Stepping out from the Visitor Center into the Oregon Garden
After endless rain all week I awoke to a bright blue sky and sunshine on Monday morning.
I decided to enjoy this beautiful day at the Oregon Garden.
This Amazing Water Garden was created by recycling treated wastewater.
It is home to this alligator and a variety of wildlife.
I was surprised to see the normally very shy green heron out in the open.
He slowly walked along the path while keeping an eye out for a snack swimming by.
The heron then flew past the oyster shell serpent and landed atop the waterfall.
There were lots of Pitcher Plants growing in these ponds.
Isn’t he just gorgeous?
I still can’t believe for how long this guy stuck around!
When some noisy people approached the heron turned around and took off …
… and I checked out this giant bird feeder and dragonfly bench with a view.
To be continued …
The Oregon Garden is an 80 acre (32 hectare) botanical garden in Silverton, Oregon. The acreage is divided into over 20 specialty gardens, including the Amazing Water Garden. This garden uses the reclaimed wastewater of the City of Silverton. The use of the treated waste water supplies the entire Oregon Garden with plenty of water to keep everything irrigated without ever having to turn on the faucet.
in cahoots with muddy boots 
Beautifully put together! Love the shots of the heron. Slip slid into away.
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Thank you, Kind Sir! 😉
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Stunning photography!
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Thank you so much, Cindy! 😊
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The color of nature and its inhabitants…wow!
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This is just the beginning of the fall colors, Arlene! I hope to go back later this week if we get some more sunshine. 🙂
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Lucky to be very near those treasures 🙂
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Yes, lucky indeed! I am grateful every day for all I get to do and have, but family and friends are at the top of that list.
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It’s a blessing to have a place near you where you could just relax, right Sabine? Enjoy the scenery.
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Yes it is, Arlene! There are quite a few nice parks near me, but the Oregon Garden is special. The tranquility amidst nature and all the incredible gardens within the garden take away all the stress of the world. Do you have a park where you can relax and enjoy nature near you?
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We have one in our subdivision but it is a small one, there are several ornamentals planted and an image of Mama May in a corner. Many residents use it to jog in the morning.
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That sounds nice! I think that anytime we can be in nature it’s good for us. I hope you get to go there often.
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Beautiful photos of the heron. I don’t think we have green herons here in MI. I’ve seen them in TN but here we I’ve only seen the great blue herons, one of my most favorite birds and they are quite shy around people as well.
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Hey LuAnne! We also have great blue herons around here and yes, they are shy. Thanks for visiting! 🙂
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I’m so glad you had another chance to get to the Oregon Gardens. It’s like the Heron was posing and dancing just for you. You do get some excellent shots of birds I’ve been only lucky enough to get a brief glimpse of on rare occasions. It looks like it was a beautiful day.
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This was such a lovely post Sabine. I saw a green heron once in a marina I used to walk to occasionally. He was not as beautiful nor green as yours is here and yours is so up close too! I sent his photo to the DNR to ask what he was and I could not even see any hint of green on him, and with his neck pulled in, never would have guessed it was a heron. I’ll look forward to seeing the continuation.
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Linda, you’d love this botanical garden! It’s big, but not too big and it’s never crowded. I’ve never seen a green heron this close and out in the open. He was just going about his business and I just felt so lucky and privileged to be right there. 🙂
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I am sure I would love it Sabine. I enjoyed meandering around the Taylor Conservatory and Botanical Garden and it is much smaller. I still have to do a post on that last trip where I was looking for hummers, but saw many butterflies. I will do that when the Halloween and harvest season is over … I still have some more pics pertinent to this season. My green heron was not as close and I had no idea they were that beautiful – they do not resemble the herons I am so accustomed to seeing. You sure were lucky to get a bird’s eye view of him. I was viewing this guy from the bridge over a small marina in Ecorse. I used to walk there sometimes but you have to cross two sets of railroad tracks and that always made me a little leery. My heron pales in comparison as you can see in this post: https://lindaschaubblog.net/2016/09/12/sunrise-and-scarecrows-on-a-late-summer-morn/
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Herons are almost always shy and secretive. You got a pretty good look at him too, Linda. Lucky for you to see all those butterflies where you live! I saw very few butterflies in my garden this summer. There were lots of hummers though! A few of them still come around!
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I had to zoom in on that heron as I took it from the bridge, however I did not capture the colors in my heron like you did in yours Sabine. I was happy the DNR helped me out in IDing it. I was surprised we saw those butterflies Saturday morning because it was so chilly on the water.
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The lighting really helped bringing out the heron’s colors. Our butterflies have left!
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That is true too. They are headed to Mexico to bask in the sunshine all day! It sounds inviting.
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Yes, the heron is gorgeous (and exquisitely photographed).
I also like the good-humored artistry in the alligator, dragonfly, and serpent sculptures.
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Thank you, Mel! Sculptures like the ones in this post add a fun touch throughout this garden. 🙂
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Beautiful, Sabine. It’s been a few years since we visited the garden. This makes me want to return!
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Tomorrow I’m going back for the third time this month. I finally bought a membership to support this place! I hope you get a chance to stop by there sometime, Missy! 🙂
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Having a membership sure helps. When we lived in PDX we had one to The Grotto. It’s such a beautiful place to visit, too.
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The Grotto is on my to-visit list! Perhaps I’ll give it a try around Christmas time. A friend told me how beautifully they decorate the place.
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It’s amazing at Christmas! But do go in the daylight as well. The different seasons present different aspects and flowers. It’s very peaceful.
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I’ll definitely check it out! 🙂
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great shots Sabine! Thats one beautiful bird! I’ve never seen one before.
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Thank you Wayne! I think they are up in your area as well, but most of the time they’re hidden away. This was the only time I’ve ever encountered one out in the open. They sure are gorgeous!
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You must have a great lens on your camera to capture those terrific heron portraits. We have a few blue herons who manage to live near us in the Boston area — I see them flying from one lake/pond to another or standing along a very tired urban creek in our neighborhood. So resilient and resourceful! I looked up Silverton and The Oregon Garden on Wikipedia. Looks like a great place to live! The Oregon Garden has experienced some financial ups and downs in the past but seems to be on the upswing right now. Thank you for another beautiful post.
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My telephoto lens does do a great job! I did a lot of reading and research before getting it because I didn’t want it to be super pricey and also not be too heavy. They often are also available used. But a big part of the nice heron portraits was the fact that he was so close to me and didn’t seem to mind me being there. I love Silverton! It really is a great town and I wouldn’t mind living there if it were practical. The Oregon Garden adds to this small town along with all the beautiful natural areas surrounding it. 🙂
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