Today, Friday July 8, marks the conclusion of our regular updates on the state of our irises. While some have started to remind us of their fleeting beauty there are still some yet to blossom, so make sure to visit while they’re still adorning our Zig-Zag Bridge in their lovely purple hues. Better yet, become a member and rediscover the beauty of the Garden with each visit.
Friday, July 8
Irises
As with the camellias of winter and cherry blossoms of spring, the iris blooms of summer are one of Portland Japanese Garden’s most anticipated times of year. Irises have a presence in the Strolling Pond Garden since 1967 when Kinya Hira, Garden Director from 1964 to 1969, planted them there. The irises of Portland Japanese Garden tend to bloom in late June, just as it officially becomes summer. They have historically been used as a bellwether for seasonal change in their native Japan as well. It is believed that in pre-modern Japan, farmers would plant wild irises aside their rice fields because their blooming occurred as the rainy season began. Farmers would then transplant rice plants from seed beds into fields.
Other Garden Flowers Currently in Bloom
Azalea in the Strolling Pond Garden
Laurel in the Strolling Pond Garden
Azalea in the Strolling Pond Garden
Azalea bonsai in the Ellie M. Hill Bonsai Terrace
Sorrel in the Entry Garden
Mock orange in the Entry Garden
Stewartia in the Entry Garden
Hosta in the Entry Garden
Laurel in the Flat Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Azalea in the Natural Garden
Azalea in the Natural Garden
There are many other beautiful flowers blooming in Portland Japanese Garden, including azalea, stewartia, and laurel.
Japanese Gardens Highlight Green Rather Than Flowers
A junco rests on a mossy rock in the Strolling Pond Garden.
Summertime in Portland Japanese Garden provides the opportunity to be embraced by lush verdant hues. All the many shades and textures of green shining in sunlight and bending in breeze remind one that the Garden is not an arrangement of static objects but rather an expertly maintained, living expression of nature.
Of course, the moss, leaves, ferns, and grass are complimented with pops of brightly colored flowers. Unlike Western gardens where flowers can dominate the field of vision, Japanese gardens very intentionally choose where blooms will be located and how they will intermingle with an otherwise green tableau.
Thursday, July 7
Irises
Other Garden Flowers Currently in Bloom
Hosta in the Entry Garden ahead of the Antique Gate
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Azalea in the Tea Garden
Laurel in the Strolling Pond Garden
Azalea in the Strolling Pond Garden
Azalea bonsai in the Ellie M. Hill Bonsai Garden
Stewartia about to bloom in the Cultural Village
Stewartia in the Cultural Village
Mock orange in the Entry Garden
Laurel in the Flat Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Azalea ahead of the Stag Lantern and Pavilion
Azalea on the East Veranda aside the Pavilion
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Laurel in the Strolling Pond Garden
Wednesday, July 6
Irises
Other Garden Flowers Currently in Bloom
Stewartia in the Cultural Village
Stewartia in the Cultural Village
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Azalea in the Flat Garden
Azalea bonsai in the Ellie M. Hill Bonsai Terrace
Azalea in front of the Pavilion
Azalea in the Strolling Pond Garden
Azalea just past the Nezu Gate
Azalea in the Entry Garden
Laurel in the Flat Garden
Laurel in the Flat Garden
Laurel in the Strolling Pond Garden
Hosta in the Entry Garden in front of the Antique Gate
Mock orange in the Entry Garden
Tuesday, July 5
Irises
Other Garden Flowers Currently in Bloom
Stewartia in the Cultural Village
Stewartia in the Entry Garden
Stewartia in the Entry Garden
Azalea on the East Veranda near the Pavilion
Azalea in the Flat Garden
Azalea in the Entry Garden
Azalea in the Strolling Pond Garden
Azalea bonsai in the Ellie M. Hill Bonsai Terrace
Azalea bonsai in the Ellie M. Hill Bonsai Terrace
Laurel in the Flat Garden
Laurel in the Strolling Pond Garden
Laurel in the Strolling Pond Garden
Laurel in the Flat Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
A lone camellia blossom in the Flat Garden
Stachys in the Entry Garden
Mock orange in the Entry Garden
Friday, July 1
Irises
Other Garden Flowers Currently in Bloom
Rhododendron in the Strolling Pond Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Azalea in the Flat Garden
Laurel in the Tea Garden
Laurel in the Flat Garden
Azalea in the Flat Garden
Mock orange in the Entry Garden
Azalea in the Entry Garden
Stewartia in the Entry Garden
Azalea bonsai in the Ellie M. Hill Bonsai Terrace
Stewartia in the Entry Garden
Stewartia in the Entry Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Thursday, June 30
Irises
Other Garden Flowers Currently in Bloom
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Azalea in the Natural Garden
Azalea in the Flat Garden
Azalea just past the Nezu Gate
Azalea bonsai in the Ellie M. Hill Bonsai Terrace
Azalea bonsai in the Ellie M. Hill Bonsai Terrace
Azalea in the Entry Garden
Mock orange in the Entry Garden
Laurel in the Flat Garden
Laurel in the Flat Garden
Stewartia in the Entry Garden
Wednesday, June 29
Irises
Other Garden Flowers Currently in Bloom
Azalea near the Antique Gate in the Entry Garden
Stewartia in the Entry Garden
Stewartia in the Entry Garden
Laurel in the Tea Garden
Laurel in the Flat Garden
Laurel in the Flat Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Azalea ahead of the Iyo Stone and weeping cherry tree in the Flat Garden
Azalea ahead of the stairs leading away from the Sand and Stone Garden
Rhododendron in the Natural Garden
Azalea in the Strolling Pond Garden
Tuesday, June 28
Irises
Other Garden Flowers Currently in Bloom
Azalea in the Tea Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Azalea underneath maple in the Flat Garden
Laurel on the East Veranda of the Pavilion
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Azalea ahead of the Sand and Stone Garden
Azalea next to the snow viewing lantern in the Strolling Pond Garden
Azalea in the Strolling Pond Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Azalea bonsai in the Ellie M. Hill Bonsai Terrace
Azalea ahead of the Nezu Gate
Laurel in the Flat Garden
A lone camellia bloom in the Flat Garden
Monday, June 27
Irises
Strolling Pond Garden
Other Garden Flowers Currently in Bloom
Azalea bonsai in the Ellie M. Hill Bonsai Terrace
Azalea in the Strolling Pond Garden
Azalea in the Entry Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Laurel in the Flat Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Azalea in the Tea Garden
Laurel in the Strolling Pond Garden
Azalea bonsai in the Ellie M. Hill Bonsai Terrace
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Friday, June 24
Irises
Other Garden Flowers Currently in Bloom
Azalea in the Strolling Pond Garden
Azalea bonsai in the Ellie M. Hill Bonsai Terrace
Salal next to the Umami Café
Laurel in the Flat Garden
Azalea next to the Stag Lantern, near the Pavilion
Laurel on the East Veranda aside the Pavilion
Azalea in the Natural Garden
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Laurel in the Flat Garden
Laurel in the Flat Garden
Azalea in the Tea Garden
Azalea just past the Nezu Gate
Buttercup in the Entry Garden
Azalea bonsai in the Ellie M. Hill Bonsai Terrace
Thursday, June 23
Irises
Other Garden Flowers Currently in Bloom
Azalea in the Strolling Pond Garden
Azalea in the Tea Garden
Laurel in the Strolling Pond Garden
Rhododendron in the Tea Garden
Buttercups in the Entry Garden
Thimbleberry in the Entry Garden
Azalea bonsai in the Ellie M. Hill Bonsai Terrace
Laurel in the Flat Garden
Azalea in the Flat Garden
Dogwood in the Flat Garden
A closer look at the flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden
Wednesday, June 22
Irises
Other Garden Flowers Currently in Bloom
Azalea bonsai in the Ellie M. Hill Bonsai Terrace
A closer look at the Satsuki Azalea in the Ellie M. Hill Bonsai Terrace
A closer look at the Satsuki Azalea ‘Toyo’ in the Ellie M. Hill Bonsai Terrace
Flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden.
A closer look at the flowering dogwood in the Flat Garden