Oh what a fun trip for you ! What area in so cal are you again ?

In temecula there are the heritage rose gardens . I will try to go this week and post pics. It’s so close to me I seem to forget it existed but when I first moved here I was so very excited to have this resource . They are making great improvements now . My only complaint is they don’t have variety like they did 5 years ago .. now it’s more mass impact planting . They had belle story in multiples but I remember the bases looked like gnarled wood from their age and they removed them when they remodeled. They also had “ flower girl “ which I super admired and finally this year I got one of my own . I don’t know if it’s still there . And I do remember being beyond annoyed when they had a row of knockouts ( the audacity lol ) but I’ll tell you they had a lovely antique rose area with some beautiful ones and they have a gorgeous pond with fish and turtles .

If you ever come out this way we have gorgeous winery restaurants and a lovely “ old town “ to explore .

If I went to ottos this week would they have a lot blooming to enjoy ?

I also love the Huntington but it’s far and my kids get bored before I even get started 😅

A couple of public rose gardens that i think are worth visiting are:

the rose garden in Avery Park in Corvallis Oregon. If you come into Avery Park from the north end, closest to the football stadium, it is just off to the left of the road. it has a good representation of both old and modern garden roses.

The Portland Rose Garden in Washington Park, Oregon. Mostly modern garden roses.

Nan Elliott Memorial Rose Garden in Alton Illinois. Modern garden roses, but has a few harder to find David Austin roses in it.

the rose garden in Loose Park, Kansas City area, Missouri Missouri. Mostly modern garden roses, has a good variety of David Austin roses, and a few old garden roses.

If you don’t mind paying, the rose garden at the Memphis botanical gardens, Memphis, Tennessee; and to a lesser extent,as of this year, the Missouri Botanical Gardens, St Louis Missouri. Over the winter the Missouri Botanical decided to renovate two of the three rose gardens, and they don’t look as good.

I hope it wasn't the antique and species rose garden! That was fantastic and not even mentioned in their literature. Just was at the Missouri botanical gardenIn the fall. Didn't notice they were working on it but did seem to only have new plantings...

This is going to be a fantastic thread, I would love to see what places are available also. I enjoyed my visit to the Biltmore gardens in North Carolina. It isn’t just a rose garden but an incredible property with a rose garden, a giant green house of tropicals specially orchids as well as other beautiful trails showcasing hydrangeas, azaleas, camelias and much more.

@Vaporvac Z6-OhioRiverValley it was the species part of the rose garden that was mostly impacted, but also the David Austin section ad well

I'm feeling very sad now because I thought that was the best part of the whole thing. The David Austins are up there with the species roses. I took some great pictures. I guess I guess I should hold Judgementall Or rather withhold judgmentComa coma but I'm feeling Disheartened. Usually this sort of change is never good..

I know in the central aisle They are testing roses. The other section is where they have some roses for the orient if I recall.

@Vaporvac Z6-OhioRiverValley

i completely agree that the species part was the best

Thanks so much for all the recommendations! Will be considering these for the next epic road trip! Yay!

Another one I can highly recommend is one I just visited last month over Mothers Day: Filoli House and Gardens. It’s between San San Francisco and San Jose. Lovely place.

I was just at the Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, WI last Saturday, in the pouring rain. Though we were told that the rose garden had been downsized because they "wanted to reduce pesticide use", we counted at least 15-20 roses. It was free (we left donations, of course), everyone was so kind, and I would go back again.

Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Garden, Dubuque, Iowa - Lots of different plants and flowers, a large hosta collection, a small cactus garden, an herb garden, Japanese garden, koi pond, an English garden, 456 rose bushes, and free music in the gardens on Sunday evening in the summer. Here is the link: Rose Garden - Dubuque Arboretum .

Admission is free.

And then of course, there is the Summerland Ornamental Gardens in British Columbia. It ain't just a rose garden, 6 hectares of lovely plantings. But we do have 4 rose specific plantings; Canadian bred, early English Roses and Paul Barden varieties, lost Agriculature Canada Bred Roses, and a new OGR planting with many others interspersed as specimen and accent plants throughout the garden.

We are finishing our 5 year plan of rose rejuvenation, and new plantings this spring. It has been a long, and daunting task to get to the finish line, but the result is a rose collection and a garden very much worth visiting. We likely have one of the premier collections of early David Austin rose introductions in North America with close to 40 varieties.. I have to thank forum friends in the US for so much support and assistance in making the dream a reality. We also have many species roses and an expanding collection of OGRs. Climbers and ramblers, not to mention one of the most extensive collections of Canadian bred hardey roses anywhere.

My team, myself and the Friends of the Gardens Summerland Ornamental Gardens are very excited to be finishing our long term, 5 year, project to rejuvenate and expand the rose collections. This is a very special garden, Canada's Secret Garden and well worth a visit if you wish to experience the Okanagan area.

We are also a heritage garden in BC's wine and lake playground in the Okanagan Valley. So lots to do after you stop to smell the roses. Rose tour next Saturday, June 15th. I would love to see some of your there.

Cheers, Rick

Rosarian and Rose Team Leader

eden

Old blush

rose garden in temecula . we didnt have much time but enjoyed the time we had .

OMG! I would recognize that smile anywhere. She is so big! The garden is beautiful also. LOL!

I second Judi's recommendation of Filoli (FightLoveLife) House and Gardens in Woodside, California, south of San Francisco. And for Dianela, I recommend Bellingrath Gardens and Estate near Mobile, Alabama. It's just stunning. Dianela when I visited Biltmore many years ago, there was no garden at all to see. I was very disappointed. We toured the impressive, to say the least, enormous mansion. I would very much like to visit The San Jose Municipal Rose Garden in San Jose, California, which is highly recommended. Diane

Here's a some more in the south/southeast US:

Crestwood, KY (near Louisville): Yew Dell Botanical Garden - I've been twice, both times when visiting family at Thanksgiving; it's beautiful and peaceful

Jackson, MS: (1) Greenwood Cemetery - historic, 22-acre city cemetery; when I was there in mid-April, there were 150 older and antique roses blooming --- mostly chinas, teas, noisettes, and hybrid musks; there are also bulbs, native plants, and a lot of old camellias (2) Eudora Welty House and Garden - a small staff and dedicated core of volunteers keep this up (includes a small museum and gift shop) the house was a delight to walk through; the garden has been restored closely to Eudora's mother's plans and as it was during her lifetime

Charlotte, NC: Elizabeth Lawrence House & Garden - Elizabeth Lawrence was named one of the top 25 gardeners of all time by Horticulture and was a prolific garden writer; the garden is small and nice to visit at different seasons; it's down the street from Winghaven Garden and Bird Sanctuary, another very nice garden to visit

Durham, NC: Sarah P Duke Gardens - There is a much to see and lots going on; the website has a lot of information; if you are in the area and have time, I recommend stopping by (it's free)

Raleigh, NC: JC Raulston Arboretum (and garden!) - I learn something new every time I go; all-around good place to visit *JC Raulston is another American included in the "top 25" :)

Columbia, SC: Riverbanks Botanical Garden (part of Riverbanks Zoo and Garden); I love the design/layout of this place; it includes a section devoted to over 100 old roses, including noisettes and found roses - it cemented my interest and love of older roses

Orangeburg, SC: Edisto Memorial Gardens; when I visited in spring 2018, there was a nice-sized area dedicated to noisettes; however, I had the feeling that it was not being tended too nearly as much as the large trial-gardens close by; this may have changed by now

Lynchburg, VA: (1) Anne Spencer House and Garden - charming home and small garden of Anne Spencer, a Harlem Renaissance poet; the only known restored garden of an African American in the United States; extraordinary book about the garden restoration; all of the Spencer's roses from the 1930s and 1940s (and several other plants) are still in the garden (2) Old City Cemetery - a 27-acre historic cemetery with much to see by way of plants, including "the largest collection of heirloom roses in the Commonwealth"; they have a wonderful rose festival every May; check the web site for specifics on this whole place

My neighbor's mother created The Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek, California. It was the first garden sponsored by the Nature Conservancy. This public garden features drought resistant plants from all over the world, There is much information about the garden online. Ruth Bancroft died in 2017 at age 109! Diane

Diane thank you very much for the recommendation I am going to try and visit that garden.

The San Jose Heritage Rose Garden would be my number one recommendation, particularly since you're in Calif. The San Jose Municipal Rose Garden is wonderful, but it pales in comparison to the SJHRG. Going to the SJHRG is like going to the Getty... you can easily spend a whole day there, or more. And of course, the Huntington Library Rose Garden in San Marino (Pasadena adjacent).

Blown away by all of these wonderful recommendations and visitor tips!!! How amazing would it be to do a cross-country/international rose garden tour!

Adding these to my must-see list of gardens!

Thank you everyone!!!

One more late suggestion: the rose garden at Balboa Park in San Diego. Hundreds of roses. Insider tip, they now have handicapped parking right on the street which is great if I want to take my mom.

The rose plantings in Washington D.C. are marvelous and feature big, unusual old-fashioned shrub roses near the Capitol building. I also loved the rose garden in the National Arboretum many, many years ago, but I don't know if it is still the same.

My favorite botanical garden by far is Fairchild Tropical Bontanic Garden in Miami. Its not a rose garden per say but its amazing! I go every chance I get. They are involved in research and have lots of events and sometimes plant sales.

https://fairchildgarden.org/

Paris: https://www.tiktok.com/@mollycarrphotography/video/7248886713731550510

I haven't seen this one, though I'd love to before I die, but I did see the one in Barcelona, which was splendid (though it was 20 years ago). The beds were laid out historically according to when they were introduced, which was very impressive. I've also seen the one at Shinjuku goen in Tokyo also, it consisted of a circular bed of large, very well cared for, accurately labeled bushes of hybrid teas, which were in the best of health and blooming enthusiastically. My son singled out "La France" for special praise. It is one of the first hybrid teas and still peerless.