Jenkins Estate
| 8005 SW Grabhorn Beaverton, OR 97007 phone 503/629-6355 fax 503/629-6356 |
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Gardens
The Estate
The Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District welcomes you to this tranquil setting tucked into a wooded niche crowning Cooper Mountain. Come enjoy the view of the Tualatin Valley and surrounding mountains. A revitalized country estate on 68 acres, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Jenkins Estate features a large lodge-style home dating from 1913 and refurbished stables suitable for weddings, corporate meetings, memorial services, and other events.
The grounds are open Monday through Friday and some weekends outside the summer months. Self-guided tours of the gardens are welcome. Admission is free.
- To view the Jenkins Estate botanical calendar, click here.
The Gardens
The grounds consist of wooded, wild natural growth areas in the perimeter that give way to cultivated plants and a tamed landscape of ornamental trees, shrubs, flowers and winding gravel pathways. Trail maps are available to guide you to the rhododendron garden, perennial garden, rock gardens, primrose path, herb garden and rose pergola. Perennial boarders, wild flower meadows and water features highlight other areas on the grounds.
Visit the Braille section (work in progress) of the Herb Garden where you will find scented geraniums, lambs ears, lavender, rosemary, chives and thyme.
A large and developing Rhododendron Garden is the first garden through the iron gates at the entrance. The 1.6-acre rhododendron garden is planted and maintained by the Tualatin Valley ARS chapter in cooperation with th e Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District. There are more than 700 plants and 600 varieties planted. Garden volunteers continue annual propagation from existing plants in the Greenhouse located on-site.
In the Garden with Jim
Stretch those cold bones 
Lets not forget about our muscles and ligaments. They seem to not like it when we ignore them for the winter months. They become short or leggy in the winter and not as cooperative when we use them later on. Believe it or not, they really enjoy the work out we gave them in the spring and summer. And in the winter, they really miss all the attention they got even if it was indirect attention.
I love these winter days. Before or after a brisk walk in a nearby park, I take time to looking through garden magazines to get inspiration for the upcoming season. With a cup of tea, my dog next to me, I search through the new and old magazines looking for new ideas. Some of my favorites are Horticulture, Fine Gardening and English Gardening. All three have great full color photos to get the old brain thinking of new ideas for summer gardens. I get all excited about the latest perennials from across the U.S. or from Scotland. Somewhere there is a new hosta or a new delphinium that has been tried, and if they can propagate it maybe it can be planted in my garden too.
The Internet also is another great tool that allows us to talk to fellow gardeners about their successes and failures.
So lets get out and move our bones and stretch our muscles. Walk with a friend, your dog, or alone in an attempt to create a vision for your summer garden.
Volunteering on the Grounds
Please call Jim MacDonald, gardener at the Jenkins Estate, at 503/629-6355. He would love to talk with you.
The Tualatin Valley Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society meets every Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon at the Jenkins Estate's Rhododendron Garden. A variety of garden care continues year-round.
Garden Clubs are also another source of volunteering groups that visit the Jenkins Estate occasionally. For more information, please call our office at 503/629-6355.
