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Ring Around the Rosey - 10 Must See Rose Gardens in Oregon

© Sue Barton

Ring Around the Rosey - 10 Must See Rose Gardens in Oregon

Although Portland is known as the Rose City having an annual Rose Festival, parade, and other activities all across town, they don't have a lock on these American Beauties. Below are ten rose gardens you must visit when you come to stop to smell the roses.


International Rose Test Garden
400 SW Kingston
Portland, OR 97201
(503)796-5193

The International Rose Test Garden in Portland, is the pre-eminent rose garden in the United States. I've waxed poetic about its romantic virtues, as well as its scientific value; how about the historic significance?

The garden was founded in 1917 by three well-known nurserymen. Even then, Portland was nicknamed the "City of Roses," for its many streets lined by roses. The Parks and Recreation department working with the Portland chapter of the American Rose Society, created this lovely garden for all to enjoy. Almost immediately, roses arrived from rose growers from around the world. There are over 8500 rosebushes in the five acres.

This beautifully terraced garden is accessible either directly or by taking the little train from the Oregon Zoo at Washington Park. It is the perfect spot for an early summer evening picnic. The view of the city below is incredible. The garden is open to the public at no charge for visitors, so do stop by the new Garden Store to help support its ongoing maintenance.


Peninsula Park and Rose Gardens
6400 Albina (N Albina & Portland Blvd)
Portland, OR 97217

The Sunken Rose Garden actually has more roses than the International Rose Test Garden. The fragrance of almost 8,900 rose bushes sweep over the visitors to this two-acre park.

It is also the site of Portland's first public rose gardens. Sixty-five rose varieties border the steps leading down to the sunken rose gardens. The "Mme. Caroline Testout," once lined the streets of Portland and is the official Portland rose maintained in the garden.


Ladd's Addition Rose Garden
SE 16th & Harrison
Portland

William Sargent Ladd, Portland's mayor in 1854, planned the Ladd's Addition based on Washington D.C. and across the river from downtown. The garden includes nearly 3,200 rose bushes.


Tallina's Garden
15791 SE Highway 224
Clackamas, OR 97015
(503)658-6148

In addition to a French rose garden of 1,200 bushes, this garden near Portland, includes an Oriental garden, a cottage garden, and an English vegetable garden.

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