Orsolya D.
Yelp
Roses are red, violets are... Well, you know the rest. Forget the violets though, because I'm going to talk about roses. LA isn't exactly known for its greenery but if you are seeking roses then the Exposition Rose Garden is at your service. Well, kind of. Read on...
The Exposition Rose Garden is located in between the Natural History Museum and the California Science Center on the USC campus basically connecting the two educational spots. One can consider it somewhat underrated in the respect that it isn't as talked about or busy even despite the crowds at the two museums. So, what will you find here? The Exposition Rose Garden is considered an LA Park maintained by the LA Parks and Rec Department and consists of 7 acres with supposedly 200 varieties of roses, statues, a gazebo, a fountain, and an Old Armory Building. In fact, this place has historical value holding a spot on the National Registrar of Historical Places having once housed a race track, brothel, bar, and carriage house! Sounds great, right? Eh, not as amazing as one would think.
Perhaps I visited the gardens at the wrong time of year (mid-October) mixed with the drought because using the label "rose garden" on what I saw was a stretch. Don't get me wrong: the park is a peaceful and lovely attempt at lush paradise with birds, butterflies, tree edging, and lovely paths to traverse. It certainly has a romantic feel to it and is much recommended when trying to impress your partner or get a little pooty tang later. The problem is that there were barely any roses! We all commented that these were the most dead-looking bushes we have seen. Again, perhaps it isn't blooming season but it was quite a disappointment. Another let-down? The fountain wasn't even turned on either so it looked like an abandoned piece of architecture. All of this made the park look ill-kept and certainly deems it unworthy of being called a rose garden.
Also a bit disconcerting is the high amount of ice cream/popsickle/junk food carts ringing their bells and trying to make sales. Some may find this pleasant with the accessibility to purchase snacks but we found it taking away from the ambiance and making the park a bit "ghetto". It just seems a bit classless in the environment.
The plus side? The Exposition Rose Garden is free so is a nice spot to take a break in between your museum visits or simply go specifically to walk through some roses bushes. You can even bring a picnic basket and find a spot to have lunch. A great way to make some memories while on a budget!
Have kiddos? The park is a nice spot for kids to run around switching it up from the usual playground or neighborhood park. There are lots of hiding spots and they will feel 'adult' due to the nature of the gardens (no pun intended).
As expected, the Exposition Rose Garden can be used for weddings, photo shoots, etc (you have to contact the city).
Overall, the Exposition Rose Garden is a lovely concept and certainly a better park than ones on the corner in your neighborhood but there were no roses, the fountain wasn't working, etc! I'll try to visit again in the spring/summer and see how it is. Either way, the Exposition Rose Garden is a solid spot to catch some fresh air.