portland's best flower festivals
Its one of the things I love most about living in the pacific northwest. All that rain has a purpose come spring when we get ALL THOSE FLOWERS!
Winter
Chinese paper bush blooms in february in the lan su chinese garden, where we got married and one of the first places we visited on our first trip to Portland. It is one of the most fragrant flowers and one of my favorites in Portland. We love going throughout the year, but especially for chinese new year, which usually lines up nicely with paper bush blooms.
Spring
Next is the wooden shoe tulip festival which runs late march - April. In the last few years the season has been a bit later, some years it was earlier in March. Its the most abundant field of tulips in the area, I know there are also great tulip festivals in Skagit valley in Washington as well. We love going during the week to avoid crowds.
Also typically in late March are the cherry blossoms. The most famous collection in Portland are at the Tom McCall waterfront park. They get suuuuper crowded with everyone getting their cherry blossom photos, and they only last for a week or two so you really have to time this one right. Again, go early to get them to yourselves.
Next is the Crystal Springs Rhododendron garden. Typically the best show is April to May, depending on the year. Recently voted one of the top 5 gardens in the US. Its a huge property, and this was my first year going.
One of my most anticipated flower festivals is the wildflowers in the columbia river gorge, specifically balsam root and lupine. These beauties reach their peak early to mid April. For me this also means a bit of hiking to see my favorites at Mosier Plateau or Memaloose hills, but you can also drive out to the Rowena crest to see them sans hike.
In early May comes the lilacs. The Hulda Klager lilac days starts in early May, again a short window at 1-2 weeks for peak viewing. I LOVE the scent of lilacs. They are located 25 minutes north of Vancouver, not too far for us. Also my first time checking these out this year.
Following the lilac season comes another favorite, peony season! Adelman peony gardens near Salem has the best u pick farm in the area. The season starts early to mid may through June, probably next week will be time to go!
After peonies, come the irises. Schreiners iris gardens are the best place to see a wide variety of irises. I’m actually not big on irises, but these gardens are a must see! Their collection of lupines and wildflowers are exquisite. Their season runs in May, topically midmay to end of month.
Summer
In the city of Roses we cannot forget the roses! The annual rose festival typically commences in the first week or two of June. On the year we got married, it happened on our wedding day! There are several parades as a part of the festival, and an event at the waterfront.
The International rose test garden, in Washington park, with more species than anywhere else in the US, is a great place to visit May through October. I’m not exactly a rose person, but its an impressive collection. I also love the roses at the peninsula park where we used to walk to regularly when we lived in north portland. Its a beautiful place to stroll around.
Lavender seasons comes in July, and Hood River lavender is a great place to pick your own lavender. There are tons of lavender farms around Portland on sauvie island and all around Washington, so there’s plenty of lavender for all to enjoy.
Another great wildflower I love around late June to early July is beargrass season. In our area, it doesn’t happen every year. I was told in the willamette valley they have a huge season every 7 years. Coffin mountain is the specific hike that I was lucky to see beargrass on full display last in 2019, so it should be time again summer 2026. You can still see beargrass on many alpine hikes, but this one was special.
The end of summer is always connected to sunflower season for me. I love seeing the fall colors in the sunflowers. A few places I love to see and pick sunflowers are Lee farms on the west side, and I’m told West union gardens in hillsboro has the largest fields around. The season runs August to September.
Last but not least comes dahlia season. Swan Island dahlias is the best place for all of the dahlias. Apparently its the nations leading dahlia grower? How lucky are we! Its an impressive farm, and you can u pick as well. A smaller farm, but I also love mt view orchards dahlias in Hood river as well.
That’s all folks. Did I miss any of your favs? Tell me about them!