Friday, April 15, 2016

Lilac Heaven

Hello my friends!  How would you like to join Gracie and me for a walk around a lilac garden?  You would?  OK!  On Wednesday we'd agreed that if it wasn't going to rain that we'd drive up to Woodland WA and do some walking instead of swimming.  It was cloudy but not raining so off we went.  Gracie had never been to Hulda Klager's Lilac Garden so I wanted to show her.  It's a 45 minute drive north across the Columbia River and up the 205 and I-5 freeways.  We found the garden and this beautiful gazebo covered with Wisteria is what greets you.  


The wonderful Klager farmhouse is ahead and there are nice level brick walkways around the garden.  Lilac Days began just a few days after our visit so the house was not open, nor the gift shop.  I've been in the house and it's a wonderful step back in time, pretty much as Hulda Klager left it.  I may go back and go inside.  


There are huge Rhododendron and Camellia bushes around the grounds.



All the lilacs are in the huge backyard.  They have many different varieties and colors.  Each one has a name tag underneath.


The barn is where the gift shop is located, you can imagine all sorts of wonderful tea cups and tea towels with lilacs on them inside.  They still have the water tower and windmill there.  So picturesque!!



Have you ever seen this amazing variety of Lilac?  It's called "Sensation" and is deep lavender with a white edging.  I actually bought one of these at HK's garden years ago but it reverted to rootstock so I don't have this.  I *want* this variety.  I tried to buy another one that had many flowers on it but it was for "show" and I could only get smaller ones with no flowers so I shied away from it.  But I should have gotten one.


I forgot the name of this one, but I'd like to have one of it too.. isn't it pretty?  White blooms that start out with pink buds.. I think it's delicate and delightful.



I think this pale blue variety is "President Lincoln".  


This gorgeous creature is called "Pink Elizabeth" and I didn't see any in the sales area but I'd like to have one.  :-)



I also didn't get the name of this one but I love it, with violet petals that begin as red-violet buds.  Gorgeous!!  



From the back of the garden you look over big green lawns to the barn, water tower and windmill.  So serene and pretty here.



If you're a long-time reader of my blog you may know that I am rather besotted obsessed about windmills.  :-)  I'd love to have one on the farm here.



After our visit to the lilac garden we went to a little place called America's Family Diner for lunch and had a delicious cheeseburger and fries, Gracie even had the sweet potato fries.  Yum.  Every space on the wall here is covered with photos of local people who had served in the military.  Very patriotic.



Across the parking lot I spied this amazing tree that had apparently blown over in a storm and was left there.. and one branch just grew on up into another huge tree!



We then drove to the other side of the freeway and found Tsugawa Nursery which is a favorite of mine.  I saw these amazing tree Peonies - pink, lavender and white.  The flowers were as big as a dinner plate.  



Which do you like best, the pink or lavender?


Tsugawa nursery.



They have these great groupings of colorful plants and trees that draw you in.



I volunteered at Multnomah Falls and as I was zooming to get there I noted that the Camas was in bloom.  After we finished our shift and were heading home I pulled over and did some picture taking with my iPhone.  The Camas blooms here every year, you can see the Columbia River and Washington State across the way.



The Camas was an important food for the Native people that lived here.



They're really pretty, too.



When I posted on Facebook that I'd gone to the lilac garden one of my friends told me of a book written about the woman who planted the garden.  I'd just finished my last book so I bought this on my iPad and am reading it now, it's quite good!  I also heard that the author will be at the garden on May 1st.  Hmmm.  :-)  Click HERE to find the book on Amazon.


Do you have anything fun planned for the weekend?  We don't, but I love unscheduled weekend days.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

21 comments:

  1. Wow those lilacs are breathtakingly beautiful, Teresa! What a wonderful trip out for you and Gracie.....the Klager farmhouse looks gorgeous, and such wonderful gardens around it. Thank you for sharing such beautiful flowers :)
    Wishing you a happy weekend.
    Helen xox

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  2. No plans as the weather forecast is not looking good. I loved the tour you and Gracie took us on, the lilac varieties were delightful and those peonies were stunning in all shades. I would love a peek around that beautiful farmhouse. Take care.

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  3. Jane Kirkpatrick is a favorite of mine. She does a lovely job integrating Oregon history - especially the French Prairie area (woodburn/Hubbard) and John Day - early settlers. She's spoken many times at my Canby Library. I have seen plenty of photos of the lilac garden but I have never been. Probably because I know myself to be partial to lilacs and I would be overcome with plant lust.

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  4. Thanks for sharing your tour- lovely flowers, beautiful garden..and I too, would love to see the farmhouse.

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  5. It is lovely seeing our day together through your lens, Teresa, and the Camas you saw on Thursday is so pretty. This is a great time of year with so many plants blooming, isn't it. I have read several of Jane's books and enjoyed them, and now want to read this one! Hoping you have a good restful weekend. I am looking forward to having dinner out with friends on Saturday and am really looking forward to enjoying the warm sunny weather we are supposed to have :) xx

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  6. What a gorgeous place. Camellias, lilacs and wisteria are some of my favourite flowers. We had a couple of lilacs when I was little and I'm still very fond of them. The raspberry and purple one is stunning. The nursery looks great as well. If I lived in America I think I should like to live in your corner of it very much. Wishing you a good weekend too. Nothing much scheduled here either, which will be a pleasure. CJ xx

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  7. Thank you for sharing your trip out with Gracie. Such beautiful blooms.Tomorrow is my All Day Craft Class- lots of fun , good food and hopefully some crafting :-) Hugs Anne x

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  8. What a lovely trip you both went on and yes that first lilac really is sensational.Have a lovely weekend...we're "Bear" sitting ;0) x

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  9. Oh my goodness, Teresa! You've outdone yourself with this post. I *love* lilacs, and thoroughly enjoyed my little walk with you. I would love it if there was something like that around here to go to. :D

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  10. Gorgeous! I love lilacs too, as I think I've told you many times. You have so many beautiful gardens and festivals around Portland. I'll be seeing you tomorrow my friend. I can't wait! Tell Dayle that Dennis is looking forward to another visit with him.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  11. Fabulous and did enjoy this post very much ☺☺ I gave my Mum a small windmill and now that she has gone I am going to bring it here and will take photo's once I have it ☺ My last house had magnificent wisteria a lovely purple my favourite colour xoxo

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  12. We are home from Knoxville TN the Smoky mntns and we are missing ALLISON.
    Tennessee is very much blooming like your area!!! Almost exactly the same things and it is soooooo pretty.
    Plans: knit. Help at the Shelter Sunday with the animals and front desk...
    Distract self from fact that daughter still loves/works far away

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  13. Great photos. I can almost smell the lilac. My last garden was big enough for two lilac trees. Happy memories.

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  14. Beautiful blooms, I love the purple lilac with the white edging, stunning. I'm flying back from my Mu'ss today, no particular plans but maybe a cinema trip tomorrow to see Zootropolis with the Littke Peeps . Hope you have a relaxing weekend,
    Jillxo

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  15. What a pretty place to visit - gorgeous gardens and not a blade of grass out of place. How about that tree with another tree growing out of it - never seen anything like that before. Enjoy your weekend. xox

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  16. Thank you for sharing your trip Teresa it is the sort of day I would really enjoy. Have you ever thought of sharing your posts with the local tourism agency? They would be good for enticing people to go and see such places.

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  17. Lilacs are my favorite as you very well know. I miss them as they don't grow this far south. We had a beautiful purple variety when I was growing up in Michigan. Thank you for taking us on this great adventure.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  18. What a lovely post. The thing I really enjoy about your posts is that they feel like we're sitting down having a cuppa , a chat and you're showing us your photos! So comfy and conversational! The gardens look divine and all the flowers in the photos look spectacular!

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  19. I can only imagine how wonderful the Lilac walk looked AND smelled!

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  20. Beautiful lilacs! I had no idea there were so many varieties! I just got done reading Beverly Cleary's first autobiography and she mentions that her family had a windmill in Yamhill, so it was awesome seeing your photos of the one in Washington state:)
    Blessings,
    Aimee

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  21. EEEKKK!! How did I MISS this!! So beautiful! And I can't even imagine how fragrant it must have been there... I was just reading about Sensation Lilac and that it's an old variety, if I remember correctly from the 30's or 20's... so pretty, wish I was closer to see (and smell) this in person!
    ~Chris

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