Everything’s Coming Up Roses ~ More Portland Oregon

Written By Veena Mahendru
Color as far as the eye can see, beauty for the soul to feast on. Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon.

Color as far as the eye can see, beauty for the soul to feast on. Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon.

“When the world wearies and society fails to satisfy, there is always the garden. “ - Minnie Aumonier

I just felt I had to continue the Portland story because there is so much natural beauty on offer here both in the surrounding areas and woven within the tapestry of the city itself.

Beaches, rivers, waterfalls, mountains, forests, gardens and orchards offer an abundance of natural beauty but most amazing are the parks and gardens that flourish here that give this city one of it’s names ~ The Rose City.

While there are beautiful parks and gardens both free and paid that abound in the city but thanks to the beautiful climate and avid gardeners you can see bursts of color surrounded by green every where you go.

While there are beautiful parks and gardens both free and paid that abound in the city but thanks to the beautiful climate and avid gardeners you can see bursts of color surrounded by green every where you go.

I’ve already talked about the Rose Garden and it was certainly my favorite of all the gardens that I was privileged to visit during this trip. I can’t describe the feeling as you come down the steps and see the riot of color spread as far as your eye can see. My pictures just don’t do it justice. This garden has been in existence since 1917 as a public garden and remains free to the public. Here they experiment and test different varieties of roses. Modeled after the famous Pasadena Rose Parade locally here in Southern California, Portland has it’s own Rose Festival where they crown a queen and have a parade and other fun activities.

I’ve already talked about the Rose Garden and it was certainly my favorite of all the gardens that I was privileged to visit during this trip. I can’t describe the feeling as you come down the steps and see the riot of color spread as far as your eye can see. My pictures just don’t do it justice.

This garden has been in existence since 1917 as a public garden and remains free to the public. Here they experiment and test different varieties of roses. Modeled after the famous Pasadena Rose Parade locally here in Southern California, Portland has it’s own Rose Festival where they crown a queen and have a parade and other fun activities.

Transitioning from all that glorious color I walked across the parking lot and up a flight of stairs to the entrance of the Japanese Garden. This beautiful water fountain starts to stage the visitor for the tranquility of the Japanese garden right here as you line up to buy your tickets. While there is a steep climb from here to the entrance of the gardens, you can request a shuttle that will drive you up the hill.

Transitioning from all that glorious color I walked across the parking lot and up a flight of stairs to the entrance of the Japanese Garden. This beautiful water fountain starts to stage the visitor for the tranquility of the Japanese garden right here as you line up to buy your tickets.

While there is a steep climb from here to the entrance of the gardens, you can request a shuttle that will drive you up the hill.

“A Japanese garden is not only a place for the cultivation of trees and flowering shrubs, but one that provides secluded leisure, rest, repose, meditation, and sentimental pleasure.” - Professor Takuma Tono, Designer of the Portland Japanese Garden.

“A Japanese garden is not only a place for the cultivation of trees and flowering shrubs, but one that provides secluded leisure, rest, repose, meditation, and sentimental pleasure.” - Professor Takuma Tono, Designer of the Portland Japanese Garden.

The authentic Chinese gates that once marked the entrance to Chinatown and this garden are all that remain of a once thriving Chinese community in the original Chinatown. Surrounded by tall buildings of downtown Portland, and what has become a seedy neighborhood the gardens offer an oasis of tranquility to visitors of which there were quite a few despite the growing heat of the day.

The authentic Chinese gates that once marked the entrance to Chinatown and this garden are all that remain of a once thriving Chinese community in the original Chinatown.

Surrounded by tall buildings of downtown Portland, and what has become a seedy neighborhood the gardens offer an oasis of tranquility to visitors of which there were quite a few despite the growing heat of the day.

Covering an entire city block the garden was built by Suzhou artisans in an authentic Ming Dynasty style with it’s unique architecture and design. All things considered the garden is pretty small and I personally could not help compare it to my favorite Chinese Garden here in the Huntington, Pasadena, California.

Covering an entire city block the garden was built by Suzhou artisans in an authentic Ming Dynasty style with it’s unique architecture and design. All things considered the garden is pretty small and I personally could not help compare it to my favorite Chinese Garden here in the Huntington, Pasadena, California.

While this was not on my original list of gardens to visit a local recommended it highly so I made my way there as dusk was deepening in the sky. This is a catholic sanctuary set both at the foot of and atop a 110 basalt cliff. On the top is an bot…

While this was not on my original list of gardens to visit a local recommended it highly so I made my way there as dusk was deepening in the sky. This is a catholic sanctuary set both at the foot of and atop a 110 basalt cliff. On the top is an botanical garden with several trails that are marked by religious statuary that provide both hiking and an opportunity for contemplation.

To me the crowning glory here was a glass enclosed meditation chamber tht extends out from the top of the cliff giving you breathtaking views of the city skyline towards the airport side.

Color abounds everywhere you go whether it’s these hanging baskets in Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse square or on street corners and outside homes. Given more time I would have explored more of Washington Park with it’s Hoyt Arboretum and other natural delights but I still managed to cover a fair bit of ground despite the heat.

Color abounds everywhere you go whether it’s these hanging baskets in Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse square or on street corners and outside homes.

Given more time I would have explored more of Washington Park with it’s Hoyt Arboretum and other natural delights but I still managed to cover a fair bit of ground despite the heat.

An abundance of pears. So a funny story about a friend visiting Portland and seeing pear trees bursting with fruit such that fruit was falling to the ground. He couldn’t resist and reached over to pick up a few pears from the ground whereupon an orchard worker came over and asked him to pluck what he wanted from the trees instead. We talked about it but resisted the urge to pluck fruit at which point our guide took pity on us and took us to a fruit stand where we were able to legitimately buy cherries, apples, peaches, apricots, pears, plums and all manner of other local fruit and also do some hard cider tasting.

An abundance of pears. So a funny story about a friend visiting Portland and seeing pear trees bursting with fruit such that fruit was falling to the ground. He couldn’t resist and reached over to pick up a few pears from the ground whereupon an orchard worker came over and asked him to pluck what he wanted from the trees instead.

We talked about it but resisted the urge to pluck fruit at which point our guide took pity on us and took us to a fruit stand where we were able to legitimately buy cherries, apples, peaches, apricots, pears, plums and all manner of other local fruit and also do some hard cider tasting.

Veena Mahendru
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