Last week, I shared how an easy partial day trip from Portland just an hour south to visit the Adelman Peony Gardens if you are here during bloom season in May-June. Close by to the Peony Gardens is Schreiner’s Iris Gardens – it’s only 2.5 miles away, a few minutes by car. During bloom season, their gardens are open dawn to dusk, and are free, so I highly recommend throwing in another stop and visiting Shreiner’s Iris Gardens.
When my mom came to visit me a few days before Memorial Day weekend a few weeks ago, after our stop for peonies, which are among her favorite flowers, I sorta forced her to go to the Iris gardens too even though she said she didn’t care much for Irises. We still hung out there for an hour. Here are a few photos that encapsulate visiting Schreiner’s Iris Gardens.
Schreiner’s Iris Gardens is great for a short visit because they plant examples of everything in a display garden with 500 named varieties and countless companion plants so you don’t have to walk far. Here in the Shreiner’s display garden, for every few steps you get to see something new and they are all labeled. You’ll be reading Iris names varying from romantic like Passion and Purity, Grand Canyon Sunset, or Midnight Treat, to more whimsical like those called Teamwork, Splatter Art, Vigilante, Spice Lord and one called My Oh My.
Iris bloom season tends to be in May, slightly before peonies. Even though the irises were past peak for our end of May visit, they were still incredible to behold the colors and different petal variations in the varieties. As you would expect, there are certainly a lot of iris colors of violet in various degrees of saturation and combinations of hues.
You can see different patterns to the colors of purple as well as different petal combinations.
But you can also find colors mixed in interesting contrasts with the white, and furthermore pink, yellow, maroon, and more.
During their open house, they also have a gift shop and sell fresh-cut Iris stems by the dozen, and restrooms as well as a Mt. Angel Sausage Company food truck for a snack of sausages or lemonade/water. There is also lots of seating at lawn chairs or benches for rest to view the garden or have a picnic, and they have a well organized large parking lot.
Are you a fan of irises? Have you had experience visiting Shreiner’s Iris Gardens or other gardens before?
I really wanted to visit the Adelman Peony Gardens this year, but I didn’t even know about the Iris Gardens! This was my first spring in Oregon, and, as someone who grew up in the desert, I’m still a bit blown away by all the varieties of flowers growing here!
I have only ever visited the Oregon Garden in the winter – can you believe it? We have been a few times for the lights and holiday market but have yet to make it down in the Spring and Summer. The Iris Garden looks so beautiful and we’ll have to make a trip to visit it next season!
How have I never heard of this?!?! I’m adding it to my list of things to do with the kids. Thanks for the post!!
I’m sure they’ll like posing with the giant bear – they had more then one!
I am loving all of these gorgeous purple iris blooms!
It’s amazing how many combinations of purples there are
Wow! The Iris garden looks amazing. Also, hopping over to your peony post because I didn’t know that there was a peony garden near Portland!!!!
Thanks for visiting and reading!
Wow this garden is beautiful. Thank you so much for all the information, you have inspired me to go and check it out.
It’s well worth it!
So beautiful! How did I not know about this? Thanks for putting it on my radar, Pech. I tried to pick a favorite from all your pictures, but every time I scrolled down, there was something even prettier than the ones before. I’ll have to plan a trip out there, along with the peony garden. (So much to see, so little time…)
Thanks, glad to share the beauty that the gardens shared with me
Thank you for the kind review, Pech! And thank you so much for visiting with your mom. Hope you can make it again next year, maybe for Mother’s Day! Kind regards!
I hope so – I look forward to seeing the gorgeous Blooms again next year
What BEAUTIFUL flowers!!!! 🙂 Looks like a great visit.
Love your pictures! I enjoy seeing flowery places!