10 BEST Things to Do at the Oregon Garden

Explore the beautiful Oregon Garden, just one hour from Portland.

The Oregon Garden is 1-hour south of Portland in the small town of Silverton in the bucolic Willamette Valley (check hours & tickets).

Pick up a map at the visitor center, then set aside 3 hours to explore this huge garden. There's a 1.4-mile ADA accessible path, and dogs are welcome as long as they're on a leash!

Stop by the gift shop or nursery afterwards, or enjoy a snack at the charming onsite cafe. You can also enjoy a meal at the Garden View Restaurant or cosy Fireside Lounge at the adjacent Oregon Garden Resort.

If you want to stay overnight, book a room at the adjacent Oregon Garden Resort, with an idyllic location overlooking the gardens.

10 best things to do at the Oregon Garden

1. Stroll through 80 acres of magnificent gardens.

The Oregon Garden opened in 1999 and has 20 specialty gardens; including a children's garden, tropical house, oak grove and rediscovery forest.

2. See a vintage Frank Lloyd Wright house.

Don't miss a 40-minute tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright Gordon House in the Oregon Garden grounds. Frank Lloyd Wright is considered one of the world's greatest architects, pioneering breakthrough concepts such as open space floor plans, and floor-to-ceiling windows.

3. Admire the lush Water Garden.

This is the gorgeous Water Garden, with an arc shaped bridge traversing a lily pond. All of the water features in the Oregon Garden use treated wastewater from the City of Silverton.

Look at these stunning water lotus flowers.

The Water Garden is even more enchanting at sunset, with a serpent making its way through the pond.

Look for hidden sculptures in the Water Garden.

4. Walk through the Central Plaza at the Oregon Garden, known as the Bosque.

The Bosque is laid out symmetrically with four reflecting ponds, and forty planter boxes. Each planter box has just one tree each.

5. Take your kids to the amazing Children's Garden.

Crawl inside a real Hobbit house at the Oregon Garden, built into a mound.

Dig for dinosaur bones in the sandbox at the Oregon Garden.

Look for animal shapes in the topiaries, like this deer with antlers.

Meet some fun characters at the Weird Plants Garden, like this quirky clay pot couple.

Check out this fun railroad track at the Oregon Garden.

6. Savor the views of the Willamette Valley from the Axis Fountain.

The Axis Fountain is constructed from Montana Stone, and has a lovely seating area with an outlook over the valley.

7. Admire the Rose Petal Fountain that shoots up 30 feet high.

Make your way to the Rose Petal Fountain, surrounded by bright annuals. When viewed from above, the fountain has the exact shape of a rose petal.

The flower garden near the Rose Petal Fountain is ablaze with color.

8. Find Oregon agricultural products at the Silverton Market Garden.

The Silverton Market Garden has 147 plantings of Oregon fruits and vegetables.

A striking rill runs through the Silverton Market Garden.

The rill empties out into a waterfall, supposed to represent the nearby

Silver Falls State Park.

See the curtain-like water feature at the Sensory Garden.

9. The Oregon Garden is a popular place for wedding ceremonies.

Book a tour of the garden to find the perfect setting for your wedding. An expert can guide you to the best spots, perfect in all seasons. Popular locations include the Discovery Pavilion in the Rediscovery Forest, the Market Garden and Bosque, and Garden Green and Grand Hall.