The Oregon Garden, located in Silverton, makes an easy day trip from Portland. But it’s even more fun if you spend the night at the Oregon Garden Resort. Then you can take your time, wandering through the garden both on the day of your arrival and the following morning. Overnight guests get special perks: A private entrance into the garden, and extended visiting hours.

Metal sculpture and flowers in the Oregon Garden. Photo by Teresa Bergen.

Oregon Garden Resort

On a recent trip, I discovered that my favorite thing about the resort is how it blends right into the gardens. The garden opened in 1999, and Moonstone Hotel Properties didn’t add their hotel concession until 2006, but the execution is seamless. Sometimes I sort of forgot we were still at the resort and not in the garden.

The resort grounds blend seamlessly with the garden. Photo by Teresa Bergen.

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One-story cottages spread out over the 11-acre Oregon Garden Resort. Our one-room, pet-friendly cottage had a back private patio and super comfortable bed. There’s a pool, hot tub, spa, restaurant and many indoor and outdoor event spaces. The wedding green accommodates 200 people, while the garden green has space for 2,000!

I loved this bed. Photo by Teresa Bergen.

The garden theme appears throughout the resort. Old tools adorn building exteriors for a shabby chic meets garden shed aesthetic.

Recycled garden implements as decorations. Photo by Teresa Bergen.

The Oregon Gardens at Oregon Garden Resort

We visited in July when the Oregon Garden was at its hottest. The afternoon we arrived was so bright we had to squint at the flowers, which looked gorgeous despite the heat.

Full bloom! Photo by Teresa Bergen.

The garden is a collection of 20 different theme gardens that have been added over the years, with more to come. The Amazing Water Garden was very green, with a bridge and waterfall.

The Amazing Water Garden. Photo by Teresa Bergen.

The Oregon Garden is a big art supporter, blending art with flowers year-round. But during summer, they add even more art with a special event called Art in the Garden. This year, seven Oregon-based artists were featured.

Art plus flowers at the Oregon Garden. Photo by Teresa Bergen.

The Oregon Garden is dog-friendly, which made all the difference to our dog-loving family. But dogs aren’t the only animals in the garden. We spotted a nearly tame jackrabbit that hung around, letting me take photos of its enormous ears.

My, what big ears you have! Photo by Teresa Bergen.

One of my favorite parts was the Children’s Garden, which included a crawl-through tunnel and a big sand pit where kids could dig for fake dinosaur bones.

Kids can dig for dinosaur bones. Photo by Teresa Bergen.

The only drawback was when I whacked my head on a dolphin-shaped topiary. This was during our morning visit after spending the night at the resort and proves I shouldn’t go anywhere before finishing my coffee.

Beware the sharp fins of the dolphin topiary. Photo by Teresa Bergen.

The Gordon House Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

At the base of the hill that leads up to the Oregon Garden and resort sits the only building in the state designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The Gordon House is a beautiful example of Wright’s Usonian series, designed for working-class home buyers. Wright designed it in 1957. The home was finished in 1963, after his death. The owners, Evelyn and Conrad Gordon, lived in Wilsonville, just south of Portland. In 2001, later owners decided to destroy it. Fortunately, the Frank Lloyd Wright Conservancy stepped in and managed to get grants to move the home. Now it’s one more reason to visit the Oregon Garden.

Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Gordon House. Photo by Teresa Bergen.

If You Go to The Oregon Garden Resort

I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve lived in Portland since 2000, and this was my first trip to the Oregon Garden and Oregon Garden Resort. Now I want to visit every season! I don’t think there’s a bad time of year to go. Special events happen seasonally. From January until June, you can do yoga in the garden. Yogis stretch in the resort’s Fireside Lounge in January, then move outside in spring. During the summer, you can see movies in the garden. December offers ice skating, Christmas lights, and visits with Santa.

Check out the event calendar to help you plan your visit, and consider combining your trip with a stop in nearby Salem, Oregon. See what other great Oregon adventures we offer on Wander With Wonder.