Beautiful Bend in the Fall

On our way back from our fall trip in 2016, my husband and I drove from Spokane, Washington to Bend, Oregon for the night. We had a fun, talk-as-fast-as-you-can dinner with my sister and husband, nephew Lucas, niece Sarah and boyfriend Nick at Greg's Grill at The Old Mill. It was fun to see them and get caught up on all the news!

Old Mill in Bend, Oregon

Artifacts from the kiln

It was my first time visiting Bend in the fall (we typically visit in late spring for high school graduations, or late summer). I loved the chill in the air, the muted fall colors, and the snow on the surrounding mountains. I can see why Bend is such a desirable place to live and vacation!

Fall colors with Mount Baker in the background

Food and family at Greg's Grill at the Old Mill

Manito Park in the Fall

One of the highlights of our visit to Spokane, was visiting Manito Park to see its gardens in the fall. My mother-in-law loved to walk her dog in Manito Park, and the two of them spent hours walking and enjoying the gardens. Recall posts from our visit back in 2012: Manito Park – Duncan Garden and Nishinomiya Japanese Garden.

Rose Hill

The rose garden was in full bloom, and magnificent. I'm not a huge fan of roses (we have never lived in a place where roses do well), but was amazed at the beauty as we approached the hill. The big, well drained, sunny slope is the perfect place for roses. I loved the colors and fragrances of the blooming roses, all of which are well-labeled, well-tended, and thrived.

The arbor at the base of Rose Hill

Small gazebo beyond yellow roses

When we visited in spring and in early summer in 2012, everything was dormant and cut back, and I decided not to report. What a contrast with the beautiful sight that greeted us in fall. If the rose garden ever sells clippings or starters, this would be the place to purchase them. Following are a few of my favorites – just look at those colors and the variety (who knows, I might become a rose devotee one of these years)!

Pink tipped	Deep pink
Pale yellow	White

HTML Tables

Duncan Gardens

The Duncan Garden was also magnificent with its bedding plants still in bloom. This is high intensity gardening, reminiscent of the Victorian era when exotic plants from all over the world were cultivated in green houses, and then planted seasonally in private and public gardens.

Duncan Gardens

I enjoyed seeing the color combinations and vibrant colors in this classical European Renaissance style garden. What I had previously seen in the early summer was merely the bones of the garden – all green lawn, sculpted trees, gazebo, and newly planted beds (see Manito Park - Highlights of Duncan Garden). With the bedding plants in full flower, I could see the complete garden design.

Central planter

Bedding plants

The Gaiser Conservatory and its greenhouses overlook the sunken garden. The original conservatory was built in 1912, and redesigned, modernized, enlarged, and rebuilt in 1974. The dome includes a waterfall, pond, and large tropical plants. Many of the bedding plants are started in the greenhouses. 

Ferris Perennial Garden

When we visited the Ferris Perennial garden in 2012, not much was going on. The beds were well marked, and plants looked healthy, but this time was another story. Many of the plants were still blooming, and others were transitioning from beautiful flowering plants, to seeds and seed pods. Golden grasses swayed and rustled in the breeze, and some deciduous trees had started their fall display of red and yellow.

Joel E. Ferris Perennial Garden

Perennial garden in late September

Golden light and fall colors

The golden afternoon light illuminated the plants. We enjoyed strolling through the garden beds, and sitting on the various benches to relish the garden around us.

Nishinomiya Japanese Garden

We also revisited the Nishinomiya Japanese Garden, but learned that photography is no longer allowed. This is unfortunate for those who cannot visit the garden or who like to document great garden design, but we enjoyed our stroll through the grounds, and appreciated the beauty of fall colors against the green-on-green design.

Fall Visit to Spokane

Toward the end of our fall trip in 2016, we spent several days in Spokane to see my husband's family, and visit some of our favorite places. When possible, we like to stay at the Historic Davenport Hotel in downtown Spokane. We both enjoy old-school, downtown hotels when it works into our budget, and the Davenport is one of the best we've found. (Some people buy RVs, summer cabins, or time shares – we like old hotels)!

Roof top garden at the Historic Davenport Hotel

We spent some time at the new Huntington Park near Washington Water Power (now called Avista) on the Spokane River, and enjoyed the river vistas and the fall colors. We also spent time in the Riverfront Park (where the 1974 World's Fair was held) for great restaurants and a movie theater. We had a chance to eat a late breakfast at Frank's Diner, which operates out of a charming red caboose.

View of Huntington Park and Spokane River

Runners at Riverfront Park

Best of all, we visited family members living in nearby Deer Park, and in the Spokane Valley. It's always a treat to catch up on each other (in person, not just on social media), and hear family stories and recollections from the past.

Aunt Janey worked at Washington Water Power

Family portrait

Hanging with Foodies in Seattle

Continuing with our fall trip in 2016, my husband and I left Mount Saint Helens, and headed for Seattle, Washington. We were eager to see our son and daughter-in-law in their new home in the South Park district. The house and detached BNB are hip, modern, and filled with their artsy decorating touches.

Welcome to South Park

Stand of bamboo

The yard includes beautiful maple trees, a lovely stand of tall bamboo (though a potential maintenance nightmare), an overhanging walnut tree from the neighbor's yard, and a stack of cured wood, perfect for an outdoor fire pit someday. I had the opportunity to thin out some of the bamboo while visiting, and study how it grows and spreads underground.

Original Rainier brewery in Georgetown

Repurposed brewery architecture

We had a great time seeing some of their discoveries in the Seattle area, plus making a few new ones. South Park is close to the Duwamish River and Bike trail, as well as Boeing, and the Starbucks headquarters. The Georgetown district is close by, with Fran’s Chocolates, The Hangar Café, and several fun consignment shops. Modern entrepreneurs are repurposing some of the original Rainier brewery buildings for their businesses. A walk at Alki Point provided exercise, and wonderful views; and a night trip to Alki Beach yielded some artsy (in other words, blurry) night shots of Seattle.

View of Mount Rainier from Alki Point

Ready to walk in Alki Point

"Artsy" shot of Seattle from Alki Beach

We went to downtown Seattle for lunch from the Nosh food truck (excellent fish and chips, and bone marrow), and then rode the monorail to the Space Needle to see several exhibits at the Emp Museum (a.k.a., MoPop, or Museum of Pop Art). The “World of Wearableart” and “50 Years of Star Trek” were favorites, and we enjoyed seeing the exhibit celebrating the horror film genre.

Nosh food truck - try the fish and chips!

Undaunted by aliens

Our son and daughter-in-law are both foodies, so it is always fun to visit the restaurants they have discovered. We always like the neighborhood haunt, Loretta's Northwesterner, and enjoyed delicious meals at Pie Bar in the Ballard district, Proletariat Pizza, Novilhos Steakhouse, The Black Duck in Issaquah, and The Ram (and shopping) in the University district. In case you think that all we did was eat, you might be right, but we were always exploring and learning all about the beautiful Emerald City in the process.

Lunch at Pie Bar in the Ballard District

Shopping in the University District

Mount Saint Helens

My husband and I took a day trip to Mount Saint Helens, called Lawetlat’la (“the smoker”) by the Yakama Nation. The volcano erupted on May 18, 1980, and spewed ash all over the Pacific Northwest. Several months later, we flew over Mount Saint Helens on our way to visit family in Spokane, and saw trees flattened like matchsticks outward from the blast, and the whole mountain covered in ash. In Spokane we heard accounts of ash falling like snow, and received a jar filled with ash that had covered the ground.

Mount St. Helens Visitor Center (Milepost 5)

Ash fall throughout Oregon, Washington, and beyond

Thirty-plus years later, we checked into our room in Kelso, Washington, and then approached the mountain from the north on Highway 504. We stopped at the Mount Saint Helens Visitor Center near Silver Lake at 500 feet elevation, and learned about the natural history of the area.

Forest Learning Center (Milepost 33.5)

View of Toutle River

Toutle River

The Forest Learning Center was closed at 2,650 feet, but we were able to walk around, read the informative signs, and see the views.

Johnston Ridge Observatory (Milepost 52)

Mount Saint Helens shrouded in clouds

Mount Saint Helens from the theater

We proceeded to the Johnston Ridge Observatory at 4,200 feet, as the skies darkened and a few drops of rain started to fall. We watched the informative video presentation about the volcano, followed by the dramatic unveiling of the mountain from the theater.

Another view of the mountain

A dusting of snow

It was amazing to see the contrast from 30-plus years ago, and see how the mosses, grasses, and plants have come back (succession in action). The fall colors were beautiful against the dramatic skies (it grew increasingly cloudy as we ascended the mountain). Wildlife has also returned to the area. It's hopeful to see how quickly nature has repaired itself –  new life has emerged.

Lan Su Chinese Garden

Last year my husband and I took an early fall trip to the Pacific Northwest, with stops in Portland, Mount Saint Helens, Seattle (to visit our son and daughter-in-law in their new home), Spokane, and Bend. In the following posts I'll share the highlights of the experience, including beautiful gardens and natural settings.

Moon Locking pavilion and Tower of Cosmic Reflections teahouse

Knowing the Fish pavilion

Downtown Portland, Oregon is home to the Lan Su Chinese Garden, which is a walled garden that occupies a whole block. It is designed to model a scholar garden for a wealthy, multi-generational family, as you might find in Suzhou, China in the 1600s. It is a haven of tranquility in the heart of a busy city.

Courtyard with Lake Tai rocks, and viewing windows

Mosaic path through a shady green sanctuary

The name Lan Su is a compilation of sounds for Portland ("lan", also the word for orchid), and Suzhou ("su", also the word of rise), and roughly translates to "Garden of Awakening Orchids". Our very knowledgeable docent greeted us in the Courtyard of Tranquility for an introduction. The garden was designed and constructed in Suzhou, China (Portland's sister city), and then transported to Portland. The garden was built and planted by a team of 65 artisans from China over a ten-month period, and completed in 2000.

Pond with lilies and boat, and a view to buildings beyond

The scholar's study

Our docent then led us around the central lake, through the scholar courtyard and study, to the fish and moon viewing pavilions, the tea house, and the rock mountain and waterfall. We learned about the plants and the rocks, and the architectural details. The garden was intended to be a sanctuary for the family, and to provide a place for study and reflection.

Painted Boat in Misty Rain pavilion to the right

Green on green planting, with a few hot colors

Rock mountain and waterfall

I was especially taken with the rock mosaic paths, the bat-shaped drip tiles (used to create a curtain of rainwater), and the shapes of the doors and windows. I appreciated learning that scholarship provided a path to the middle or upper class for a bright, but poor student. I also enjoyed the names, which are wonderfully poetic, like Hall of Brocade Clouds, Flowers Bathing in Spring Rain, Painted Boat in Misty Rain, and Tower of Cosmic Reflections.

Mosaic walkway	Mosaic detail
Mosaic with moss	Another mosaic pattern
Bat-shaped Drip Tiles	Panel in Hall of Brocade Clouds
Round door with a view to a window	Round door under poetry
Window with a view beyond	Window detail

HTML Tables

My husband and I lingered in the garden after the tour to appreciate the plants and flowers that were in bloom. After a quick freshen up at the Hotel deLuxe, we headed for dinner at the Portland City Grill for fabulous views of the city from 30 floors up, delicious food, and great conversation about the beauty we had seen.

Lingering after the tour