways for medical staff, patients, and visitors, as well as clearing drains of debris to prevent clogging and flooding when rainfall occurs. 

LandCare was awarded a Bronze NALP Award of Excellence in 2022 for its work at Willamette Valley Medical Center. For photos and more, please visit the awards photo gallery here.