Mark Akimoff, Garden Manager | Curator
Salem native Mark Akimoff joined us in March 2019 as our Garden Manager | Curator. In this position, Mark is responsible for managing the restoration and maintenance of the historic garden at Gaiety Hollow as well as provide oversight of the Lord & Schryver-designed gardens at neighboring Deepwood. Mark also supervises the LSC volunteer gardeners and supports the organization’s educational and community programming.
Mark came to LSC with over 20 years of experience in historic garden management, botany, propagation, irrigation, IPM, volunteer supervision and community education. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture from Oregon State University.
Mark began his career as a propagator at the historic Rae Selling Berry Botanic Garden in Portland OR working with rare and endangered native plants and managing the curatorial collection. After Berry closed, Mark joined McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale OR as an Assistant Garden Manager where he supervised a team of gardeners in managing a diverse landscape situated among historical buildings. Next, Mark accepted the position of Groundskeeper at the Oregon School for the Blind (now closed) which was located only one block from Gaiety Hollow.
After 10 years as an estate gardener, Mark joined Salem’s Public Works Department in Storm Water Management working with wetlands, riparian restorations, bio-swales and raingardens. Most recently, Mark worked for Keizer’s Public Works Department educating community members and students on botany, urban forestry, botanical research and using plants to solve environmental problems. In his free time, Mark grows hardy bulbs from around the world, selling them through his online company, Illahee Rare Bulbs.
You can reach Mark at mark@lordschryver.org or 503 507 9622.
Mark came to LSC with over 20 years of experience in historic garden management, botany, propagation, irrigation, IPM, volunteer supervision and community education. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture from Oregon State University.
Mark began his career as a propagator at the historic Rae Selling Berry Botanic Garden in Portland OR working with rare and endangered native plants and managing the curatorial collection. After Berry closed, Mark joined McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale OR as an Assistant Garden Manager where he supervised a team of gardeners in managing a diverse landscape situated among historical buildings. Next, Mark accepted the position of Groundskeeper at the Oregon School for the Blind (now closed) which was located only one block from Gaiety Hollow.
After 10 years as an estate gardener, Mark joined Salem’s Public Works Department in Storm Water Management working with wetlands, riparian restorations, bio-swales and raingardens. Most recently, Mark worked for Keizer’s Public Works Department educating community members and students on botany, urban forestry, botanical research and using plants to solve environmental problems. In his free time, Mark grows hardy bulbs from around the world, selling them through his online company, Illahee Rare Bulbs.
You can reach Mark at mark@lordschryver.org or 503 507 9622.