Don't Miss a Visit to the Oregon Garden at Silverton, Oregon

The Oregon Garden with its accompanying resort adjoins the small town of Silverton, Oregon and is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after destinations in Oregon.

When my husband and I first visited the Oregon Garden, there was no resort. Now, a luxurious resort is also located at the Oregon Garden, but, in this article, I am only going to discuss the garden, because the garden, alone, is a place suitable for any special event you could imagine, even something as important as a wedding.

When you enter the Oregon Garden, you will see a huge building that houses the visitor center where you can get information about the gardens and admission fees, have some refreshments at their café, or purchase garden themed gifts at the gift shop. There is also a greenhouse section where you can purchase seeds for growing some of their exotic plants in your own garden at home.

A tram is available for those who desire it. (And after a while of traipsing up and down the garden paths on rather hilly terrain, I did desire it.)

The garden boasts 20 specialty gardens-each of which, alone, would be worth the price of admission. In addition to the beautiful flowers in season at the particular time of year you choose to go, you will also see quiet ponds complete with water lilies floating on the surface, trickling streams and waterfalls surrounded with picturesque rocks, a 400-year-old Oak tree, a children's garden, metal sculptures, and much, much more.

And, speaking of the time of year you visit, do take time to check out their website, (link 1 below), to see what is in bloom before you go. This page is set up so that when you click on a particular month, a list of the plants in bloom at that time will appear, along with a picture of at least one of them. Among other plants, March and April which are coming up soon will have tulips, crocus, narcissus, and early blooming rhododendrons.

If you are lucky enough to visit the Oregon Garden in July or August, don't miss the chance to attend one or more of their outdoor concerts. Sara Evans, Pat Benatar, and the Doobie Brothers are just a few of the well-known performers scheduled for the 2009 summer season. (See Link 2 below)

If you are getting married and haven't yet chosen a place for the ceremony, you might want to consider the Oregon Garden. Not only does it have numerous settings in the garden itself where the wedding can be staged, but a large hall is also available for the reception.

As I mentioned before, the Oregon Garden has a Children's Garden as one of their 20 specialty gardens, but it also provides a number of educational programs for children in the area. One is a free guided environmental tour for all 5^th graders. The other is a forestry program where kids learn to identify area trees and plants, and are taught about wildlife habitat and forest ecology. The latter program includes various classes for youngsters from kindergarten through grade 12. Some of the programs may require a fee so check out the offerings online. (See link 3)

I have barely touched the surface of everything the Oregon Garden has to offer, but I hope you have heard enough by now to click on one of the links provided to find out more details for yourself. I can guarantee you will find a trip to this lovely place something you will remember for years to come.