Cold Spring Days and Berry Botanic Garden

We Northwesterners recognize that the month of April is typically chilly and damp; however, this year is noticeably colder.  In exchange for this unusually cold season, we ought to receive a long, warm summer that extends halfway into fall.  The weather owes us a pleasant summer, don’t you think?  Everyone I chat with is complaining about the cold; yet the new season is showing signs that springtime is here, in the face of our crabbiness. 

I toured Berry Botanic Garden in Portland on Sunday.  Balls of primula flowers were dancing on cool breezes, pink or white blossoms covered bare branches of early flowering trees and the rhododendrons were popping color into opening trusses.  Even with the wind and rainsqualls passing through, it was pleasant to visit again. 

The garden is a gathering of Rae Berry’s (known internationally as a serious plantswoman in the 1920s) plant collections, rhododendron forest and alpine rock gardens.  Trails take you through the rhododendron forest and native plants. The most important aspect of the garden is that it houses a seed bank of rare and endangered native plants, plus programs that help with recovery projects.

If you are in the Portland area and haven’t visited this garden, I encourage you to do so.  A five-dollar donation is well worth the cost to stroll the grounds surrounding the Berry house.

Comments

[Les]

I think we are have your weather also. We have not seen the sun in nearly a week and every day is full of cold wind, mist and rain -- I am so depressed. Let's hope the rest of our spring is more pleasant.

[Lisa]

Thanks for the tip! I absolutely plan on taking a trip to the garden. I love living in the Portland area. We have so many incredible parks to chose from. People ought to check out Crystal Springs Rhododendron gardens (groves of giant 100+ year old rhodies that look like great weird trees) and the very English-looking Bishop's Close, as well.

[Debbie]

We had only time to visit one garden, Bishop's Close or BBG. We actually let a coin toss decide. Next time I am down there it will be Bishop's Close.