Each rose in each part of the Rose Test Garden is a masterpiece.
Tour participants should arrive at the garden gift shop 10 minutes before a tour begins. Each rose in each part of the garden is a masterpiece. There are pale yellow blooms with glossy green leaves, deep pink blossoms, variegated buds, and clusters of climbing roses on wooden archways that invite guests to stroll on shady pathways. Grassy trails lead to quiet spaces. The garden amphitheater and lawn are popular spots for musical concerts, picnics, and outdoor games. And don’t miss strolling down the brick pathway at Queen’s Walk where bronze stars honor all the Rose Festival Queens since 1907. Chronologically, the first phase of Portland Rose Garden is the Royal Rosarian area. It was established in 1924 in honor of Rosarians who serve as goodwill ambassadors for the City of Portland. When Royal Rosarians are knighted as members, they each choose a namesake rose, and the club’s Prime Ministers’ favorite roses are subsequently planted in their section of the Rose Garden. Portland Rose Garden’s second parcel was dedicated on the anniversary of William Shakespeare’s birthday in 1946. The Shakespeare Garden features rose bushes named after characters in Shakespeare’s plays and a memorial brick wall with a relevant quote from the
author, “Of all flowers me thinks a rose is best.” The third Gold Award section of the garden was established by rose curator Rudolph Kalmbach in 1967. The world’s most revered roses (as selected by the City of Portland) are included in the Gold Award Garden. An open-air gazebo that’s positioned to oversee the award- winning blooms is a popular local spot for weddings and a great vantage point for visitors. The fourth distinct phase of the garden was founded in 1975. The Miniature Rose Test Garden showcases nationally recognized small rose varieties. The Frank Beach Memorial Fountain on the upper level is an enduring tribute to a man who championed the city’s original Rose Festival and who first called Portland the “City of Roses.” When entering the miniature area, stop to see the raised beds where the rarest rose cultivars are grown. Contrasting color bursts of flowers, foliage, forest and sky come together delightfully at Portland’s Rose Garden. Beyond the neat rows of fresh blossoms andNorthwestern pine forest background are sprawling perspectives of downtown Portland and the Willamette River. On clear days, Mount Hood and the Cascade Mountains are visible too. Rose-colored glasses aren’t needed when you visit
PACIFIC NORTHWEST GARDENS
COAST TO COAST SUMMER MAGAZINE 2017
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