PNW Gardens: Shore Acres
Cape Arago Highway, 13 miles southwest of Coos Bay/North Bend and U.S. Highway 101
(541) 888-3732
I have traversed the entire length of the Oregon Coast on Hwy 101 in two segments seven years apart, 2010 and 2017. The first trip ended in Coos Bay and one of the last day trips from our hotel was to Shore Acres State Park on the way out to Cape Arago.
The non-profile cooperative Friends of Shore Acres, Inc. runs a gift shop and information center at the entrance to a formal garden on the grounds of the former residence owned by a timber baron. The park itself won’t be included in this post, just photographs from the botanical garden, but should be in an upcoming series about the 2010 coast trip.
Our visit was bright and early on a crisp late September day. Septembers are magical on the Oregon Coast and mornings are usually dripping with a marine layer that slowly burns off through the day, only to end with a creeping misty fog layer again just in time for sunset.
The formal area of the garden sits next to the old residence, which houses the gift shop and information center, and includes roses and dahlias, as well as tightly trimmed privets and lawns, all surrounded by paved paths.
The garden has a very West Coast Mediterranean climate flair, with the usual suspects, like roses and rhododendrons, but also towering evergreens of many species and more exotic palms, magnolias, and monkey puzzle trees.
At one end of the formal area sits a sunken pond with a metal sculpture of two large birds that I’m not entirely positive of species. They sort of look like Sandhill Cranes, but could also be some type of swan or heron. The pond creates a wonderful reflection of these sculptures against the beautiful backdrop of evergreens.
Towards the back of the garden was a path that tunneled through giant rhododendrons to a small “secret” garden with some raised beds and roses covered in the morning dew. This area seemed to glow in the morning light.
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