Monolith Design

International Rose Test Garden
Portland, OR
Posted August 9, 2017

The International Rose Test Garden is the oldest of 24 public rose test gardens in the US for the All-American Rose Selection (A.A.R.S.). A group of Portland nurserymen came up with the idea for a rose test garden in 1917 to enhance the city’s reputation as “The City of Roses.” The Rose Test Garden is located in Washington Park in Portland, OR, and it has been maintained and operated by the Portland Parks Bureau since the beginning. The garden covers more than 5 acres, and it is adjacent to the Portland Japanese Garden and the Washington Park Amphitheater.

About the Rose Test Garden

There are 10,200 rose bushes here from more than 650 varieties, some of which are no longer available commercially. The garden’s Web page has some excellent materials available for download, including the 2016 Rose List (28 pages) and the Self-Guided Tour of the Rose Test Garden, as well as a Map of Washington Park (the Japanese Garden is spectacular in the Fall!).

There are five gardens within the the International Rose Test Garden:

• Test Garden: serves as a trial ground for new rose varieties, as well as an exhibition space. Incorporated in 1917, the garden helped solidify Portland’s title as the City of Roses, and also created a sanctuary for European-grown roses during World War I that were threatened by bombings.
• Gold Medal Rose Garden: formal garden featuring Gold Award roses.
• Royal Rosarian Garden: home to the namesake roses of all past Prime Ministers of the Royal Rosarians, a civic group which serves as the official greeters and goodwill ambassadors for the City of Portland. There’s a statue in their honor in this garden, too.
• Miniature Rose Test Garden: one of only six testing grounds for the American Rose Society (ARS) miniature rose test program. The national annual winners from both ARS and AARS associations are displayed in the middle of the garden along the center aisle. It’s actually pretty big — not sure why they downplay the size. 😃
• Shakespearean Garden: originally intended to include only herbs, trees, and flowers mentioned in William Shakespeare’s plays. The garden continues to honor him with roses named after characters in his plays.

Click on any image to expand or start a slideshow.

These stairs give a birds-eye view of the Rose Test Garden. Grounds at Rose Test Garden Grounds at Rose Test Garden Grounds at Rose Test Garden The Miniature Rose Garden is actually pretty big — they must have been talking about the type of rose. 😃 Grounds at Rose Test Garden Grounds at Rose Test Garden They allow dogs at the Rose Test Garden! The Frank Beach Memorial Fountain was dedicated in June 1975. The stainless steel sculpture, titled Water Sculpture, was designed and built by Oregon artist Lee Kelly. The Rose Queen is memorialized with a plaque each year at the Rose Test Garden. The Royal Rosarian Society is a civic group which serves as the official greeters and goodwill ambassadors for the City of Portland. Statue in honor of the Royal Rosarian Society. Commemorative Bench for Jesse Currey, originator of the Rose Test Garden.

Roses of the Rose Test Garden

With over 10,000 rose bushes in five acres, the fragrance is intense during the blooming season. You can pretty much find every color and variety of rose here!

Click on any image to expand or start a slideshow.

Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden The Bees are Very Happy at the Rose Test Garden! Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden Roses at Rose Test Garden There are some Non-Roses in the Shakespearean Garden.

About the Author: Dennis Freeze is actively exploring Oregon and Washington after moving here from the Mendocino Coast in Northern California, where he published a guidebook, Mendocino Outdoors (now in its fifth edition), with outings and custom maps for the Mendocino Coast. You can also follow him on Twitter as @dffmonolith or at 500PX.com/dff.