10 Beautiful Farms, Parks, and Festivals to See Flowers near Portland
There’s something about waking up to snow in Portland in late March that makes my longing for spring flowers take on an edge of desperation. I meant to write about waterfalls today, but I can see now that it has to be flowers. If, like me, you find yourself lingering for a weird amount of time by your neighbor’s camellia, hellebore, and daphne, this post is for you. Arranged (loosely) by season, here are the best flower farms, gardens, fields, and festivals near Portland, Oregon, where you can enjoy the blooms. Any. Danged. Minute. Now.
1. Tryon Creek State Natural Area
Trillium blooms along Old Main Trail at Tryon Creek State Natural Area
The flowers: Western trillium
When to go: Usually March until early May. The cold spring of 2023 has delayed wildflower season, so think April instead of March. The Trillium Festival will take place on April 1, 2023.
Where to go: Tryon Creek State Natural Area, 11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd, Portland, OR 97219
Cost: Free
One of Oregon’s most stunning wildflowers is the delicate, three-petaled trillium that grows in forested undergrowth. Trillium blooms emerge as bright white flowers that become mottled with pink and then turn a deep mauve as the season progresses. There are plenty of places to hunt for trillium near Portland, including along many popular hikes in the Columbia Gorge, like the Latourell Falls Trail.
Southwest Portland’s Tryon Creek State Park is one of the best and most accessible places to find trillium. In early spring, the wildflower is so abundant that Tryon Creek hosts an annual Trillium Festival in its honor. Look for a native plant sale and family-friendly activities during the festival, all of which are free to attend. You’ll want to try out one of the nature trails while you’re there to find trillium in one of its best habitats. For a more peaceful experience in the woods, visit Tryon Creek in April on a day other than the Trillium Festival for a quiet stroll on one of its forested trails.
Note that the cold spring of 2023 means a later-than-usual trillium season. I saw exactly one trillium flower (pictured) during my visit on March 21, 2023. By early April, I would expect to see more blooms.
2. Tom McCall Waterfront Park
Cherry blossoms at Tom McCall Waterfront Park (3/27/23)
The flowers: Cherry blossoms
When to go: Usually mid-March into early April. In 2023, the blossoms are opening up at the end of March.
Where to go: Tom McCall Waterfront Park in downtown Portland
Cost: Free
Blink and you’ll miss it. For a brief window of time in spring, Tom McCall Waterfront Park on the west bank of the Willamette River is transformed by the emergence of cherry blossoms. Ephemeral pink blooms stand out against the industrial steel of the bridges and the gray-blue of the river. It is without a doubt my favorite time to visit Portland’s waterfront and a welcome change from the months of drab winter drizzle. Blossoms usually start emerging in mid-March and peak shortly after. In 2023, the trees are looking great now during the last week of March and I suspect will be at their peak around the next week or two.
You can find the best cherry blossoms on the waterfront between the Burnside Bridge and the Steel Bridge. Get a bird’s eye view of the trees by looking down from the bridges or see the blossoms up close by walking along the Tom McCall Waterfront Trail. Portland’s cherry blossoms are popular and it is difficult to get photos that have more trees than people in them. Going early in the morning is your best bet to avoid crowds and get the best photos. I went midmorning on a weekday, which was too late even before peak bloom.
3. Portland Japanese Garden
Weeping Cherry at the Portland Japanese Garden
The flowers: Cherry blossoms — and more!
When to go: April for cherry blossoms. To get precise with it, check out the Japanese Garden’s cherry blossom tracker. Look for other flowers in the garden throughout the summer.
Where to go: Portland Japanese Garden, 611 SW Kingston Ave, Portland, OR 97205
Cost: Adult: $21.95, Senior (65+): $18.95, Student (with ID): $17.95, Youth (6-17): $15.95, Child (5 and under): Free
I went to the Portland Japanese Garden for the first time years ago, expecting it to be wall-to-wall cherry blossoms. The approach to the garden is promising since the parking lot for Washington Park is lined with cherry trees. Expect quality rather than quantity inside the Japanese Garden, which has one really, really good cherry tree. Look for the 80-year-old weeping cherry just outside of the Pavilion Gallery.
The best cherry blossoms in the Portland Japanese Garden (and its parking lot) usually bloom a little later than in other parts of the city, like the waterfront, because it’s at a higher elevation. Besides the spectacular weeping cherry, you can find Yoshino cherry trees near the Strolling Pond and outside the Umami Cafe. While you’re there, it’s a treat to explore the meandering paths through the Portland Japanese Garden, which has been called the most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan. Look for the elegant waterfall, picturesque bridges, and rotating cultural displays during your visit.
4. Wildflowers of the Columbia Gorge
Balsamroot and paintbrush bloom along the Tom McCall Trail
The flowers: Hundreds of wildflower species bloom in the Columbia Gorge. The showiest are balsamroot, lupine, and paintbrush.
When to go: April until early June for peak season.
Where to go: Find my full list of suggestions for the best wildflower hikes near Portland here.
Cost: Usually free
April to me has become synonymous with wildflower season in the Columbia Gorge. Already beautiful trails take on an almost magical quality when lined with bright yellow clumps of balsamroot and tall purple stems of lupines. The best-known wildflower hikes are toward the eastern side of the Columbia Gorge, where pine forests give way to grasslands that become dotted with the vibrant colors of wildflowers in spring. Early bloomers like grass widows, shooting stars, and desert parsley appear first, usually in March. April and May are the months when you find balsamroot and lupines at their best. As with the flowers in the city, I expect a slightly later wildflower season in 2023 due to the cold spring.
Forested trails in the Columbia Gorge are an often overlooked place to see incredible wildflowers. Here, you’ll find different varieties than you do on the grassy hills. In the woods, look for trillium blooms emerging first. Later in the season, you can find columbine, larkspur, iris, foxglove, and tiger lilies along the trails.
5. Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival
Tulips bloom at Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm
The flowers: Lilacs. No, just kidding, it is tulips.
When to go: Late March and April. The start of the 2023 Tulip Festival was pushed back to March 24th due to a late tulip season.
Where to go: Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm, 33814 S Meridian Rd, Woodburn, OR 97071
Cost: Around $15-20. Tickets must be purchased in advance online. Children 12 and under can attend for free without a ticket.
While the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival has been a longtime Oregon favorite, in the past few years it has gotten wildly popular. I went for the first time about five years ago. I got there sometime in the middle of a weekend day, parked with no problem, paid for admission onsite, and didn’t struggle with any crowds. A couple of years later, my friends and I gave up on visiting the festival after being stopped for about 30 minutes on the road leading to the farm, still three miles away. If you find yourself in a similar situation, I suggest a wine tasting at a nearby Cascade foothills winery like St. Josef’s or Whiskey Hill as an alternative.
Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm is still a beautiful place to visit, it just involves a bit more planning now. During the weeks of the Tulip Festival, you can purchase tickets online in advance here. Tickets are not sold onsite, so be sure to buy them in advance. Going early can help avoid the worst of the crowds. Also, bring your most mud-proof boots. Tall rubber rain boots would be ideal. Wooden Shoe is a working farm and the tulip fields get muddy in spring.
6. International Rose Test Garden
The flowers: The roses of your wildest dreams.
When to go: Usually May - October with peak blooms in June.
Where to go: Internation Rose Test Garden, 400 SW Kingston Ave, Portland, OR 97205
Cost: Free to visit. Parking is about $2/hour.
Portland’s International Rose Test Garden is a flower lover’s paradise with over 10,000 rose bushes in every color imaginable. Dainty roses snake up trellises and light poles while huge showy roses bloom in neat bushes. Look for the first roses blossoming around May. Peak season is usually in June with some blooms lasting as late as October. If you arrive before the roses bloom, look for wisteria, rhododendrons, and cherry blossoms in April.
Beyond the flowers, the International Rose Test Garden is a beautiful place to visit. Situated in Portland’s West Hills, the garden overlooks downtown and a distant Mt Hood. There are sculptures, a grassy amphitheater, and hiking trails that connect the forest of Washington Park to the Hoyt Arboretum and Forest Park.
Read all about the Portland Rose Garden here.
7. Rhodendrons at Crystal Springs — and beyond!
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
The flowers: Rhododendrons aplenty, including rare species.
When to go: April - June to see the rhododendrons blooming.
Where to go: Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, 5801 SE 28th Avenue, Portland, OR 97282
Cost: $9/adult, $6/student, children 5 & younger are free
There are so many great places to see rhododendrons in and around Portland that I have trouble choosing just one. My neighbor, for instance, has an enormous bush that will soon devour his house and then, I suspect, the world. Beyond a doubt, one of the best places to see rhododendrons in Portland is Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. Their earliest blooming rhodies have already started opening with many more blossoms to come in April of 2023. While admiring the flowers, keep an eye out for the park’s resident group of bald eagles in the trees.
Also, consider checking out these excellent places to see rhododendrons near Portland:
The Upper Garden of the Grotto.
Along the forested trails of the Columbia Gorge and the Cascade foothills.
The Connie Hansen Garden Conservatory in Lincoln City.
8. Iris festival at Schreiner’s Iris Garden
Schreiner’s Iris Garden
The flowers: Irises, lupines, poppies, and more.
When to go: May. Keep an eye on the garden’s website here for exact dates.
Where to go: Schreiner’s Iris Gardens, 3625 Quinaby Road NE, Salem, OR 97303
Cost: $5-8, children 12 & younger are free. You can buy tickets online starting in April.
Just as many of the spring flowers are fading around Portland, irises start to come into their own. The best place to see the astounding beauty and diversity of irises is at Schreiner’s Iris Garden, where over 500 types are on display during the flower show. For $5, you can tour the stunning iris gardens and fields, or you can skip the admission and take home some cut or potted irises from the gift shop. In 2023, look for the artist’s fair on May 27th, 28th, and 29th from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
9. Swan Island Dahlia Festival
Swan Island Dahlias
The flowers: Dahlias galore
When to go: August and September
Where to go: Swan Island Dahlias, 995 NW 22nd Ave, Canby, OR 97013
Cost: Free to park and visit. Dahlias are available for purchase.
Dahlias are the floral highlight of late summer. With flowers ranging from delicate, daisy-like arrangements to dinnerplate-sized monster blooms, you start to get the sense that there is no end to the types of dahlias out there. Roaming the 40 acres of dahlias during the Swan Island Dahlia Festival will strengthen that impression. Expect to see every dahlia shape, size, color, and combination of colors. After getting photos in the fields, check out the food carts, gift shop with local products, and live music during the festival.
10. Hood River Fruit Loop
Hollyhocks bloom at Draper Girls Country Farm
The flowers: Dahlias, sunflowers, lavender, and more.
When to go: June - October is the best time for U-pick fruit and flowers. Visit June - September for lavender.
Where to go: From Hood River, drive south on OR-35.
Cost: Usually free to visit. Lavender farms sometimes have a small entrance fee.
Although best known for their U-pick fruit, the farms of the Hood River Fruit have wonderful flowers. In particular, lavender farms are stunning places to visit, where bees hover over neat rows of lavender blossoms, often with mountain views in the distance. Take home some U-pick lavender to carry the fragrance of the fields with you on the drive back to town.
Beyond the lavender farms, many orchards have U-pick flowers as well as fruit. Mt View Orchards in particular has beautiful fields of U-pick flowers next to their fruit trees. Look for dahlias, sunflowers, and lavender there. After admiring the flowers, stop by one of the wineries nearby for a glass or tasting. To read all about the best things to do in the Hood River Fruit Loop, check out my article here.
Lavender field at Mt View Orchards
In summary, the best places to see flowers in and around Portland are:
Tryon Creek State Natural Area
Tom McCall Waterfront Park
Portland Japanese Garden
Columbia Gorge
Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival
International Rose Test Garden
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Gardens
Schreiner’s Iris Garden
Swan Island Dahlia Festival
Hood River Fruit Loop
Enjoy the flowers!
With love,
Emma
Council Crest Viewpoint
