Friends of Crystal Springs Rhododendron GardenStewards this parkConfirmed
Friends groups
Portland.gov — Crystal Springs Rhododendron GardenEastmoreland · District 4 · Public garden · 9.5 acres
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
Public gardenLimited access / participation
Check the operator’s hours and admission or registration terms; participation may be limited. Public-entry status is separate from wheelchair accessibility.
Classification and evidence
Official page label: Public garden; Atlas classification rules. Classification: source-labeled.
Source captured: 2026-06-02. Human verification: Pending.
Check current official informationPublished activities: use a restroom, walk or roll on pavement, and use an accessible restroom.
Photo from the City's park pagePark history
William S. Ladd, who served two terms as the mayor of Portland in the 1800s, was the original owner of the property. He called it Crystal Springs Farm. The oldest rhododendron in the current garden was planted prior to 1917.
The development of a display and test garden was initiated in 1950 by the Portland Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society. Sam Jackson, owner of the Oregon Journal, had donated 27 acres on Terwilliger Blvd for the garden, but the site was deemed unsuitable because of its steep terrain. Claude I. Sersanous, one of the group assigned to select a new site, suggested the garden's present location near Reed College. Referred to as Shakespeare Island by Reed College students because of the Shakespearean plays that had been performed there, it was abandoned and overgrown with brush and blackberries. Through the efforts of Portland Chapter members and other volunteers, and with the support of Park Superintendent C.P. Keyser, the garden flourished. The first rhododendron show was held in 1956, and the garden was officially named Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in 1964.
Originally, the garden was developed as a test garden, which meant that new rhododendrons could be evaluated over a period of several years. Lack of security and adequate protection made this impractical and the concept was dropped. The original garden, on what is now called the Island, was designed by Ruth Hansen, a landscape architect and Portland Chapter member. The portion of the garden known as the Peninsula was designed by Wallace K. Huntington, a well-known Portland landscape architect, and was dedicated in 1977. The rocks used to build the waterfalls and other features were gathered from Mt Hood and Mt Adams.
The more than 2,500 rhododendrons, azaleas, and companion plants in the garden have all been donated by volunteers and interested individuals, or purchased with specially donated funds. Beginning in early spring and continuing into summer, they provide a magnificent display of color, giving visitors the opportunity to view many varieties rarely seen in the Pacific Northwest. During the fall, many companion trees add dramatic coloring. Spring-fed Crystal Springs Lake surrounds much of the garden, attracting many species of birds and waterfowl.
From the City's page for this park.
Visitor amenities
Published amenities are checked separately from entry conditions. Each links to other documented locations; confirm current hours before visiting.
…stay a while
- use a restroomRestroom
- use an accessible restroomAccessible restroom
…cool off
- sit by a fountainFountain
…get here and move
- walk or roll on pavementPaved path
- walk a soft pathUnpaved path
What kind of place this is
A public garden or arboretum, cared for as a collection rather than as open park land. Classified from official page labels it “Public garden”; our model.
What else should this park let you do?
Something specific to this park — the thing you'd use it for if it were here.
Send an idea for this park →Through the year
Seasonal facilities and listings captured by the Atlas. These records do not measure attendance, utilization or all activity at the site.
Counts describe captured listings, not attendance or all activity. No listings captured does not mean the site is unused.
Winter
Dec–Feb
Dark by 5 and wet most days: cover, lighting, indoor rooms, and paths that drain.
- use a restroom
- walk or roll on pavement
- use an accessible restroom
- sit by a fountain
- walk a soft path
0 programs · 0 events starts captured
Spring
Mar–May
Fields and gardens open; showers between sun. Leagues, planting, first picnics.
- walk a soft path
- use a restroom
- use an accessible restroom
- sit by a fountain
- walk or roll on pavement
0 programs · 0 events starts captured
Summer
Jun–Aug
Water, shade, long evenings — the season the system is built around.
- use a restroom
- use an accessible restroom
- sit by a fountain
- walk or roll on pavement
- walk a soft path
0 programs · 0 events starts captured
Fall
Sep–Nov
Light shortens and leagues wind down; shelters and lighting carry the season.
- use a restroom
- use an accessible restroom
- sit by a fountain
- walk or roll on pavement
- walk a soft path
0 programs · 0 events starts captured
What the record holds here, by season
| Season | Programs | Recurring events | One-time |
|---|---|---|---|
Winter Dec–Feb Not yet published | — | — | — |
Spring Mar–May Recorded from 2026-06-11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Summer Jun–Aug Recorded from 2026-06-11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fall Sep–Nov Recorded through 2026-10; 1 month still to come | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Our reading of the calendar
Which facilities count as in season is our model of Portland's year (splash pads and wading pools in summer; fields, gardens and interactive fountains spring through fall; everything else year-round) — not the City's schedule. Check posted hours for pools, splash pads, and restrooms. From 16 weekly catalog snapshots (2026-06-11 to 2026-10-12). "Programs" are distinct titles; "sections" are the catalog's individual records — a swim level at one time slot for one week is one section. Complete through 2026-10; later months fill in as registration opens. Winter counts fill in when winter registration opens.
What's on
No current listings were captured and matched to this property. This does not establish that no activity takes place. See the citywide calendar and programs.
Partners & friends
The whole ecosystemCommunity organizations that steward, fund, operate, or run programs at Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. Labels show what is confirmed and what is still being filled in.
Bureau of Environmental ServicesCo-manages this parkConfirmed
Intergovernmental partners
Salmon and native-fish habitat at Crystal Springs Lake.
Portland.gov — Crystal Springs Rhododendron GardenSupport this park
Real ways to help Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden and parks like it. This site does not process donations; every link below goes to an official giving or volunteering channel.
Donate via Portland Parks FoundationThe independent nonprofit philanthropic partner for Portland's parks. Gifts support parks and programs citywide.Volunteer with Portland Parks & RecreationJoin official PP&R volunteer and stewardship programs, from work parties to ongoing roles.Find park partners and friends groupsDozens of community organizations steward specific Portland parks. See who works where.
How it's holding up
The City's own inventory of what is here and the condition it last recorded for each item. Dates are the source's; old dates mean no newer public assessment, not that nothing has happened since. Historical project estimates appear below; they are separate from these condition records.
Historical cost profile · 2023 reporting
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
$578.4K
8 distinct source rows. Proposed repair and improvement costs, not a current funding gap.
All-in annual service cost: Not established
Current remaining repair cost: Not verified
What the estimates cover
Courts, fields & golf$185.1K
Roofs & buildings$155.9K
Bridges & retaining walls$89.1K
Paths & access$78.3K
Parking & site infrastructure$60K
Energy & building systems$10K
Categories are Atlas labels based on project titles. Expansion and new provision are included where proposed; a project can include several kinds of work.
The work, cost & reason (8 source rows)
Replace Failing Irrigation Pumps, Construct New Pu$185,083
Asset as named in source: Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
Install new pumps and construct new pump house. Limb fall caused large hole in pump house roof. Pump house in severe disrepair. Covered with tarp in 2013
KGW table row 184. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Roof Replacement$95,946
Asset as named in source: Not specified
Roof in Bad condition and rated as bad through condition aseesment: Pump House Restroom A Tool Storage Shed A Gate House Cool house
KGW table row 178. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Pathway Renovation$78,284
Asset as named in source: Internal Pathway/ Sidewalk
Replace the damaged pathway, trails and sidewalks that have been rated as 4 and 5 in Pathway assessment
KGW table row 179. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Retaining walls and slope stabilize$65,608
Asset as named in source: Not specified
investigate and repair or replace retaining walls, stabilize slope Long Term - Determine if the goal is to replace walls to match rest of garden or repair existing walls. - Repair existing walls with voids behind them by backfilling the void space with angular crushed drain rock and seal the surface behind the wall with top soil or silty soil to reduce water seepage directly into the drain rock. Secure a Geotech to provide: a. summary of all subsurface exploration data, including subsurface soil profile, laboratory test results, and ground water information; b. Eight (8) locations will be sampled up to 12ft deep to collect soil samples along the pathway from the top to the bottom; c. Three (3) locations to use a portable drill rigp0 to drive one meter metal rods into the soil next to the existing pathway to determine the strength and cohesion of the existing soils; d. Bearing capacity, seismic and geological hazards will be included in the report e. Consider doing Slope stability analysis of the existing site layout using GSTABL, just to get a bigger picture and to confirm these initial thoughts
KGW table row 180. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Cool House replace$59,967
Asset as named in source: Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
Replace the roof of Cool House
KGW table row 181. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗repair failing Storm System$59,967
Asset as named in source: Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
evaluate and repair failing Storm System
KGW table row 182. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Repair Bridge across water body$23,521
Asset as named in source: Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
the bridge has significant damage and is a serious safety hazard to park patrons
KGW table row 183. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗Replace Backflow preventer device$10,000
Asset as named in source: Property
- Replace out of compliance backflow preventer - Assembly: Double Check Valve Assembly (DCVA) - Premises Isolation (PI): 3/4" Reduced Pressure (RP)+ Enclosure. Serial # 59085 - Move to property line, if needed - Hazard: well Site
KGW table row 185. Source field: “Escalated Estimate.” Estimate date, inflation basis, funded amount and completion status are not supplied.
Original source table ↗8 of 48 assessed built records are rated poor or very bad in the separate condition dataset. Condition ratings do not determine these dollar estimates.
Source: KGW’s November 2023 table. Current status, remaining scope and funding are unverified. Exact duplicate rows count once; other scope overlaps remain unresolved.
Compare repair estimates across parks →Annual service · FY 2026–27 adopted
A complete annual cost is not yet available.
This property has no named account linked in the public budget extract. Shared crews and citywide programs may still fund its care.
Later budget supplements and unallocated shared services are not included.
Annual breakdown & district context →District picture · District 4
This park in the district picture
The same public records, read the same way for every property, so this park can be set next to its district. Each figure keeps its own source and date. “Not available” means the source has no record for this property. It is not a zero.
People nearby
- Residents within a half mile
- 6,557
- Households within a half mile
- 2,742
2020 Census blocks whose centre point lies within a half mile of the park boundary, measured in a straight line. Residents, not visitors. Blocks outside the city limits count.
Recorded backlog
- Open backlog IDs
- 12
- Closed backlog IDs
- 1
Records in the PP&R backlog map workbook that name this property. The workbook publishes no cost field, so these are counts of records, not dollars.
Active capital projects
- Active geocoded projects
- 0
Geocoded PP&R capital projects at this property, a subset of the full capital program. The cost is the published estimated total project cost, not spending to date.
Who is on record
Partner operates an asset here
A partner is on record operating a facility or program site at this property. City crews may still care for the grounds.
- Portland Chapter - American Rhododendron Society · License, Apr 16, 2024 to Apr 15, 2029Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
Partners at assets here: Portland Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society (operates a facility or program site)
From the department-provided partnership directory. It records what is on paper, not who does each task. Each agreement links to its entry on PP&R's agreements with partners, with the public text where it's posted, how to request it where it isn't, and the rules that govern partnerships.
Condition across all assets
Citywide condition atlasAcross 48 assessed assets at this park, 17% are in poor or very-bad condition (rated 4–5). Pooled from the City's public assessment layers — buildings, bridges, playgrounds, courts, fields, fences, paths and amenities.
This count comes from the City's rated asset layers; the “Public assets” list below is a separate furnishings inventory, so its items and scores are counted separately and the two totals need not match.
Good · 0Above fair · 2Fair · 38Poor · 3Very bad · 5
Assessed asset families here
Bridges2021Buildings2018Pathways & trails
Condition is rated 1 (good) to 5 (very bad); no score means not yet assessed and is excluded. Park trees are inventoried separately and not counted here. These assessment records do not contain repair costs. Historical project estimates are shown separately.
Repair ledger
Public data does not currently flag repair candidates for this park. Additional PP&R maintenance exports can be added without changing the page structure.
Know this park?
Seen something here that's broken, fixed, or missing from this list? Records are updated periodically; tell us what you see.
Send a condition note →Public assets
All 60Furnishings the City inventories here, with each item's condition score — 1 is good, 5 is very bad. Asset photos aren't public yet.
Bench×46
–×46
Permanent Trash Can×5
–––––
Permanent Bollard×4
––––
Drinking Fountain×2
––
Memorial×2
––
Bike Rack×1
–
Official Portland.gov profile
From the City's park page
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden on Portland.gov
A unique nine acre garden containing an outstanding collection of rare species and hybrid rhododendrons, azaleas, and other lesser-known shrubs, as well as many companion plants and unusual trees.
Official Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden website
Friends of Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden (Annual Pass holders) are admitted free.
Individuals and families who qualify may receive pay-what-you-wish admission through our Community Access program.
City label
Public garden
Year acquired
1923
Official acres
9.49
City section
SE
Neighborhood
Eastmoreland
Hours
Thursday through Tuesday: 10am to 5:30pmWednesday: 1 to 5:30pm Guests are welcome to enjoy the garden until 5:30pm when gates for the garden and parking lot will lock.
Amenities and activities
Accessible restroomTours (guided)Visitor attractionPaths (paved)Paths (unpaved)Fountain
All dogs must be leashed in this park.
This page, on a sign
The QR label for this park points here. Print labels →
https://parks.portlandciviclab.org/parks/crystal-springs-rhododendron-garden-27?utm_source=park_qr&utm_medium=sign&utm_campaign=park_27
Where this comes from
Facilities from the City's amenity pages and asset layers; hours, photo, and history from the City's park page; programs and events from its catalogs; condition from PortlandMaps public records. Where the City publishes nothing, this page says so instead of guessing.