Portland has a few nice gardens. One, not too dramatic in the flower catergory, is the Japanese Garden just on the edge of the city center.
The Rose Garden is across the parking from the entrance to the Japanese Garden.
One garden (you should keep these streets on record) is on a section of Military Lane off Macadam Avenue, overlooking the Willamette River about 2 miles south of downtown, it's called the Garden of the Bishop's Close. The natural scenery is fairly impressive around here for the wild areas. Mt. Hood National Forest is about 1 hour east of Portland. One way to go there, is to drive east through the Columbia River Gorge to Hood River city, and go south behind Mt. Hood, tallest peak in Oregon, only all year skiing in the USA I recall.
That's lost lake at the base of Mt. Hood. With the gorge route, it's possible to stop at Mulnomah falls which is 20 minutes from the east side of Portland:
It's about 3 hours to see Crater Lake far down south, but I'm not sure if it's worth the drive unless you plan to see more of the state.That's a lake in the top of a volcanic crater, with a small volcanic cone in the center.
Portland is nice to visit, but if you come to Portland, it's Oregon that make the visit. This is a state to visit from May to September to really enjoy the green and get some warm weather. The coast is famous for scenery - here's one beach in Seaside, about 1 hour west.
And on the way there, about 7 miles shy of Seaside, is this largest Sitka spruce in the USA, there is a sign. The tree is maybe 300 feet off the highway.
On the way there, try eating at Camp 18 restaurant, a logging museum style restaurant - largest ridge pole in US. It has old machinery outside in the parking lot, and inside. Huge meals. It's in a forest community next to a small river.
 Before I forget, there is a very large new garden - the OREGON GARDEN, in Silverton, about 1.5 hours south of Portland.
It is the new major garden of the state. Young, but nice. You can find it on www.google.com for sure. Some people like to "hop" north into Washington to see Mt. St. Helens which blew it's top about 1980. Visible from Portland. If you have children with you, look up on the internet APE CAVE or APE CAVES near Cougar City or Mt. St. Helens - a huge lava tube you can go down into. Bring at least 2 flashlights with new batteries. Don't need big lights, but good ones. You may enjoy a charter fishing tour at the coast. I understand there are a few private gardens open to public on the coast. And those can mean memories. Nothing like walking with a cup of coffee, tea or soda, and meeting a resident one-on-one with garden talk. Hope that is of interest. I must be feeling good tonight to pat away at the keyboard so much. If you ever need a contact here (I can't list a website here, against the rules, but if you are "wise" on internet addresses, the "mdvaden" in mdvadenoforegon can be framed in by the needed letters and dots. I wrote this so you can print it out as a reference if you wish. The forum below would be your best internet source to register into, and ask garden questions before you come this way if you want more information about garden. But the link is there to check out. Maybe it has all you need. If you use "images" on www.google.com consider also looking at photos of "deshutes river" "smith rock" "mt. bachelor" "manzanita" "newport aquarium" "portland chinese garden" "hoyt arboretum" "tillamook cheese" (number 1 tourist attraction / restaurant, ice cream, samples, viewing window of factory - it's on the coast in Tillamook) Best regards. |
