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All the United States Oregon Portland International Rose Test Garden
AO Edited

International Rose Test Garden

10,000 flowered plants bloom in the City of Roses.

Portland, Oregon

Added By
Hannah Wagner
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CAPTION
An aerial view of the rose garden.   Pdx.rollingthunder
International Rose Test Garden   Cacophony
“Of all flowers methinks a rose is best.”   Keith Higa
  Sorrel / Atlas Obscura User
  K Brown / Atlas Obscura User
  K Brown / Atlas Obscura User
International Rose Test Garden   Another Believer
Miniature Rose Test Garden   Kkmd
International Rose Test Garden   InSapphoWeTrust
International Rose Test Garden   InSapphoWeTrust
Portland’s International Rose Test Garden   Gardens Dot Tours / Atlas Obscura User
International Rose Test Garden   lori355
Roses and path   Sorrel / Atlas Obscura User
  Lucy DiSanto / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Portland’s obsession with the rose began when the local Rose Society planted 20 miles of the flower in honor of the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in 1905. Ten years later, the president of the society, Jesse Currey, successfully persuaded the city to create a test garden to save and cultivate rose varieties from Europe during World War I.

Dubbed the International Rose Test Garden, the resulting rose garden is now nurtured within Portland's Washington Park. From April through October, it exhibits over 10,000 rose plants that bloom from 650 varieties. A wonderful scent wafts through the garden, especially as the roses become most aromatic in the afternoon when the day is at its warmest.  

The garden is split into three sections: the Royal Rosarian Garden, the Shakespeare Garden, and the Miniature Rose Garden. The first traces its roots back to the very origin of the garden and has its own secret rose society: the Order of Royal Rosarians. Members of this order are the official greeters and goodwill ambassadors of Portland. There also lies a stone bench to honor the garden’s founder.

The Shakespeare Garden houses roses named after characters from his iconic plays. A memorial to the bard sits along the lush flowers with a quote reminding visitors of his love of roses. Lastly, the Miniature Rose Garden grows and tests miniature species of the flower. Also seen in this kaleidoscopic garden are the winners for the Gold Award for best new variety of rose.

Related Tags

Roses Flowers Plants Gardens Wwi Parks Travel Oregon

Community Contributors

Added By

hcw2rp

Edited By

AdamTKincaid, wallykramer, Meg, K Brown...

  • AdamTKincaid
  • wallykramer
  • Meg
  • K Brown
  • Lucy DiSanto
  • Gardens Dot Tours
  • Sorrel

Published

February 28, 2018

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Sources
  • http://content.time.com/time/travel/cityguide/article/0,31489,1975826_1975753_1975581,00.html
  • https://www.travelportland.com/article/portland-rose-garden/
  • http://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/travel/outdoors/2014/05/27/portland-test-rose-garden/9623543/
  • https://www.outdoorproject.com/adventures/oregon/special-destinations/international-rose-test-garden
International Rose Test Garden
400 SW Kingston Ave
Portland, Oregon
United States
45.5191, -122.7054
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Portland

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Stories 12

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Stories 12

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