No trip to Portland would be complete without a visit to the International Rose Test Garden. And no, the words “Test Garden” do not mean you’ll end up in a park with dying bushes that someone forgot to water.
Started in 1915 by Jesse Currey, the garden was a product of World War I. With heavy bombing going on in Europe, Mr. Currey was concerned that hybrid roses being cultivated on that continent would be lost forever. The garden was established and rose lovers all over the world began sending their “test samples.”
Today, with over 8,000 bushes, the garden is used to test new varieties of roses based on a certain set of criteria. These include color, fragrance and disease resistance, as well as 11 others. Portland is the only city in America that can issue awards of merit to roses around the world. These winners can be viewed in the “Gold Medal Garden.”
For you literary types, check out the Shakespeare Garden in the southeast corner. Here you’ll find a number of flowers and trees mentioned in the works of the Bard. A popular spot for weddings and picnics, it’s not hard to imagine yourself sitting by the banks of the River Avon.
”Of all the flowers, methinks a rose is best.”
A Bevy Of Books
As he strolled the aisles of Powell’s City of Books in 2003, Ralph Nader was heard to remark, “This is what civilization should look like.” For book lovers, no truer words were ever spoken.
Spread over an entire city block in the city’s Pearl District, this is Powells main location, stocking new, used and rare books. And with over 68,000 square feet of space, their buyers purchase literally thousands of books per day to keep the shelves stocked. There are also six other locations throughout the city including two specialty stores, one for technical books and one for cooks and gardeners. And don’t be surprised if one copy of Hemingway’s “The Old Man And The Sea” looks a bit more beat-up than the one next to it. Powells shelves new and used books together.
Can’t get to Portland? Don’t panic, you can still experience the wonder of Powells online. Pre-dating Amazon.com, Powell’s website was up and running in 1994.