Last Sunday afternoon we spent a wonderful few hours in one of Portland, Oregon‘s most beautiful and popular signature landmarks, the Portland International Rose Test Garden. The temperatures were in the 80s, the sun shone brightly, a gentle breeze kept us comfortable and, best of all, the roses were at their peak of bloom. Our main purpose in visiting the Garden was to get some professional pictures taken of four generations of our family, and we couldn’t have picked a more ideal setting for both formal and casual portraits.   The Rose Garden was conceived in 1915, when it was proposed as a safe haven during World War I for hybrid roses grown in Europe. Roses began arriving in 1918, and the formal dedication of the grounds and amphitheater occurred in 1924. As the oldest official continuously operating public rose test garden in the country, it covers 4.5 acres and boasts over 650 rose varieties . . . among more than 10,000 individual plants. Climbing roses spread along hedges and over archways and arbors; hybrid teas and floribundas of every hue imaginable line neatly kept beds;      and special gardens within the Garden feature miniature roses, medal winners and other specialties. The Garden is open from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily, free of charge, so it makes an excellent post-work stop for business travelers who seek some time outdoors after meetings all day.   With peak bloom time from May to September and the Pacific Northwest’s late and lengthy summertime dusks (and being just a short jaunt from downtown via taxi or public transportation), one can stroll the grounds or perch on an out-of-the-way bench and let the day’s cares fall away. On the late afternoon of our visit, the Garden’s paths were full of families, young couples and individuals enjoying the colorful blooms and the views beyond the surrounding trees to the downtown skyline and regal Mt. Hood. The breeze stirred up fallen petals and the most appealing scent of warm roses — a heavenly experience! Be sure to include a visit to Washington Park (home of the Rose Garden, as well as the Japanese Garden and a host of other outdoor amenities), just west of the downtown core, on your next visit to Portland to enjoy a lovely and relaxing outdoor respite. — Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor