West

These are gardens I’ve been to in the western United States and Canada that I believe are worth a visit. I’d highly advise double-checking on hours before visiting since not all are open every day or year round.

BUTCHART GARDENS

Location: 800 Benvenuto Ave., Brentwood Bay, Canada, on Vancouver Island, 14 miles north of Victoria.

Overview: 55-acre restored limestone quarry, developed starting in 1904 by the Butchart family, a leading manufacturer of Portland cement. Widely considered one of the top public gardens in the world.

Highlights: Best known for its huge landscaped sunken quarry garden and dancing fountains in the quarry lake. Also has rare blue poppies, a large wooded Japanese garden, a great rose garden, a formal Italian garden, 1 million new annuals every year and an excellent restaurant and gift shop.

George’s Take: It’s in a league with Longwood and England’s Kew, and deservedly so. Looking out over that glorious sunken quarry garden with all its color and plant forms is as heavenly as it gets here on Earth. The du Pont-sized dancing fountain in the lake is unique, too. In my top 5 gardens anywhere.

Contact info: www.butchartgardens.com 866-652-4422.

LAN SU CHINESE GARDEN

Location: 127 NW Third Ave., in downtown Portland, Oregon’s, Chinatown section.

Overview: Authentic Chinese garden that takes up a full city block. Designed and built in 1999-2000 by 65 workers from Portland’s sister city of Suzhou, one of China’s oldest, dating to 525 B.C. Open daily year round, except major holidays.

Highlights: Large central pond with lotus and lilies, numerous overlook pavilions, bridges, waterfall, teahouse, Ming Dynasty Scholar’s Garden, meticulously hand-laid stone paths, hundreds of native Chinese plants. Amazing design disguises fact that you’re in the middle of a city.

George’s Take: It’s young and it’s only the size of a city block within Portland, but the quality of design is world class. Once the perimeter trees grow a tad more, you’ll never know you’re in a city, not the Chinese countryside. Great use of water, and a beautifully serene place. In my top 10 gardens. My “sleeper” pick as one that not a lot of people know or have seen.

Contact info: www.lansugarden.org 503-228-8131.

OREGON GARDEN

Location: 879 W. Main St., Silverton, Oregon, about an hour’s drive south of Portland.

Overview: An underrated garden, probably because it’s young (2001 founding) and out in the Oregon countryside amid nurseries, wineries and farmland as opposed to other tourism draws. Covers 80 acres with 20 beautiful, colorful and diverse gardens with a sister resort next to it.

Highlights: The serene, rural setting is a good start, then the gardens unfurl with themes such as a Sensory Garden, a Rose Garden, a Children’s Garden, a Pet-Friendly Garden, a Silverton Market Garden (edibles), a Water Garden, a collection of miniature conifers, a Rediscovery Forest, an Oak Grove, and a wetlands area.

George’s Take: This one was way better than I expected since I had heard so little about it before visiting. Hopefully word will spread, and people will make the trek to see it since the main threat I can foresee is the location away from a big population cluster with supporting traffic draws.

Contact info: www.oregongarden.org 503-874-8100

PORTLAND JAPANESE GARDEN

Location: 611 SW Kingston Ave. in Washington Park, Portland, Oregon.

Overview: 5½ acres of mostly wooded, rolling land overlooking Portland. Opened in 1967 following an earlier pairing of Portland with a sister city of Sapporo in Japan. Widely regarded as one of America’s best (and often THE best) Japanese garden. Japan’s ambassador to the U.S. once called it the “most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan.”

Highlights: Peaceful, shady, green walk through the woods with five separate Japanese gardens along the way, including a Strolling Pond Garden, a Tea Garden, a Natural Garden, a Flat Garden, and a Sand and Stone Garden. Also a Japanese teahouse and the impressive way many of the plants are pruned.

George’s Take: The most special feature to me was making it to the top, walking behind the teahouse and taking in the magnificent view of snow-capped Mt. Hood in the distance. This garden is a little hilly to maneuver in spots. And don’t expect much in the way of colorful flowers (not a feature of the Japanese style). But if you like your gardens peaceful, this is your ticket.

Contact info: http://japanesegarden.com 503-223-1321