International Rose Test Garden
Garden · Arlington Heights ·
Over 10,000 roses, 650 varieties, blooms April-Oct. Free entry.
Over 10,000 roses, 650 varieties, blooms April-Oct. Free entry.
"A Portland garden noted for its extensive rose plantings and scenic views—recommended as a pleasant, family-friendly outdoor stop." - Jill Krasny Jill Krasny Jill Krasny is a journalist based in New York. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Esquire, The Financial Times, and Travel + Leisure. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"A celebrated public garden renowned for its spring blooms and extensive rose collections, offering a colorful, fragrant spot for leisurely walks and seasonal viewing." - Lauren Dana Ellman Lauren Dana Ellman Lauren Dana Ellman is a New York-based writer and editor who specializes in travel, lifestyle, food, and shopping content. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"I can stroll the International Rose Test Garden in Portland, home to more than 10,000 roses and offering great views of downtown and Mount Hood." - Patricia Doherty Patricia Doherty Patricia Doherty is a writer who specializes in covering destinations, resorts, and cruises for Travel + Leisure and other publications. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"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." - ATLAS_OBSCURA
"This is where everyone stops to smell the roses in the Rose City. Celebrating its centennial in 2017, the International Rose Test Garden is the nation’s oldest continually operating rose test garden (where varieties are evaluated for characteristics such as disease resistance, bloom size, and fragrance). Originally conceived as a way to preserve different varieties of European roses from the destruction of World War I, the garden today contains 10,000 plants across 4.5 acres in Washington Park. Best of all, it’s completely free, whether you want to compare green thumbs with professionals or take in the views of Mount Hood while breathing in the perfumed air."
