I love going to see fall colors in Portland, and this week I took a group up to Hoyt Arboretum for a volunteer-led tour.
It’s always a nice time to visit the Arboretum, whether in spring for blooms, summer for cool shade, winter to get some exercise on their 12 miles of trails, or fall for all the amazing colors, seed pods, berries, birds, and smells.
It’s easy to set up a guided tour, as well, if there’s a group of you. They suggest a maximum of 15, and it’s $3 each, but having an expert show you around, point out interesting things you might miss, fill in some historical detail, talk about the medicinal uses of the trees, and tell some fun Native American stories makes it a really memorable experience.
Our tour was two hours, and we may have walked three miles in the park, or less. Afterwards you can get some free tea in the Visitors Center. All highly recommended!
Here are some photos from the day:
Massive works going on at the Japanese Garden
Looking over towards Council Crest from the viewpoint
Oak tree
Lovely walking near the Magnolia Trail
Fantastic color on the Maple Trail
Maples
Some big ol’ seed pods around!
I mean big.
Some of them had edible fruit.
Seed pods on a southern magnolia.
Loveliness.
Bark of a cherry tree.
Thorny trunk!
Berries abundant.
I mean really abundant!
Aren’t you glad you don’t have one of these in your yard?
Dawn redwood — thought to be extinct for millions of years until they found them in China. Now doing well here.
Detail of the dawn redwood.
My group hanging out in the “summer home.”
Persimmon — too bad we can’t pick anything from the trees!
Happy coincidence or helpful example?
More cool
This one is actually a grapevine climbing all over a tree!
It matches her jacket.
Our guide was collecting maple lead samples.
My friend Sue with a haul of goodies — all from the ground!
A blueprint of the original Arboretum plan from the 1930s.
