Discover this must-see flower farm near Oregon’s capital city.
By Bruce W. Smith
March-April 2026
Flower-loving RVers traveling on Interstate 5 in Oregon won’t want to miss Adelman Peony Gardens, just north of Salem via exit 263 (Brooks/Gervais) on Brooklake Road N.E. Located less than two miles from the busy interstate, this family-owned farm features more than 500 varieties of peonies. Their beautiful rainbow of color spreads across 30-plus acres.
According to the Adelman Farms website, the family grew hazelnuts and apples for some 25 years. In 1993, they switched to peony plants, a particular love of Carol Adelman. Two years later, Carol and her husband, Jim, opened the farm to the public.
Carol Adelman has received the American Peony Society’s Best of Show award 11 times.
The switch to flowers was a huge success. Today, visitors walk among blocks of waist-high plants topped with spectacular blooms, stroll through the display gardens, purchase pre-cut flowers, and buy plants for their own flower gardens in the on-site store. You can build your own bouquet by selecting pre-cut flowers and having the staff assemble it for you.
Three generations of Adelmans run the farm today. Carol and Jim are now semi-retired. But the farm’s matriarch still hovers around the fields and hasn’t slowed down on her hybridization of peonies. She is highly respected in the peony world and has garnered a wall of awards for her devotion to these amazing plants and the varieties she has hybridized.
Hybridization is a slow process. Carol says it can take as long as 12 years to get a new peony variation on the market, and she has a long list of varieties she still wants to expose to the world.
When is the best time to visit the Adelman farm — and maybe get a sneak peek at a brand-new peony variety? Granddaughter Kady, who manages the retail side of the business, including online ordering, noted: “Very early peonies will be blooming in early May. Peak of the season is usually around mid to end of May — weather depending. Late-season blooms wrap up the season mid-June.” (Check the Adelman Peony Gardens Facebook page or website for days of operation and bloom status.)
Adelman’s numerous varieties of peonies are pretty as a picture.
The farm offers free parking and free admission. It is wheelchair/walker accessible and pet friendly.
As my wife and I walked the fields last May, we saw dozens of visitors taking photos of flowers, family, and friends. We even spied a few RVers having a picnic in an area set aside for just that purpose.
“We love seeing RVers,” Kady told us. “We can accommodate motorhomes and travel trailers, which can park on a large open grass lot behind our building where we do retail sales. But please keep in mind weekends can be very busy, with lots of traffic. If possible, plan your visit for a weekday!”
INFO
Adelman Peony Gardens
5690 Brooklake Road N.E.
Salem, OR 97305
peonyparadise.com
(503) 393-6185
info@peonyparadise.com
Route 99 diner is located nearby in Brooks, Oregon.
GOOD EATS
Strolling through the Adelman peony fields can quickly build an appetite. Although the farm does not offer a food court or food trucks, a great family-owned diner sits ¾-mile back toward Interstate 5. Called Route 99 (route99brooks.com),
it’s located at 9015 Portland Road N.E. in Brooks, Oregon.
The diner, housed in a building that dates to 1928, is open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; and 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Sunday. The food and service are top shelf. “We support our local farmers and food suppliers as much as possible and want to bring you the freshest fruits and vegetables depending on the season,” the owners say.