After a break from Fling posts, it felt like a good time to come back to our fabulous trip to Portland. Its hard to believe it that its almost two months since our trip. Looking back through the photos brings everything back to life again.
The garden is coming up to its 50th anniversary, having opened in 1967 on the former site of a zoo. When we arrived Mark and I, along with Gerhard took off in a slightly different direction to many of our fellow bloggers, which possibly allowed us a less hectic visit. As a garden I could have spent most of a day here, I really enjoyed the space, the tranquillity and verdant backdrop.
The garden is surrounded by mature trees woodland, which tapers nicely into the garden. I'm sure this feeling is intentional but its very well done.
Although we set off in a different direction to many of our fellow flingers, the garden was far from empty. We spent quite a long time waiting to take the photo below of the bridge. Every time it looked like we may get a shot, some more visitors decided to admire the view! Get away people!!!
Hopefully we will get the chance to return to this garden again!
Gaz
This gardening blog follows our journey as we create our Tropical and Exotic themed garden. We hope you'll enjoy the journey as much as we do. We started our Exotic Garden in 2005 and this site will show its development, as well as our travels, both abroad and within the UK to gardens, nurseries and friends.
Your patience was rewarded - you got incredible photos. They gave me a different sense of the garden than those other gardeners have posted. It's incredible. I hope to get up that way one day as well. Thanks for sharing your visit!
ReplyDeleteIt's a must see place to visit in Portland Kris :) hope you get to check it out soon!
DeleteThis was a wonderful garden and an enjoyable visit (except when a couple of us got to the bottom of a trail and couldn't find the way out for a time.) Thanks for the lovely memories!
ReplyDeleteA pleasure Peter! Didn't know until now that a couple of flingers nearly got lost on our way back to the bus :) such an enjoyable visit it was indeed, a very beautiful and tranquil place!
DeleteYou did a great job capturing the many incredible views! It really was a calm, beautiful garden, and seeing it through someone else's camera is nice too.
ReplyDeleteIt was great looking back at the photos again Alan, reminded us too how beautiful and serene the place was :)
DeleteThis place really is something special! beautiful! thanks for the tour through your beautiful pictures!
ReplyDeleteA pleasure Lisa :)
DeleteTwo months, in some ways it seems even longer, although I remember seeing you guys come down the escalator at the airport like it was just yesterday.
ReplyDeleteTime flies so fast isn't it Loree? Although we're hoping you'll see us down those escalators again next year :)
DeleteIt's a beautiful garden, we visited a couple of years ago and joined a garden tour that was about to start just after we arrived. The mature trees and winding paths make the garden seem timeless and I remember some very intriguing bamboo and black twine fencing. Hope you had time to enjoy Portland x
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear that you've been Celia, a must place to visit! :)
DeleteHi Gaz, I have visited the Portland Japanese Garden a few years ago and was very impressed. It was on a cold and very rainy day in autumn and that diminished the pleasure of the visit somewhat, but I still remember that feeling of tranquility that this garden radiated. As you, I also liked especially that this garden is surrounded by mature woodland, which add greatly to its charm. I hope to come back and see it again as well! Wishing you guys a nice rest of the week!
ReplyDeleteChristina
And you too Christina! It's an amazing garden and glad to hear you've been to before :)
DeleteFond memories! I hope you'll get to see the Portland Japanese Garden on a misty day in autumn someday. It's so beautiful, you'll want to fall down on your knees and weep.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds even more inviting Gerhard, who knows, maybe autumn next year :)
DeleteCome visit us at the same time. Fall is a great time. Lots of plant sales.
DeleteThat's definitely on the cards Gerhard, seriously :)
DeleteWhat a serene looking garden and no flowers in sight.
ReplyDeleteWell observed Anna, a prime example of a garden not needing flowers to be beautiful :)
DeletePeople can be so irritating when you are after the perfect shot ;-) What a beautifully calming space, though the thought of the work involved in planning and then maintaining such carefully managed tranquility makes me shudder...
ReplyDeleteMagnificent! Birmingham, Alabama has an authentic Japanese garden that is quite wonderful also. It would be hard to say which is better. Portland's is very serene and the lushness lends an ancient atmosphere. Your photo of the bridge was worth the wait!
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