Rhododendrons In All Their Glory
Spring is breathtaking in the Pacific Northwest. Flowers I am unaccustomed to, having just moved from a significantly drier and warmer climate, are in profuse bloom here...like rhododendrons, which are currently melting my heart with their huge complex color schemes.
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
A walk around Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in Portland is a sensory delight. End of April, beginning of May, is prime time for blossoms. The first rhododendron show here took place in 1956. Waterfalls cascade down rocks collected from Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams and spring-fed Crystal Springs Lake runs through the garden. Ducks and geese don't seem to mind us gawkers. If you visit, parking is limited. Come early in the day if you can.
Geese and ducks enjoy the garden too.
Profusion of colors
Another charming rhododendron garden is a testament to one couple's passion for the rhodie, the Cecil and Molly Smith Garden in St. Paul, Oregon. Cultivated in the early '50s, their three acres of paths are sheltered by towering Douglas Firs. In 1983 the Portland Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society purchased the property that the Smiths developed while they raised their family in the house. Open weekends only in April and May, during blossom time.
Cecil and Molly's rhododendron garden, approximately 70 years old
