fieldtrip

I’ve known about Rare Plant Research for as long as I’ve been interested in plants, but it wasn’t until a coworker tipped me off that I became aware of their renowned annual plant sale and open house. Of course, long-time Portland residents like Loree of Danger Garden have been in on the secret for years. But if you think a true plant fanatic is going to pass on the opportunity to scope out and scoop up some rare plants, even after years of visits, well. You’d better think again.

The home of Rare Plant Research.

As a first-timer, you can imagine my surprise at finding this enormous Spanish-style villa overlooking the surrounding farmland just minutes outside of downtown Oregon City. And you can imagine my non-plant-obsessed boyfriend’s surprise at just how many people had turned up for the event. It was a gorgeous, sunny day, and he was content to sit under a tent next to the food truck while I plundered the greenhouses.

Around the greenhouses are beds growing Eucomis and Canna in-ground, as well as one devoted to hundreds of different kinds of Lewisia, like this one.

Surely one of the main draws of Rare Plant Research is the large selection of succulents. I can’t say I’ve fallen back in love with them, but seeing them so out of place here in Oregon does give me a new sense of appreciation.

Alpinia zerumbet, common name variegated ginger.
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When my sister and I were much younger, I remember taking a trip with our parents to someplace called “The Rhododendron Garden.” For whatever reason, our visit became a sort of running gag through the years: it was a meandering, stalwart garden with an abundance of squirrels and not much else.

It took me a while to connect that rhododendron garden to the one I decided to take my mom to for Mother’s Day this year. Maybe it was the timing that was off – to be sure, Mother’s Day coincides with the peak bloom time of most rhododendrons and many azaleas. And, of course, that meant the garden was packed with people (and, yes, lots of squirrels, ducks, geese and other wildlife). Even then, I find it hard to believe we could ever had such a lackluster experience in this  kind of wonderland.

The Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in Portland, Oregon.

There are plenty of waterfalls, lakes and ponds that give the garden an almost Asian feel.

What I’m guessing is some sort of wild violet?.
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