Tour Rogerson Clematis Garden in Lake Oswego: Photos from my visits over the years

Mar 23

*Not just clematis! The garden is full of winding paths and gorgeous plants like these hydrangeas.*

A Garden I Return to Again and Again

There are some places you visit once, and then there are places that you visit dozens of times because you discover something new every visit!

For me, the Rogerson Clematis Garden in Lake Oswego is the perfect combination of landscape design, plant-nerd collections, and picture-perfect photo ops.

*Doesn’t this make you want to redo your own backyard?!*

I’ve visited on gray January days and in the heat of July and always found something new and unique. They claim to have something blooming every day of the year and so far I’ve found that to be true!

If you love flowers and gardens this is a place worth visiting this spring.

What Is Rogerson Clematis Garden?

Located at Luscher Farm in Lake Oswego, the Rogerson Clematis Garden is one of my favorite public gardens in the greater Portland area!

*A view of the garden in April where you can see the bare bones of the structures before the clematis really take over*

It began in 1971 with a personal collection started by a gentleman called Brewster Rogerson. Today, it has grown into the most comprehensive public collection of clematis in North America.

2,450 individual plants
961 distinct species and cultivars
Rare, historic, and newly developed varieties

Even with this huge collection of clematis, it doesn’t feel like a botanical garden with evenly spaced, tidy plantings. It’s intended to be an intimate, beautifully landscaped garden that could be someone’s backyard.

*A view of the garden paths in April 2022*

Why Visiting Gardens Matters

The Willamette Valley in Oregon is so special. Because of our climate, we can grow plants from all over the world. Touring a garden that isn’t your own opens up your eyes to possibilities and plants you never imagined.

*A map of the garden. I always bring a picnic lunch to enjoy under the huge beech tree.*

Rogerson Clematis Garden has unique alpine plants, woodland natives, and Mediterranean textures all layered together in ways you might never think to try yourself.

Every time I visit a garden like this, I come home full of ideas to try in my own garden. It inspires me to learn more about gardening, plants, and the people behind all the hard work.

If you’re in a gardening rut or simply want to get outside and see some beautiful flowers, put a garden tour on your calendar.

Letting Clematis Run Wild (In the Best Way)

*Three different kinds of clematis growing together!! See the purple, red, and blue flowers all in different shapes.*

One of my favorite things about Rogerson is how they grow their clematis.

Yes, there are beautiful trellises and arches supporting the huge vines, but the best part is they let the plants roam.

Clematis weave their way through shrubs, climb into trees, spill over structures, and tangle themselves into unexpected places. It feels very approachable and wild and like something you can replicate in your own garden.

*A light blue clematis on the right intermingled with blue eryngium on the left*

*Clematis come in so many deep, rich colors along with pastels*

A Flower for Every Season

One of the most magical things about this garden is that there is always something in bloom.

That might sound like a bold claim, but I’ve seen it for myself when I’ve visited in January, July & September.

That said, my favorite time to visit is May and June. The clematis are putting on their fullest show, and the entire garden is exploding with blooms.

But truly, there’s no wrong time to go.

Did You Know These Are Clematis Too?

When most people think of clematis, they picture a big, star-shaped purple flower climbing a trellis. Those are stunning, but there’s SO much more to clematis flowers and forms.

*You’ve probably seen these big, gorgeous flowers blooming in June!*

*Clematis can live for years and get huge.*

Clematis is an incredibly diverse group of plants, found all over the world. There are species native to the Americas, Asia, and Europe. Some thrive in alpine mountain conditions and others prefer woodland edges. Some are evergreen and bloom in winter and smell amazing.

The flowers are so diverse, too. They come in tiny bell shapes, ballerina-skirt petals, and fully seed heads. Just look at these cuties in the photos below!