Portland's Rose Garden: Jewel of the Rose City's crown
The International Rose Test Garden, better known as the Rose Garden, is a jewel in Portland’s crown. It is a beautiful and romantic stop for any Portland excursion. When the flowers are in full bloom, expect to see this park packed with those admiring the rows upon rows of delicate roses. Even long-time residents visit in the spring and summer to bask in the lovely visions this garden has to offer.
Portland owes its nickname as the “Rose City” to this beautiful flower and to the founders of the Portland Rose Society. According to the Portland Parks website, “the rose Mme. Caroline Testout was introduced in 1890, and Portlanders began to plant it on their curbs. By 1905 Portland had 200 miles of rose-bordered streets which helped attract visitors to the Lewis and Clark Centennial celebration. Portland came to be known as the 'City of Roses.'”
There is no better place to learn all about this wonderful and highly adaptable flower than in the International Rose Test Garden, located west of downtown in Washington Park. Admission is free, with a suggested donation to help with the upkeep.
The garden is stunning and in addition to the flowers, offers some of the best views of Portland and outlying areas. On clear summer days, one can see east all the way to Mount Hood as well as other landmarks, including Mount Tabor and the buildings of downtown Portland.
Not to be mistaken with the Portland Trailblazer’s Rose Garden Arena, the International Rose Test Garden is perfect for people of all ages. Take a leisurely stroll and gaze at both the most rare and popular roses. According to Portland Parks, the Rose Test Garden, founded in 1917, features “over 6,800 rose bushes representing 557 varieties.”
One of the best secrets of the Rose Garden is the Shakespeare Garden. Secluded and in the southeast corner of the garden, is a great place to sit and take in the beautiful flowers all around you on the many benches.
The Rose Garden is maintained and run by the Portland Rose Society. They offer free guided tours from June to September. These are great if you want to learn about roses and rose cultivation more in depth. There are also wonderful concerts on summer evenings, including English folk music and even impromptu harp performers.
For more information on the International Rose Test Garden, visit www.rosegardenstore.org.
- by William Crane, Portland Reporter for HelloMetro
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William CraneWilliam Crane is an accomplished print and online journalist (http://www.william-crane.com) His work covers a variety of topics including features, local community news, sports, music, and political/social issues.
Graduating from Seattle University with a B.A. in Journalism, William's writing has appeared in a variety of different publications including the Stranger, Capitol Hill Times, the Skanner, Backfire Magazine, and the Internationalist.
