Spring is for Rhododendrons

Just minutes from downtown Eugene, Hendrick’s park is great for both quick evening excursions and lazy Sunday afternoon picnics. Any sunny day, you can stroll the park’s terraced gravel paths buzzing with spring. Located on a hill, the paths are steep but well compacted for wheelchairs. But it’s not every day that you can see the rhododendrons. And park history reveals they aren’t native species.

The rhododendron garden was planted in 1951 through a partnership between the American Rhododendron Society and the City of Eugene; the city provided the irrigation and the Rhododendron Society provided the flowers. Park spokespeople attest the park was being used for animal viewing at the time with elk, deer, and bears in cages so people could drive through and look at the animals. Eventually, though, the deer cages were moved and the rhododendron garden was planted.
The James Barto bed was the first rhododendron bed planted in Hendricks Park thanks to his extensive collection of rhododendrons and azaleas that, according to a 1930 Register-Guard article, had been aquired from the Royal Botanical gardens in Kew-Surrey, England, and Edinburgh, Scotland, along with gifts from China, Japan, Korea, India, Siberia, Mongolia, and the Himalayan mountains. Now, there are thousands of varieties of rhododendrons in the park, only a few of which are native.

Rhododendrons happen to be pretty well suited to Eugene’s climate. Also deer don’t eat them, and their leaves stay a shade of green year ‘round. If you get a chance to take a close look, you may notice some leaves have a metallic underleaf, some are soft and fuzzy, and others are white on the underside. Leaf coloring ranges from dark to light green, and flower shape ranges from small cups to large blooms.

With everything well labeleld, the garden is intended to be as educational as it is beautiful. But for most–and we expect for most of our visitors, it’s simply a place to explore. The park boasts extensive and well-maintained garden trails, forest trails, and running trails, too. An extensive volunteer network is largely responsible for keeping the park looking so nice.

Each year the park’s long bloom season begins early in February with witch hazel and small bulbs like daffodils, followed by the giant pastel magnolia blossoms. Peak rhododendron time, as we mentioned, is April and May, though some rhododendrons, like the smoky purple Rhododendron ririei, bloom in February, and others, such as the fragrant white Rhododendron auriculatum, bloom well into June.

Seeking more incentive? Hendricks Park makes for a lovely Mother's Day destination, too. More information about the rhododendrons is available from the Eugene Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society. Or check with the Friends of Hendricks Park for possible volunteer-led tours. We’ll see you in the park!