Commune with the Blooms at 4 Willamette Valley Flower Farms
Woodburn's Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm
Portlanders are savvy about seeking nearby farms for their fruits and veggies. When it comes to stocking up for their flower gardens, though, the farthest most people trek is to Portland Nursery. But those who venture to the Willamette Valley for their bulbs and blooms are well rewarded.
Suited to the grapes that turn into world-class pinot noir and chardonnay, the region’s mild climate and rich soils also make prime growing conditions for ornamental flowers. If you know where (and when) to look, you can find acres upon acres of lavender, irises, dahlias, and more—all bursting with surreal color and open to the public for strolling throughout spring and summer.
A visit to the farm lets you peruse hundreds of unique flower varieties—peonies the size of dinner plates, stately tulips prized since World War II, never-before-seen dahlia hybrids—while they’re in full bloom, then order those bulbs for your own garden. You can often score cut flowers at a fraction of the cost you’d pay at any florist in town. And as more farms embrace the agritourism trend, there’s lots to do. (Think wine tasting among the tulips and fun runs through dahlia fields.)
“We’re creating an experience for people to come out and enjoy the flowers in the field,” says Barb Iverson of Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm & Vineyard, about 30 miles south of Portland. “People can come to the farm and [get] something they can’t anywhere else.”
Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm & Vineyard, Woodburn
Acres of tulips: 40
Tulip varieties: 100+, including regal purple Queen of Night and watercolor pastel Blushing Lady
When to visit: Mar 22–Apr 28, 2024
The Iverson clan’s flower farm dates back to 1950 and today is the largest tulip producer in Oregon. It’s also one of the most dialed-in family-friendly experiences around. With field train rides, campy photo cut-out boards, carnival rides, and wooden shoe–making demos—all set against a drop-dead gorgeous view of Mount Hood—pack the kids in the car for the ultimate Instagrammable day trip.
Bonus: The Iversons run an adjacent vineyard, so you can sample estate-grown wines at the tasting room or take a glass of sparkling blush moscato with you as you wander the fields.
Adelman Peony Gardens, Salem
Acres on display: 25
Peony varieties: 578, including the massive Bartzella and crinkly Black Panther
When to visit: Apr 27–June 16, 2024 (peak bloom is Mother’s Day to Memorial Day)
You won’t find hay rides or craft spirit tastings at this no-frills operation. The focus here is on the fleurs—and they are spectacular. Adelman blooms have won Best in Show at the American Peony Society’s annual flower show 11 times in the past 20 years. Buy dirt-cheap cut peonies ($3–5/stem), potted plants, and order roots of your favorite varieties direct from the farm.
Bonus: Opening weekend (April 27 & 28) brings 10 percent off potted peonies, and over closing weekend (June 15 & 16) that jumps to 15 percent off.
Schreiner's Iris Gardens
Image: MelWood/Shutterstock.com
Schreiner’s Iris Gardens, Salem
Acres on display: 10
Iris varieties: 500+, including ruffly Pretty Kitty and jet-black Anvil of Darkness
When to visit: May 10–31, 2024
Just down the road from Adelman, the Schreiner family has been breeding new iris varieties and selling them (originally via a black-and-white catalog) since 1925. Today, their 150 acres are home to hundreds of varieties in every color imaginable—from the palest of pinks to the deepest of blacks. Good luck picking a favorite. For visitors, the main draw is the 10-acre, beautifully curated display garden, which shows off some of the farm’s most interesting iris varieties, planted alongside a spectacular mix of companion plants.
Bonus: Weekends bring wine tastings and food trucks, and on Memorial Day weekend browse offerings at an artist fair.
Swan Island Dahlias
Image: Courtesy Heather Schloe
Swan Island Dahlias, Canby
Acres on display: 35
Dahlia varieties: 360+, including kaleidoscopic Junkyard Dog and luminous golden Candlelight
When to visit: Aug 1–Sept 30, 2024
The country’s largest dahlia grower was once located on the Willamette River’s Swan Island, with a farmstand in Sellwood. Now in Canby, the family farm is open during bloom season for people to walk the fields, bring a picnic, or set up an easel for plein air painting sessions. Also on offer: classes on dahlia care, daily food carts, and live music on Saturdays and Sundays. The Gitts family hybridizes its own varieties, so expect to see something different every time you visit.
Bonus: A self-serve cut-flower stand is restocked throughout business hours, so drop $10 and pick out your faves.
