International Rose Test Garden, Portland

Our Stay in Portland, OR

The International Rose Test Garden Is Simply A Lust for The Eyes

Sometimes you just need to change plans. Hubby and I had planned to hike part of the Wildwood trail. The marker with directions to the Rose Garden at the starting point near the parking lot made us change our plans.

We always wanted to visit the International Rose Test Garden when we lived or visited the Portland region. However, we never seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Seeing the marker, we knew we had to change plans and visit the garden.

We noticed we approached the garden without seeing any roses; the smell of sweet blooming roses was already noticeable before entering the garden. Once we had entered, we were in awe of the place. The park is gorgeous, a little paradise on Earth, with roses in full bloom, row upon row, showing off their unlimited colors, beauty, and smell. I had to restrain myself from taking a picture of every rose.

The garden’s history is also quite impressive. Rose hobbyist Jesse A. Currey founded the park as a safe haven to protect European roses from being destroyed during World War I. The landscape architect for the city of Portland, Florence Holmes Gerke, designed the garden’s still timeless and appealing ground plan allowing magnificent views from several angles.

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In 1940, the park became one of the official testing gardens for the All-America Rose Selections, and in 1960 it became a National Historic Landmark. More than 100 years later, new roses and rose-growing techniques are developed here.