🌸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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Lan Su Chinese Garden (Old Town), plum blossoms late February

Hoyt Arboretum, Magnolia collection (Washington Park)

late Feb into March. free, no ticket, just park at the visitor center and walk the trail

Portland Japanese Garden (Washington Park)

cherry blossoms end of March most years. buy timed tickets ahead, the actual peak weekend sells out

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

Leach Botanical Garden (SE Portland)

trilliums and camas along the creek in April. quieter than everything else on this list, which is the point

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden (Eastmoreland)

the actual peak, late April into early May. this is the one worth building the whole weekend around

International Rose Test Garden (Washington Park)

only if you stretch the tour into June instead, peak rose bloom, not really a spring stop anymore

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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