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A Closer Look at Winter Damage

But first, take a look at this gorgeous rainbow that we had on Friday! The five-day stretch of warm temperatures last week really jump-started the garden. Now that plants are putting out new growth, it is easier to see what kind of damage the winter left. Back in mid-January, we experienced five straight days of below-freezing temperatures. This caused much damage in Portland and areas where frigid winds were a factor. Here, we were fortunate to not get the wind and the cold temperatures were dampened by a blanket of snow. That said, it was a tough time for the garden and there are noticeable casualties but no outright deaths that I have seen. The bottlebrush ( Callistemon 'Woodlander's Red') did not like the cold at all. It was planted six years ago, in the north-facing garden no less, and I've not experienced die-back on it until now. A local expert said to cut it all the way back so that is what I did. If it doesn't make it, I won't be too distraught. It is

Portland Japanese Garden



The tranquil Japanese Garden in Portland covers 5.5 acres and overlooks the city. It is the most authentic Japanese garden outside Japan. I actually made two trips to this garden (the $9.50 admission price was well worth it). On my first trip, it was Sunday afternoon and the place was packed. Bright sun and cloudless skies were not optimal for good photos. I returned the following evening about one hour before closing time and then it was almost too dark because of the deeply shaded location. I didn't take my tripod on the trip so getting good photos was sometimes a challenge. The second trip was much more peaceful and there were very few people in the garden. If you are in Portland, this is a "must see"!
 
























Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

  1. Your pictures came out beautifully, Phillip, even without a tripod! What a tranquil place. It is worth $9.50 to soak up all that serenity!

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  2. very nice. Calming and lovely. Thanks for sharing.

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  3. Hi Phillip, you have been taking fantastic photos of the Japanese Garden in Portland! I have to admit I was there once and wasn't too impressed, but it was raining out of buckets and bitterly cold. I guess that has influenced my perception. After seeing your photos I would like to re-visit!
    Christina

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  4. Wow. Amazing how the smallest touches of hardscape such as those awesome heron statues really sets off these beautiful plants.

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  5. Oh my, how yummy. Some of those lumpy wavy shaded places with all that texture make me want to take a bite out of it. Marvelous.

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  6. Yes, it is a must-see. I saw it when I visited with GWA a few years ago. What a garden! I loved the Chinese garden too. Thank you for sharing it Phillip. Your photos brought back happy memories.~~Dee

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  7. Yes, it is a must-see. I saw it when I visited with GWA a few years ago. What a garden! I loved the Chinese garden too. Thank you for sharing it Phillip. Your photos brought back happy memories.~~Dee

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  8. Dee, I absolutely loved the Chinese garden. I'm posting photos of it next.

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  9. I happy that you got to go, but I wish it was me.

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  10. Such a beautiful garden. Thank you for sharing. Nothing like that here. Amazing how well you can even see the koi!

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  11. The Japanese Garden is really amazing, especially if you are lucky enough to catch it in just the right light, and when it isn't super full of people...glad you enjoyed it!

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  12. Great photos! I love this garden too! Jeannine

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  13. The photos are good!

    As for the garden I'm not a huge fan of Japanese gardens. I like things spread out more. That said, if I had that garden set in my front yard I'd get a tee shirt that said "come see my garden!" and wear it everywhere.

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  14. Phillip, Thanks so much for sharing this place. It is superb and so are your photos. The first shot with the purples is most impressive. And the koi in the lake picks out the red tinged bush. And the water fall caught in mid rush...

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  15. I love Japanese Gardens. You captured this one beautifully.The waterfall photo was amazing! Thanks for sharing.

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  16. Incredibly beautiful! I'm glad you were able to go back as your people free images are gorgeous!

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