🌸a weekend of Portland gardens, in the order they actually bloom
not alphabetical, not by neighborhood. the order the flowers show up so you don't drive out to a garden that's still brown.
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1
Lan Su Chinese Garden (Old Town), plum blossoms late February
2
Hoyt Arboretum, Magnolia collection (Washington Park)
late Feb into March. free, no ticket, just park at the visitor center and walk the trail
3
Portland Japanese Garden (Washington Park)
cherry blossoms end of March most years. buy timed tickets ahead, the actual peak weekend sells out
4
Elk Rock Garden at Bishop's Close (Dunthorpe)
rhododendrons and magnolias, March into April. weekdays only, 8-5, and the gate is easy to miss the first time
5
Leach Botanical Garden (SE Portland)
trilliums and camas along the creek in April. quieter than everything else on this list, which is the point
6
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden (Eastmoreland)
the actual peak, late April into early May. this is the one worth building the whole weekend around
7
International Rose Test Garden (Washington Park)
only if you stretch the tour into June instead, peak rose bloom, not really a spring stop anymore
8
Peninsula Park Rose Garden (North Portland), Oregon's oldest, same June timing as the Test Garden but a fifth of the crowd
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