Featured gardens and nursery destinations available on daily convention tours
Note: Tour itineraries for Wednesday 5/4, Thursday 5/5 and Saturday 5/7 tours are identified following the garden descriptions.
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
HISTORY
William S. Ladd, who served two terms of mayor of Portland in the 1800s, was the original owner of the property where the Garden is located. He called it Crystal Springs Farm. The oldest rhododendron in the current garden was planted prior to 1917.
The Portland Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society initiated the development of a display and test garden in 1950. Sam Jackson, owner of the Oregon Journal, had donated 27 acres on Terwilliger Blvd. for the garden, but the steep terrain made the site unsuitable. Claude I Sersanous, one of the group assigned to select a new site, suggested the garden’s present location in the Eastmoreland neighborhood of southeast Portland near Reed College. Referred to as Shakespeare Island by students at Reed because of the plays performed there, the roughly five-acre site was abandoned and overgrown with brush and blackberries. Through the efforts of the Portland Chapter and other volunteers, and with the support of Park Superintendent C.P. Keyser, the garden flourished.
The Garden was established in 1950 by special ordinance from the City of Portland, to be jointly maintained and administered by the Portland Parks and Recreation Department and the Portland Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society. The first planting started in October of 1950 with the transplanting of three 40-year old hybrid Cynthia rhododendrons, which were donated and came from the home of Mr. Keyser. The first rhododendron show was held in 1956. The garden was officially named the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in 1964. The Garden was featured in the 3rd ARS convention, held in Portland in May 1974 (photo below).
The Garden was initially developed as a test garden to replace the one on Terwilliger Blvd. The aims were to evaluate rhododendron over a period of several years, to grant awards to worthy varieties, and to acquaint the public with all kinds of rhododendron, thus serving as an educational as well as scientific project. Lack of security and adequate protection made the testing component of the plan impractical, and that aspect of the concept was dropped.
The original garden, on what is now called the Island, was designed by Ruth Hansen, a landscape architect and member of the Portland Chapter. The portion of the garden known as the Peninsula was designed by Wallace K. Huntington, a well-known Portland landscape architect, and was dedicated in 1977. The rocks used to build the waterfalls and other features were gathered from Mt Hood and Mt Adams. The garden paths were redesigned in the first decade of this millennium to bring the park into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Routes through the park are now accessible by wheelchair.
Beginning in the 1980s the Garden underwent a series of improvements: stone was placed along the shoreline, the Jane Martin Garden was re-landscaped and the Paddison Water Fountain was installed in the South Lagoon. Both bridges were rebuilt to make them wider and more attractive. In 2005 the Fern Wall was added at the south end of the North Lagoon. Throughout the Garden’s history funds, and labor for additions and upgrades have come from generous donors and volunteers. During that time the garden has benefited from the continuing support and assistance provided by the Portland Parks Department.
TODAY
Today CSRG is a popular wedding venue, school trip destination, photography subject, and nature walk. The more than 2,500 rhododendrons, azaleas, and companion plants in the garden have all been donated by volunteers and interested individuals, or purchased with specially donated funds or from the profits of the two annual sales that support the Garden. Beginning in early spring and continuing into summer, the plants provide a magnificent display of color, giving visitors the opportunity to view many varieties rarely seen in the Pacific Northwest. During the fall, many companion trees add dramatic coloring. Spring-fed Crystal Springs Lake surrounds much of the garden, attracting many species of birds and waterfowl.
This internationally recognized Garden is enjoyed by thousands of guests each year. Visitors stroll by three waterfalls via two picturesque bridges and wander down shaded paths to Crystal Springs Lake. Marveling at the reach of the fountain spray, exploring the garden, and watching the sun set over Portland’s West Hills are favorite pastimes. A spring-fed lake surrounds much of the garden, attracting countless waterfowl which nest and feed in this natural habitat. In summer, trees, shrubs, and perennials add an abundance color. CSRG can accommodate up to 450 guests and offers five different weddings sites. Long regarded as a photographer’s dream, this tranquil setting makes it easy to forget that downtown Portland is only minutes away.
Cecil & Molly Smith Garden
The Cecil and Molly Smith Garden started in the early 1950s, when grass-seed grower Cecil Smith nurtured rare species from seeds imported from China and cuttings from England, as well as hybrids he developed on his property. Smith, one of the first members of the American Rhododendron Society, helped sponsor expeditions to the Himalayas to hunt for the woody plant with show-stopping foliage and flowers. In 1983, the American Rhododendron Society’s Portland Chapter purchased the garden from the Smiths and, along with the Willamette and Tualatin Valley Chapters, now manages and maintains it. Cecil Smith died in 1998 and Molly in 2007. “The garden positively reflects the lives of a couple who generously left a rhododendron legacy for future generations to enjoy,”
A canopy of native Douglas firs creates an ideal environment for a natural woodland garden of rare beauty, featuring superior forms of species and hybrid rhododendrons. Complimenting the rhododendron collection are choice trees, shrubs, wildflowers and bulbs. Each pathway reveals it’s own visual treat – a moss covered log with plants tucked into bark crevices, a fern garden, drifts of wild flowers. Masses of Cyclamen, Narcissus, Erythronium and Trillium flourish here, all perfect compliments to a rare collection of rhododendrons.
The Smith Garden has charmed and delighted visitors from around the world. It has been featured on the cover of Horticultural Magazine, PBS “Victory Garden” and “Garden Time” and is included in the book The American Man’s Garden by Rosemary Verey.
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, mediation, and sentimental pleasure. The Garden speaks to all the senses, not just to the mind alone.
Professor Takuma Tono, Designer of Portland Japanese Garden
Portland Japanese Garden was founded as an articulation of a way to feel about nature and as a hope for a peaceful world. It is located within Washington Park in Portland, Oregon, overlooking the city and providing a tranquil, urban oasis for locals and travelers alike. Inspired in the late 1950s by a wish to grow cultural ties between Oregon and Japan, the Mayor of Portland and members of the community conceived the idea of building a Japanese garden. These were the post-war years, the years of growing civil turmoil in America and chaos overseas. They were years when memories of World War II lay fresh and raw on both sides and tensions were still high.
Nature Needs no Translation
The newly formed Japanese Garden Society of Oregon had two reasons for building a Japanese garden: providing the citizens of Portland with a garden of great beauty and serenity while forging a healing connection to Japan on the heels of World War II. The Garden was imagined as blending Japanese and the Pacific Northwest landscapes together to experience “the other” in a way that was inspirational and rewarding.
At this time in U.S. history, Japanese gardens were similarly being established across the country to help build cultural understanding following the war. With nature needing no translation, it was hoped that interested American citizens could discover Japanese ideals and values firsthand, communicated simply through the forms and experience of a garden.
Professor Takuma Tono of Tokyo Agricultural University was retained to design the garden. His plan included five different garden styles laid out on 5.5 acres (2.2 ha) – a significant departure from single-style gardens in Japan. The design would highlight historical developments in Japanese garden architecture and, through that, address the Garden’s educational purpose.
In 1967, the Garden formally opened to the public for the summer. That year, more than 28,000 people came before the Garden closed for the winter. Portland’s temperate climate and supportive, creative community has helped Portland Japanese Garden become a beautiful, local landmark with soon about 100,000 people visiting annually. At its 25th anniversary in 1988, His Excellency Nobuo Matsunaga, the ambassador of Japan to the United States, visited Portland Japanese Garden and proclaimed it to be “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.”
A Growing Need for More
By 2010, more than 200,000 people were visiting the Garden annually and the problem then was that the garden’s popularity was growing beyond its desirable capacity. To address the problem, Portland Japanese Garden retained the world-renowned architect Kengo Kuma to seek a solution.
Kuma’s design principle of harmony between nature and architecture, as well as his commitment to natural materials and Japanese tradition, made him the perfect architect to create a Cultural Village outside the historical gardens, evocative of the monzenmachi or “gate-front towns” outside of Japanese temples. Together with the Portland Japanese Garden’s Curator, third generation master garden craftsman Sadafumi Uchiyama, Kuma designed the new Cultural Village, his first public commission in the U.S., to honor the singular experience of each visitor and ensure the serenity is protected for future generations.
Kuma stated that “Given its proximity to nature, Portland, Oregon is unlike any place in the world. The architecture in the Cultural Village serves as a connector to the stunning Oregon landscape, Japanese arts and tradition, and the original Garden which is, in itself, perfect,” Working on this project has influenced my approach, especially integrating green and wood. For example, the National Stadium in Tokyo will be rich in vegetation, evoking a feeling of forest in the city.”
Kuma and Uchiyama together have created an immersive, fluid journey from beginning to end. To better welcome visitors, the Tanabe Welcome Center entrance features a water garden with cascading ponds, beginning the transition from city to tranquility. The adjacent Jordan Schnitzer Japanese Arts Learning Center is home to a gallery space, a multi-purpose classroom, the Garden Gift Shop, and the Vollum Library, a comprehensive resource on Japanese gardening and related arts. The centerpiece of the Learning Center is a stunning staircase designed to also serve as seating for performances and demonstrations.
The third new building is a new Garden House, where an expanded offering of horticulture classes and workshops takes place. Kuma designed living roofs atop the two structures to absorb rainwater, while transitioning the eye gradually from the forest backdrop to the architecture below. A unique roof tile allowed razor thin, straight lines to be achieved.
At the heart of the Village, visitors will find an authentic, intimate Umami Café to rest and refresh while experiencing gracious Japanese-inspired service firsthand. The café’s unique location floats over the hillside at the east side of the Village, providing scenic views of the area’s surrounding beauty, reminiscent of the Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto. Constructed using Port Orford cedar and Tyvek, which emulates rice paper, the café floats in nature and fuses harmoniously into its surroundings. The new Cultural Village has extended the Garden’s mission and purpose to provide a heightened sense of tranquility, a more robust educational experience, and preserve significant Japanese cultural traditions and art forms.
In the spring of 2017, Portland Japanese Garden opened the Cultural Village with its four new structures, each LEED-certified and existing harmoniously with nature. Featuring spaces for cultural festivals, workshops, and performances as well as a Gift Shop and the Umami Café, the Cultural Village enriches visits and prepares visitors for stepping into the sacred spaces of the Garden itself.
Today, the organization is celebrated globally as a haven of beauty and cross-cultural understanding. With 500,000 visitors a year now, Portland Japanese Garden has grown into one of the leading Japanese cultural organizations around the world. Its meticulously maintained eight gardens, and authentic Japanese programming appeals to Portland locals and international visitors alike.
Choosing Peace in 2020
Portland Japanese Garden is proclaiming 2020 the “Year of Peace” by way of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. The Garden is dedicating all of its cultural programming to this idea, as 2020 marks also the 75th anniversary since the end of the World War II.
What happened 75 years ago was the most disastrous result of what happens when we stop talking to and stop trying to understand one another. Through our Garden and our programs, we can reach a global audience. We can’t solve people’s problems for them but we can help guide them to answers. It’s what our organization was founded on in 1963 and it is what our programs will do in this landmark year.
Stephen D. Bloom, CEO
Portland Japanese Garden Brochure/Map here
Lan Su Chinese Garden
Lan Su Chinese Garden is one of Portland’s greatest treasures and most interesting sites to see while visiting Portland. One of only six Chinese gardens in all of North America, it is a result of a collaboration between the cities of Portland and Suzhou, the sister city in China’s Jiangsu province that’s famous for its beautiful Ming Dynasty gardens. Lan Su’s name itself is showcases represents this relationship: sounds from both Portland and Suzhou are combined to form “Lan Su”. “Lan” (蘭) is also the Chinese word for “Orchid” and “Su” (蘇) is the word for “Arise” or “Awaken,” so the garden’s name can also be interpreted poetically as “Garden of Awakening Orchids.” (蘭蘇園)
Lan Su was built by 65 Chinese artisans from Suzhou utilizing traditional tools and methods. It is the most authentic Chinese garden outside of China. Additionally, much more than just a beautiful botanical garden, Lan Su is a creative wonder — a powerfully inspiring experience based on a 2,000-year-old Chinese tradition that melds art, architecture, design and nature in perfect harmony.
Once inside the garden’s walls, you’ll feel as if you’ve traveled through time to another era in a faraway world. Lan Su is a window into Chinese culture, history and way of thinking. Lan Su hosts more than 800 events each year — from tai chi classes to calligraphy demonstrations to cultural performances and more — virtually all are included with your admission or membership. Ever changing, Lan Su always has something new to offer — by the minute, by the hour, and with the seasons. Enter the wonderland.
Iseli Nursery
This is a rare opportunity to visit what is considered “one of the most outstanding conifer collections and displays in the world.”
In operation for more than 30 years, Iseli Nursery is one of the leading wholesale growers of exotic plants in the United States. Located in Boring, Oregon, Iseli Nursery is known for its rare and beautiful dwarf conifers, Japanese maples, and Living Art® ornamental trees and shrubs, made available to consumers through quality garden center retailers and professional landscapers throughout the United States and Canada.
Jean Iseli, the founder of the wholesale Iseli Nursery, died in 1986 but is now remembered in the spectacular on-site Jean Iseli Memorial Garden, created by his brother André. Jean was a gentle, deliberate man and his interest in mathematics when young was transformed in 1975 to an interest in plants, especially rare and dwarf conifers and Japanese maples. Jean voraciously studied plants and communicated with collectors and plant lovers worldwide. Capturing the imagination of hundreds of people, he formulated the collective dream of many by commercializing the rare and sharing them with the world.
There were many who believed that Jean’s fanaticism for dwarf conifers would be his financial undoing. He kept urging his employees to grow more, assuring them they would sell themselves once the gardeners of the world saw them. He prodded employees to experiment with unique grafts, multiple scion on mature plants, unique combinations of plant scions on one understock and scions grafted on standards of various heights. He directed experimentation with pleaching and interplanting to present the illusion of trans-species graft compatibility, creating new unique plant forms. Others had previously made some of these presentations as a lark or novelty, but none had done it with such gusto and on such a grand scale.
The nursery became a must-see for all interested in horticultural endeavors, but the nursery enjoyed only modest financial success during Jean’s lifetime. Much was spent expanding the plant production facility and the plant numbers – and there were so many plants to propagate. Regretfully, Jean passed away a few years before his foresight and perseverance were vindicated. His employees continued though, and today his efforts continue to be shared throughout the world by those who cherish the little gems of nature they produce.
The Stewart Garden (formerly Dover Nursery)
Welcome to the home and garden of Mike and Maria Stewart, the former Dover Nursery. After 40 years of growing and shipping probably the most diverse selection of hybrid and species rhododendrons offered in the Pacific Northwest, the Stewarts have just retired from the nursery business. Dover Nursery was well known for the beautifully grown rhododendrons they supplied to retail nurseries throughout the United States and Canada. Some 40,000 rhododendrons per year were produced and shipped, very likely to a garden center in your area. The number of varieties offered numbered around 1,000 varieties on this 80 acre property. You may very well have rhododendrons in your yard that were propagated and grown here.
When they aren’t traveling to exotic places, or speaking to plant groups, Mike and Maria spend much of their time further developing their beautiful display garden and arboretum. Besides enjoying these beautiful rhododendrons, one of their goals is to preserve a collection that represents so many of the great hybridizers throughout the country along with the famous plant explorers throughout history. You will also see a fine selection of mature trees, both coniferous and deciduous, plus dwarf rhododendrons and many companion plants growing in the rockery. This is truly a garden “flourishing in the foothills of Mt. Hood.”
Mike and Maria invite you to visit this beautiful garden and experience what visitors have called “a brand new awareness of the vast beauty and selection that the rhododendron genus offers.”
To get an idea of the wide range of plants displayed in the Stewart Garden, you’re welcome to view an inventory of both the rhododendrons in the garden as well as the featured trees.
Your visit here will include a sit-down lunch including a variety of Northwest wines and beer, all in a covered area among the rhododendrons. No worries if it rains–they will keep you cozy and dry. Mike and Maria look forward to seeing the many special friends they have met along the rhododendron way.
Take a look at the garden’s development progress with this recent VIDEO.
New for 2020: The Cascade Trail
Sebright Gardens
Sebright Gardens carries several hundred varieties of hostas. There are over 945 hosta varieties listed just on the website, six of which are distinct Sebright Gardens introductions: Emerald City Chick, Full Frontal, Gentle Giant, My Maria (new for 2018), Sweet Thing, Tangerine Tango & Tears of Joy. To compliment hostas, Sebright also offers over 150 varieties of Hardy Ferns & 117 varieties of Epimediums.
Sebright Gardens has approximately four acres (1.62 ha) of botanical display gardens. Visitors can also purchase a plethora of companion shade tolerant plants and many other unusual perennials that, unfortunately, are not able to be shipped.
Woodburn Nursery & Azaleas
Here is your opportunity to see one of the leading nursery operations in the country, specializing in implementing and inventing the very latest technology used in the industry.
Woodburn Nursery & Azaleas began in 1968 after Bob and Jean Fessler built a 25’ x 96’ (222 m2) greenhouse to grow their florist azalea liners. In 1976, the family switched to dormant azaleas instead of liners, and started raising foliage plants and a few annuals. By the 1980’s, Bob and Jean’s children began working for the nursery, and by the late 1990’s, their grandchildren began working summers on the nursery as well. Woodburn Nursery started pot-n-pot production in 2000 for rhododendrons and other shrubs; one acre (0.4 ha) turned into ten (4 ha), and by 2007, the nursery had installed 185 acres (75 ha) of this type of production.
Today the nursery consists of a total of 500 acres (202 ha), including 120 acres of covered production area, 56 of which is for azalea production. The balance is for nursery stock production. The nursery stock includes 65 acres (26 ha) of can yard and 225 acres (91 ha) of pot-n-pot production. The farming aspect of the business continues to grow strong, and the family currently raises grass seed, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet corn, onions, peas, blueberries and hazelnuts. Bob and Jean are still active in the business, along with their children and grandchildren.
Mt. Hood & Columbia River Gorge
Featured on TOUR D Thursday, 4/30 (the scenic route back to the Heathman following Iseli Nursery and the Stewart Garden)
Leaving the Stewart Garden and traveling the highway east toward Mt. Hood (11,245’), you will be following the route of the old Barlow Road. This 1845 wagon road was the last leg of the famous Oregon Trail originating in Independence, Missouri and terminating in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. Look carefully out the right side of the bus, especially just after passing through the town of ‘Rhododendron’ to see the old Barlow road. As you approach the ski village of Government Camp, on the right side is the largest night ski area in America, Mt. Hood Ski Bowl. Government Camp was named for the U.S. Army wagon train that became stuck in snow drifts throughout the winter of 1849.
Farther up the mountain at 6,000 ft. elevation, but not included in this tour, is Timberline Lodge, the only year around ski area in North America. Olympic teams from around the world come here to train during the summer months. Average snow depth during the winter at the lodge is 21 feet.
As you head north around the east side of Mt. Hood, you will gently descend 4,000 feet in elevation through a mixed forest including several species of trees. At the higher elevation you first see Noble Fir, followed by Mountain Hemlock, Lodgepole Pine, Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, and finally a few Ponderosa Pine as you approach the Hood River Valley and the Columbia River.
The Hood River Valley is a major apple and other fruit growing area, producing 225,000 tons of fruit each year for the global market. The orchard area extends over 12,000 acres. April and May are perfect months to travel through the valley to view a sea of fruit tree blossoms. From the Valley, comes the first view of the Columbia River and the beautiful Columbia Gorge through which the river flows. The Gorge was formed thirteen to fifteen thousand years ago when multiple massive ice and water flows burst free from the north, known as the Missoula floods. The sediment from these floods poured into the Willamette Valley region depositing over 60 feet in depth of sediment for over 100 miles to the south. These sediments, along with an abundance of rainfall and long growing seasons makes the Willamette Valley one of the highest producing agriculture regions in the United States
The Columbia George is known for its massive basalt canyon walls, impressive views, waterfalls, and for the wind that blows in this area. This ‘wind tunnel’ area attracts thousands of wind surfers during the summer months. The town of Hood River is a major tourist attraction, yet keeps its uniquely small town feeling. The Columbia River is also famous for the hydro-electric dams that produce 40% of the entire nation’s hydro power.
You will travel past the Bonneville Dam which was built during the Great Depression. There is great care in the Pacific Northwest to protect the salmon runs on the river, and at the Bonneville Dam to also house the giant sturgeon hatchery. As you travel west down the river toward Portland, enjoy the many waterfalls cascading from the high cliffs on your left, and enjoy the river barge and boat travel on your right.
This tour is a unique opportunity to see and enjoy the major volcanic mountain of our area, one of the major rivers in America, and to relax and share the wonders of the Pacific Northwest with your friends. Enjoy!
Wednesday/Thursday/Saturday Tour Choices
Individual pricing will be identified on Registration Form
WEDNESDAY, 5/4, 8:30A-5p, includes box lunch
TOUR A: (Concurrent with Tour B): Crystal Springs, Japanese Garden, Lan Su Chinese Garden
TOUR B: (Concurrent with Tour A): Sebright Gardens, Smith Garden, Woodburn Nursery
5/5 THURSDAY, 8:30A-5P, includes lunch at Stewart Garden
TOUR C: (Concurrent with Tour D) Iseli Nursery, Stewart Garden, Crystal Springs
TOUR D: (Concurrent with Tour C): Iseli Nursery, Stewart Garden, Mt. Hood & Columbia River Gorge
5/7 SATURDAY, 1:30-5:30P
TOUR E: Portland Japanese Garden and Lan Su Chinese Garden