Portland In Bloom Gardens, Parks Explode With Color, Activity

My back lawn resembled a mud bowl. I still hadn’t fixed a frozen sprinkler pipe. And a couple of daffodils were the only signs of life in the front yard.

So amid that dreary background, I wanted a spring getaway that offered at least the potential of warmth. I wanted green grass. I wanted tulips. If I had to endure rain, I wanted warmish rain. I wanted Portland.

And Oregon’s largest city has become much more feasible for a long weekend getaway from the Inland Northwest, thanks to the Washington Department of Transportation. The agency has finally finished making U.S. Highway 395 from Interstate 90 to the TriCities into a four-lane road, transforming a slow, dangerous, truck-infested route into a fast, easy drive (though the speed limit remains 55 mph for no apparent reason). The result is that it’s now possible to drive to Portland from Spokane in under six hours.

On my family’s visit last month, we had gloriously clear, sunny weather (a bit unusual for early April, to be sure - Portland averages 36 inches of rain). Starved for the outdoors after a Spokane winter, we spent much of our weekend exploring the city’s parks and gardens.

When it comes to green space, Portland is one of the premier cities in the West (and certainly has much more parkland to offer than Seattle). Whether you enjoy the urban-greenery ambience along the Willamette River or want to get away from it all in a mountain hike, you can find it here. A sampling:

Tom McCall Waterfront Park is named for Oregon’s late governor, who championed the environment and is also remembered for urging tourists to visit Oregon, but not to stay. This greenway stretches two miles along the Willamette, directly adjacent to downtown. On a warm day, you’ll find children playing in the water jets of the Salmon Street Springs fountain, runners and in-line skaters and many more visitors simply relaxing on the grass.

The Grotto. This unusual 62-acre Catholic sanctuary, near Interstate 205 and the airport, attracts more than 150,000 visitors of all faiths each year. Its manicured grounds offer vistas of the Columbia Gorge and also include a cave carved into a rock cliff that features a marble replica of Michelangelo’s famous Pieta. (Open daily, NE 85th and Sandy Boulevard. Call (503) 254-7371.)

Washington Park Zoo. This 64-acre zoo contains about 900 specimens representing 188 species, many of them endangered. The zoo is recognized internationally for its success in breeding Asian elephants and currently is home to nine of the animals, including an 18-month-old baby.

Other highlights include the African rain forest exhibit, the four-acre African savanna, and the Penguinarium, home to more than 35 Humboldt penguins (the exhibit includes a wave machine and whirlpool jets to simulate ocean currents).

My children also loved the feline exhibit, which features lions, cougars, Siberian tigers and red pandas.

There’s also a miniature railway that takes visitors throughout the zoo and usually visits other parts of Washington Park. However, the four-mile route was damaged by winter mudslides, and only an abbreviated version was operating in mid-April. (Open daily, 4001 SW Canyon Road, a short drive from downtown, admission fee charged; take U.S. Highway 26 or Tri-Met’s No. 63 bus. Call (503) 226-1561.)

Hoyt Arboretum. This 175-acre arboretum, nestled in the hills overlooking downtown Portland, features the largest collection of conifers in the United States. Ten miles of gentle trails wind past features such as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Best months for flowers are mid-March through June, when native wildflowers and flowering trees such as magnolias put on a show. (Open daily, maps available at the visitor center, 4000 SW Fairview Blvd. Call (503) 228-8733).

International Rose Test Garden. On our visit, the roses were still dormant and pruned back almost to the ground - yet by midsummer this formal garden’s 4-1/2 acres will be ablaze with 10,000 plants, including more than 400 varieties.

Peak months for the roses, which have been cultivated here since 1917, are June through October. The gardens also feature a gorgeous view of the city and Mount Hood - the scene is the cover photo on the free 1996 Portland Visitors Guide. (Open daily, 400 SW Kingston. Call (503) 823-3636).

A five-minute walk away is the Rose Garden Children’s Park. Its playground equipment was especially designed for children with disabilities, but it’s open to everybody - a nice break for kids after you’ve made them look at all those boo-rring flowers.

The Japanese Garden. Also part of Washington Park and across the street from the roses, this garden is actually five gardens: the traditional Flat Garden, the flowing Strolling Pond Garden, the Tea Garden with teahouse, the Sand and Stone Garden and the miniature Natural Garden. Among the unique features is the colorful pond of koi fish and a fountain that makes a periodic thumping noise to frighten away foraging wildlife. (Open daily, fee charged, 611 SW Kingston. Call (503) 223-1321.)

Rhodies may be Washington’s state flower, but they grow just fine in Oregon, thank you. Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, in southeast Portland near Reed College, has seven acres of these plants, including rare species and hybrids. You’ll also find azaleas and other blooming shrubs - plus plenty of birds. Best months to visit are March through June. (Open daily, SE 28th one block north of Woodstock. Call (503) 256-2483.)

Forest Park covers 4,800 acres of wilderness above northwest Portland, including 50 miles of trails that are popular with runners, hikers and mountain bikers. (Open daily. Call (503) 823-4492.)

Portland has many other outdoor areas to explore, from Mount Tabor Park (the only volcano within the limits of an American city - nearby residents hope it’s extinct) to Council Crest Park (atop a Tualatin Mountain peak) to Mill Ends Park downtown (the world’s smallest dedicated city park, 24 inches in diameter, in the traffic island at Front and Taylor).

There’s one other vista that’s a good place to stop on your way back out of town. Multnomah Falls, tumbling 620 feet from the lip of the Columbia Gorge, is just off Interstate 84 about 30 miles east of Portland - a pleasant mental detour from the long drive home.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 3 Color Photos

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: IF YOU GO This article only touches on the parks and gardens to be found in the Portland area. A detailed brochure “Portland Area Gardens” is available free from the Portland Visitors Assocation. For a free guide to Portland and other useful information, contact the Portland Visitors Association at (800) 345-3214 or (503) 222-2223. Or access its Web site at: http:/ /www.pova.com/. Many of Portland’s attractions, including the zoo, are served by bus. For information, call Tri-Met at (503) 231-3263.