International Rose Test Garden – Garden Review | Condé Nast Traveler
"Start us off with an overview. A visit to the Rose City without a stop at the Rose Garden is sacrilege. If your timing’s off to catch the more than 10,000 bushes in their full glory, the expansive views and general splendor of the nearly-five-acre garden are still worth a visit, even in the dead of winter. Founded in 1917 to help preserve European hybrid roses people feared would be lost to persistent World War I bombing raids, the garden flourished, and has since helped firmly embed its beautiful tenants in Portland’s cultural identity: Sip Steven Smith Teamaker’s Rose City Genmaicha, tear into the the pistachio-rose croissant at Nuvrei, get permanent bicep petals at New Rose Tattoo shop, and cheer on the fierce all-female Rose City Rollers roller derby league. Sounds like fun. Are there any specific things we should be sure to check out? Seek out the serene Shakespeare Garden, hidden behind heavy hedges on the south end of the park, below the Rose Garden Store. Donated by the LaBarre Shakespeare Club, it was dedicated on the bard’s birthday in 1946, and planted exclusively with flowers, herbs, and trees named in his plays. Requirements for residency are looser these days, and includes roses named for Shakespearean characters—an appropriate allowance in honor of the guy who so famously wrote, "Of all flowers methinks a rose is best.” Even with such ethereal surrounds, the lush little garden holds its own—so much so that many a midsummer night’s dream wedding take place here. Do you have any tips for navigating the park? Arrive early in the day. Park in the lot below the Washington Park tennis courts, then descend a stone staircase into the dramatically terraced garden, getting a the lay of the land. You’re largely on your own here; except for the neatly labeled varietals, signage is at a minimum, so start wandering, stopping to smell the roses, of course. Alternately, you can walk or bike from downtown—it’s a heart-pumping, steadily uphill two-mile trek. Or, when the park’s free seasonal shuttle is in operation (daily, May through September, weekends during April and October), take the MAX light rail to the Washington Park station and hop the shuttle. On the right side of the garden, by the gift shop, there’s a wheelchair-accessible ramp, but much of the garden is quite hilly, so not all areas will be easy to get to. Who do you think the garden is best for—and who would definitely not enjoy it? The only travelers who should steer clear of the garden are those with rose allergies or acute anthophobia—fear of flowers, yes it’s a real thing and Queen Elizabeth I had it. Everyone else should experience its sheer splendor. But timing is important; the plants bloom from mid-spring to late fall, and generally peak in June, right around Portland Rose Festival week." - Jen Stevenson
