Enjoy it while visiting Portland in Oregon
One of Portland’s nicknames, the City of Roses, becomes clear when you explore the vast gardens in Washington Park. These gardens were established in 1917 by Jesse A. Currey and city leaders as a place to test roses from different parts of the world. Even today, it remains the oldest public rose test garden in the United States, with continuous operations since its inception.
The site is home to over 10,000 rose bushes. You’ll also find a unique Shakespeare Garden adorned with roses named after characters from William Shakespeare’s plays. In addition, the garden features fruit trees like fig, olive, and medlar that are mentioned in the Bard’s works. The Gold Medal Garden showcases award-winning roses. Explore the Test Garden, where various trial programs take place, including miniature roses, David Austin roses (grown without fungicides or insecticides), and new varieties sent by rose companies for evaluation. To catch the roses in their full glory, it’s best to plan a visit in mid-June.