Anne Jaeger
Oregon is blessed with such a bounty of breathtaking gardens; you don’t need one of your own. Here, we can borrow all the joy of a beautiful garden without lifting a shovel. (But I’d hate to see you miss out on the sense of accomplishment inherent in gardening.)
So, whether you garden or not, there are gardens in Oregon’s backyard that deserve the brief travel time to enjoy. Once a year, experts open their fields and display gardens for us to ogle and the splendor is not to be missed. And because each grower specializes in a different flower, there’s something different blooming every month from now on. Here are a few of my favorites:
Tulips:
Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm is in full bloom now until April 20th. Aisles upon aisles of blooms span the horizon (18 acres) and the scene is unbelievable when Mt. Hood is visible. Take your camera! For directions: 503-634-2243 woodenshoe.com
Daffodils:
Mitsch Novelty Daffodils is open every afternoon for another week or so. This small family business outside Hubbard, Oregon creates spectacular daffodils you’ve probably never seen before. Mr. and Mrs. Haven are nationally known as one of the best sources of daffodils nationwide. For directions: web-ster.com/havensr/mitsch/
503-651-2742.
Iris:
Schreiner’s Iris Gardens is open daily May 6th-June 5th. Their 10 acre viewing garden is a great place to have a picnic and see thousands of different kinds of Iris in bloom. The garden beds are so beautifully done; it’s not unusual to see painters trying their hand at capturing the scene. For directions: schreinersgardens.com 1-800-525-2367.
Tall Bearded Iris:
Cooley’s Gardens outside Silverton also opens in May. They specialize in tall bearded iris, up to four feet tall with flowers sporting a little beard on the lip of the outside petals. Acres of flowers bloom at the same time. For directions: cooleysgardens.com 503-873-5463.
Roses:
Heirloom Garden Roses in St. Paul, Oregon is absolutely phenomenal in May and June. You will see every type of rose imaginable; big, small, double, single and in every color but true blue. For directions: heirloomroses.com 503-538-1576.
Water Gardens:
Hughes Water Gardens on Stafford road outside Tualatin is “other worldly” when the heat is on during July and August. If you love water lilies, lotus blossoms, ponds and waterfalls, Hughes is torture to resist. For directions: watergardens.com 503-638-1709
Dahlias:
Swan Island Dahlias fields explode with a tapestry of color from August 26th to September 4th. There are 40 acres of dahlias blooming and hundreds of floral displays which are absolutely fantastic. Dahlias.com 503-266-7711.
There’s no place like Oregon when it comes to gardening. That’s why the rest of the nation buys 70% of our nursery stock. They can only dream of seeing the fields of flowers we visit for free. So, if you’re entertaining out of town guests, you’ll be a hero pointing out the vistas of color here every day of the week. But don’t wait for anyone else to catch on, or go with…if you have a day to yourself, escape the errands and have a visual treat.
