An interview with horticulturist, Ken Dehkes
Photos and story by Emily Edwards '04, 150th Anniversary Intern

Ever find yourself walking on campus and second-guessing yourself on your surroundings? Yesterday, you could have sworn there were different flowers and bushes by Snelling or on the way to the Student Center. While it may seem almost magical how the landscape on campus can change so quickly, it’s actually the work of Ken Dehkes and his staff that keep campus looking the way it does. What follows is an exclusive interview with Ken himself on the secrets of Hamline’s Horticulture and the Haven on Hewitt.

Q: Ken, do you have a favorite spot or plant on campus?
A: I wouldn’t say that I favor any plant or spot over another. I do enjoy the spots on campus where people can linger and sit within the gardens. If I did have to pick favorites, I would say the ginkgo tree north of Robbins Science, and the large oak trees on Old Main Mall.

Q: Ken you must have a lot of staff working to keep everything looking nice on campus!
A: My staff consists of three full-time people who are landscape technicians. The rest is supplemented with student workers, five during the summer and three during the school year. When winter comes, the workers then focus their energies on snow removal.

Q:I heard a rumor that you created the bushes with orange blooms. What are they called and is it true?
A: (Laughs), No I wasn't the inventor of the orange blooms on campus. After I got my degree at the University of Minnesota, I worked at a landscape arboretum in Chanhassen. It was then that they were developing these blooms to be heartier in the winter, as azaleas were traditionally not very good in colder climates. The flowers are called Northern Light Azaleas, and I brought them to Hamline because their peak blooming period is right around Commencement.

Q: Is there anything you can't grow?
A: I haven't had many problems not getting plants to grow. However, I have had problems with physical damage to plants from rabbits and wear. Luckily, because Hamline is in the middle of the cities so it is more sheltered and that means I can do plantings that normally wouldn’t last because of the heat or frost.

Q: How do you unify a campus that has architecture dating from the 1800s to the new millennium?
A: The main way I’ve tried to unify campus is through repetition and by not using grass as filler. Instead of planting grass right up to a building, shrubs, flowers, and mulch create more visual interest. My idea is that repetition makes unity, and I try to keep light poles, bike racks, signage, and mulch consistent on campus.

I also use similar flowers in different areas to unite the newer and older buildings. The plant life around Manor, Sorin and Snelling are a good example of the repetition I try to accomplish. There is a low mounding, yellow flower that is planted in all three places, but the leaves and flowering color may be slight variations. This way, when people are walking on campus, they get a visual sense of something they may have seen of another area on campus. Repetition and a consistent system not only give visual cues to other areas on campus, but also unities the architecture.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job?
A: I've been here enough years to see how designs and landscaping have changed over time. It's been gratifying to see trees grow to substantial size, and specific areas on campus come to maturity. It’s also rewarding to hear people comment on the landscape during events that are held on campus.