Japanese Garden

Portland, Oregon is home to a wonderful Japanese Garden - it's part of Washington Park, the Rose Garden, the Zoo and other delightful places.  I'm rather embarrassed to admit that in my whole life of living here I'd never visited the garden!  I'd seen a photo of the "famous" Japanese Maple tree that is a favorite subject for photographers, especially in the Autumn.  So, on Saturday we headed off to find our way there.  We had lunch at Besaws on 23rd Ave, Dayle's first visit there.  We enjoyed people watching - lots of trendy young people in interesting garb.  Then off to find the garden.  Since it was a nice day, we had to wait in line to enter.. but it was worth it!  

This is the centerpiece of the garden, a lovely koi pond, waterfall emerging from a forested hillside, mossy rocks and a stone lantern.

The koi were hoping for a meal.. :-)

Now.. I must tell you that the battery on my Lumix ran out early in the visit, so most of these were taken with my iPhone.. thank heavens for that phone!  This is a pond on up the hillside a way, it had a little waterfall.

Do you see the pretty little bridge over the water?  I kept looking for "the" tree...

This is a pretty lantern on a plateau over the first pond I showed you.

We went through a tea house gallery and this was the view from it.. was that "the" tree?  They had a big sand and stone garden, it was so pretty.

How would you like a garden like this at your house? :-)

Behind the tea house was a view area, and this was the view!  Downtown Portland with Mt. Hood in the distance.  Yes, we live in a beautiful place!

A zoom to check out the new snow on the "hood".

There was an art show of pretty ceramics in the tea house gallery.

Dayle spotted this pretty gate and snapped this image.

At every turn we were treated to beautiful colored leaves on fabulous tree.

I was amazed and delighted to see a pale pink Camellia in bloom!

Some of the trees were decked out with PINK leaves!

I was charmed by this tableaux of colored leaves all layered - yellow, pinky beige and... PINK!

A ways down the path and boing!  A brilliant pink Camellia in bloom!

This arbor had an amazing Wisteria trained upon it.. 

One of the Wisteria trunks was cracked open and I spied a colony of fungi that had made itself at home there.

Now.. I had called the garden ahead of our visit and was chagrined to be informed that "THE" tree had lost all of it's leaves in a storm.. here is the object of my desire.. naked.. :-)

And THIS is what I had hoped to find.  I did not take this photo, I googled it and found it on the internet.  ::sigh::  Can you imagine getting THIS photo?

This little guy below was at the entrance with a twin on the other side.  We sure did enjoy this visit and I want to go back in the Spring as I think it will be amazing then, too.  

When we were looking for the Japanese Garden, we passed the exit for the Pittock Mansion.  So, we headed there next.  We were able to walk around the outside, but will come back to visit the inside.  This is the BACK of the mansion.

We walked out to the viewpoint of the mansion and I got this snap of the front.  Isn't this gorgeous!

Dayle had headed down to the viewpoint ahead of me and snapped this shot of the building.. he even captured me walking to meet him.  I was wearing my fall leaf printed jacket, my fall colored crocheted shawl and purple and green crocheted hat.  I have to tell you that at the garden a handsome young man told me he loved my jacket, and I kidded that I thought it was upholstery fabric and he said.. "Well, you're rockin' it!".  I was so pleased! LOL!  Then at the mansion a woman said, "I love your ensemble!"  Sweet!

I snapped this of the view from the mansion, Dayle is in the center, the sky was pretty like this all day.

We had a wonderful day adventuring and got lots of fresh air and exercise.  I hope you enjoyed seeing more of the wonderful place where we live.  Now I'm off to my DAR meeting and then to swim for an hour with Gracie!  Life is to be lived!  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)