Showers and thundershowers likely. High near 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%..
Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 49F. Winds light and variable.
Updated: September 4, 2026 @ 2:42 pm
Billy O’Keefe and Marie Connell have been selected as August’s beautification award winners.
Contributed photoTHE DALLES — The Beautification & Tree Committee honored Marie Connell and Billy O’Keefe with the August Beautification Award for their garden at 223 W. Ninth.
After spending 25 years in the high desert of northwest New Mexico, Marie and her husband, Billy, relocated to The Dalles in 2018. The change in climate opened new possibilities for gardening, and Marie began restoring and building upon the gardens established by previous homeowners.
Today, the garden features a variety of flowering plants, raised vegetable beds, and water-wise landscaping. One distinctive area features a basalt outcropping transformed with sedums and other drought-tolerant plants, inspired by the water-seep canyon oases Marie remembers from the Southwest. Timed spray and drip irrigation systems help efficiently water the landscape during the summer months.
The garden has also offered a few surprises, including the discovery of an unusual Voodoo Lily during Marie and Billy’s first spring in The Dalles. For Marie, the garden has become more than a landscape. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she said it provided “refuge, exercise and a positive focus.”
The Beautification Award recognizes community members that contribute to the appearance and livability of The Dalles through exceptional landscaping, property maintenance, and community pride.
Connell y O’Keefe obtienen los honores de embellecimiento de agosto
El Comité de Embellecimiento y Árboles de The Dalles se complace en reconocer a Marie Connell y Billy O’Keefe con el Premio de Embellecimiento de agosto por su jardín ubicado en 223 W. 9th Street.
Después de vivir durante 25 años en el desierto del noroeste de Nuevo México, Marie y su esposo, Billy, se mudaron a The Dalles en 2018. El cambio de clima abrió nuevas posibilidades para la jardinería, y Marie comenzó a restaurar y ampliar los jardines que habían establecido los propietarios anteriores.
Actualmente, el jardín cuenta con una variedad de plantas con flores, camas elevadas para cultivar vegetales y áreas diseñadas para utilizar el agua de manera eficiente. Una de las áreas más distintivas incluye una formación de basalto que Marie transformó con sedums y otras plantas resistentes a la sequía, inspirándose en los oasis naturales que recuerda de los cañones del suroeste. Sistemas de riego por goteo y aspersión con temporizadores ayudan a utilizar el agua de manera eficiente durante los meses de verano.
El jardín también ha traído algunas sorpresas, entre ellas el descubrimiento de una inusual planta conocida como Voodoo Lily durante la primera primavera de Marie y Billy en The Dalles. Para Marie, el jardín se ha convertido en mucho más que un espacio al aire libre. Durante la pandemia de COVID-19, comentó que el jardín le brindó “un refugio, ejercicio y algo positivo en qué enfocarse”.
El Premio de Embellecimiento reconoce a miembros de la comunidad que contribuyen a la apariencia y calidad de vida de The Dalles mediante el cuidado excepcional de sus jardines y propiedades, así como su orgullo por la comunidad.
El Comité de Embellecimiento y Árboles felicita a Marie Connell y Billy O’Keefe por este merecido reconocimiento y les agradece por contribuir a hacer de The Dalles un lugar más hermoso para vivir.
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