The first Saturday in April is our Early Show with several hundred trusses of early blooming rhododendrons. Mother's Day weekend has an even larger display. Volunteers from the Portland Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society, the Friends of Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, and the Master Gardener program care for the grounds and are responsible for all education programs and special events. Regular volunteer work parties take place every Wednesday, February through November. There are also volunteer days on selected Saturdays.
New volunteers are always welcome.
The Friends, an auxiliary of the Portland Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society, is dedicated to maintaining Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden as a year-round place of great beauty. Friends enjoy free admission for themselves and one guest. With the exception of a small area, previously developed by Reed College students as a Shakespeare theater that was later abandoned, the site was covered with brush, blackberries and native trees. Lack of security and adequate protection proved this impractical and the concept was dropped. In 1964, the Garden's name was officially changed to Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden.