Photos by Cheryl Landes The Leach Botanical Garden in Southeast Portland, Oregon, is a pleasant place to take a walk at any time of year. The estate is located in a beautiful forest, which has more than 2,000 plant species and nature trails that are open to the public. The estate was the home of … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Leach Botanical Garden in Portland
Photos by Cheryl Landes The Ladd Circle Park and Rose Gardens are located in a beautiful residential neighborhood called Ladd's Addition in east Portland, Oregon. The 1.62-acre park has 3,000 roses representing more than 60 varieties that were popular in the early 20th century. The park is named after William Sargent Ladd, who migrated West … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Ladd Circle Park and Rose Gardens in Portland
Photos by Cheryl Landes The International Rose Test Garden at Washington Park in southwest Portland, Oregon, is among 11 American Garden Rose Selections (AGRS) test sites. The idea for the garden in Washington Park began in 1915, when Jesse A. Currey, Sunday editor of the Oregon Journal newspaper and rose hobbyists, convinced Portland city officials … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: The International Rose Test Garden at Washington Park in Portland
Photos by Cheryl Landes The Owen Rose Garden, is an 8.5-acre park with more than 4,000 roses representing 400 varieties. Former Eugene city councilman and lumberman, George E. Owen, donated five acres of the land and his house to the city in 1951. The Eugene Rose Society donated the original 750 rose bushes. The garden … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Owen Rose Garden in Eugene, Oregon
Photos by Cheryl Landes When I worked full-time in Acton, Masschusetts, my favorite activity during lunch was taking a walk in the Acton Arboretum in the center of town. This 65-acre preserve with trails crossing meadows, gardens, and woods is a pleasant escape for 30 minutes or a few hours. Every time I visit New … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Spring at the Acton Arboretum
Photos by Cheryl Landes Kubota Garden, a hidden gem of beauty and history in of South Seattle, is my favorite garden in the city. It's the work of Fujitaro Kubota, a self-taught gardener who immigrated from Japan to Seattle in 1907. He dreamed of creating gardens that showcased the Northwest in a Japanese manner. In … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Spring at Kubota Garden in Seattle
Photos by Cheryl Landes Lakewold Gardens in University Place, south of Tacoma, is a horticulturist's haven. A historic estate, the name of the gardens originate from a Middle Eastern term meaning lakewoods. The estate overlooks a lake and is a beautiful place to wander rain or shine. Unlike many gardens in the Pacific Northwest, Lakewold … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Lakewold Gardens
Photos by Cheryl Landes Hendricks Park, Eugene's oldest park, is a beautiful retreat at the northern end of the 12-mile Ridgeline Trail near the heart of the city and the University of Oregon campus. This 80-acre forest of Douglas fir trees contains world-renowned rhodendron and native plant gardens. Trails wind through the gardens, attracting walkers … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Hendricks Park Rhododendron Garden in Eugene
The voodoo dahlia variety at Swan Island Dahlias in Canby, Oregon Photos by Cheryl Landes It’s dahlia season. These beautiful flowers come in all shapes and sizes, from four-inch pom poms to starbursts exceeding 10 inches in diameter. Some look soft and spongy with layers of curled rounded petals, while others are spiky like a … Continue reading Celebrate dahlia season at Swan Island Dahlias
Tabby Cat's Pawprints 