Portland’s International Rose Test Gardens
lie on four and a half acres of prime property in the West Hills
overlooking downtown Portland.
Over 7,000 rose plants of approximately 550 varieties are grown,
and they bloom from late April through October with their peak usually occurring in mid June
during our famous Rose Festival.
We had a chilly, rainy spring so they bloomed late this year.
Our gardens are the oldest, continuously operating public rose test gardens in the United States
and exemplify Portland’s nickname of the City of Roses.
On a clear day you can see the tall building in downtown Portland through the trees.
The primary purpose of the gardens is to serve as a testing ground for new rose varieties.
The first gold medal awarded was issued in 1919,
making it the oldest rose testing program in the U.S.
The first gold medal awarded was issued in 1919,
making it the oldest rose testing program in the U.S.
Can you imagine how many photos are taken in these gardens each year?
The outdoor amphitheater is the natural location for outdoor cultural events,
and on lovely summer evenings is the perfect place to get together with friends
for an al fresco meal and entertainment.
I’ve seen concerts by Jackson Browne, Lyle Lovett and Alison Krause at this beautiful site.
Portland’s first rose festival queen was chosen in 1907. She was selected among
representatives from senior classes in Portland’s high schools. Selection of the court
and coronation of the queen are still part of our Rose Festival celebration.
Personalized tiles with the names of each queen line the Queen’s Walk.
There is no admission fee to the gardens.
On a clear day Mt. Hood can be seen in the background.
On a clear day Mt. Hood can be seen in the background.
This is a replica of a “Portland Bubbler,”
ornate bronze drinking fountains that provide fresh drinking water
throughout downtown Portland. The fountains were a gift to the city from the early Portland legend
and lumber baron, Simon Benson.
ornate bronze drinking fountains that provide fresh drinking water
throughout downtown Portland. The fountains were a gift to the city from the early Portland legend
and lumber baron, Simon Benson.
There are many areas throughout the gardens to stop and rest
and take in their beauty.
and take in their beauty.
Even during World War II hybridists sent roses from around the world to the gardens
for testing in an attempt to keep hybrids safe from being destroyed by bombings in Europe.
The gardens are a huge tourist attraction
and many languages can be heard as you stroll through the grounds
and many languages can be heard as you stroll through the grounds
We caught a glimpse of a lovely young couple’s very special day.
The gardens are available for weddings and special parties.
The gardens are available for weddings and special parties.
A solitary figure overlooks the drive into the park.
I hope you enjoyed your visit to one of our most beautiful treasures
as much as I’ve enjoyed taking you on a tour. Hopefully one day you will visit here yourself.
*****
I’m joining Mosaic Monday at
Little Red House. Hope you will join in as well.
oh i love this park, you pics are just great, it really is the crown jewel of portland!
This is a wonderful post. I can almost smell the roses. The Chicago Botanic Gardens have a rose test site (much smaller) where they pay "homage" to the Portland Gardens. I took a friend from Lake Oswego there and she was very pleased to see the "offshoot".
Best,
Bonnie
What a beautifully romantic place for a wedding! You have such ideal growing conditions for roses in the PNW I can understand why it is one of the oldest testing gardens. Gorgeous pics!
Another summer is speeding by, and still I haven't visited those gardens. I will happen!
This week there was another long article in one of our papers about the food vendors in Portland. We really need to learn from the city and get moving on this. There is so much red tape and so many regulations – I'm afraid the clever cooks will throw in their aprons and move somewhere more welcoming before we get it together up here.
Wow! That is absolutely beautiful =) Thank you for making my day! And I really, really love that stick man…lost in solitary thought.
Wow! I just imagine Oregon as this absolutely gorgeous place, and it looks like I'm right!
Oh, Cathy! This is just gorgeous. What a lovely place with all of those roses. And I love that statue! Neat post! Enjoyed every picture and every word.
XO,
Sheila 🙂
Just stunning!
Bonjour Cathy,
What a great day in the midst of all that beauty! The outdoor amphitheatre does look like a perfect picnic spot! Thank you for the tour!
Have a great week,
Mimi
What a stunning place Cathy. Thank you for taking us on thsi journey.
I am so excited! I can say that I have been to rose testing garden. It is beautiful!!! We enjoyed it so much when we visited a few years back.
This was a great way to highlight this beautiful and serene place.
I love all your lovely photos of the roses Cathy! And thanks for the tour, I enjoyed it very much:D
I was there this past week. I think I took a picture of the same rose in the center of your mosaic.
Did you see me dance on that stage? Smiling! My goal was to dance in a performance when I turned 40. I was taking ballet and my class did a Hungarian folk dance with the youngest girl's class. It is fun to remember.
What a dream to be able to visit this incredible rose garden whenever you want to. I'm going to have to place this on my list to visit when I get to Portland, which I am soooo excited about!
This is truly a rose haven, and as someone who has a deep appreciation of horticulture, I'm am thrilled that you are sharing this garden with us.
Also, I am reminded of a rose that was specially developed for Eleanor Roosevelt. She was excited when she found out about the hybrid until she read the description: great up against the wall but fine in bed. LOL!
Oh Roses! How beautiful are they! I love the purple colour one… don't see that colour often here. Thanks so much for sharing. Hope you're having a wonderful time, Cathy.
Cheers, Kristy
How beautiful. I want to visit!
Wow, a great place. Can't even imagine the aroma from all those beautiful roses.
Very neat to have such a beautiful place nearby.
Thanks for sharing Cathy.
Oh my gosh, I want to go! Portland is far, far away from me, though. I would be so happy wandering around there for hours. You lucky girl, you.
What a beautiful place! My daughter and my mother have been there but not me. How wonderful that they hold concerts there too! I've seen Jackson Browne in concert too but not at such a lovely place.
I haven't been there for so long… thanks for reminding me what a great place it is!
The rose gardens are, indeed, beautiful, Cathy. The best part for me is that the Japanese gardens are just across the street. The roses provide color and fragrance and the paths at the Japanese gardens serenity. have a great day. Blessings…Mary
Mary – I'm saving the Japanese gardens for another day. I'm waiting until there is a big Ikebana show there. And I can't leave out the Chinese Gardens in downtown Portland.
Lovely and no wonder the bride and groom are having their photos taken there. A bit of Heaven on Earth. When we were in Ireland years ago I did not want to tour the museum and was in Tralee and had no idea they were famous for their rose gardens too. So there I was standing among colorful and some fragrant roses all by myself for an hour or so. Think that was one of the highlights of my trip and to think they did not have it on the tour??? Crazy not to.
Joyce
WOW! Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us; your photos are beautiful! wish I was there.
Rita
What a gorgeous day! And your up close photos of the roses are lovely. I wish I could have been there, Cathy.
Luckily, we have the beautiful Morikami Museum and Gardens right here so I can enjoy lovely Japanese gardens and floral designs on a regular basis.
My middle name is Rosa taken from my 'Nonna'…so, I guess one could say I was destined to be enchanted by these stunning flowers.
Oh, how I wish I was in Portland right now…taking the time to smell all those roses 😉
BTW…the next time you stop by my place…there is something for you to pick up on my APPRECIATION page.
Thanks for sharing such a fantastic tour with us.
Ciao for now,
Claudia
wow what a gorgeous place wish Portland wasn't so far from here sob, looking forward to seeing your bread lol
How gorgeous! I could see where you could actually spend days there and never tire of all the beauty. Loved the twig figure…
What a wonderful way to spend a day. I'd love to see it one day. 550 varities , OMG!
Gorgeous roses! This seems like it was a beautiful day.
Amazing pictures!!
Love,
Lia.
A place must visit. Thank you for sharing Cathy:)
That must be a wonderful place to visit! The aroma must be heavenly.
I wish they would develop a rose the deer don't like!
That twig sculpture is amazing!
Thanks for the great tour!
This post takes me way back. My father was born in Portland and we visited this incredible park when I was 13 years old. Your pictures are so beautiful, especially your collage. You live in a wonderful city.