Washington Park – International Rose Test Garden

More than 10,000 individual rose bushes bloom in the International Rose Test Garden (IRTG) from late May through October, representing over 610 different rose varieties. The majority of roses in the Garden are commercially available. About 10 to 20 varieties are replaced each year with some of the best new roses released onto the market. Roses bloom from late May to October depending on the weather.

The primary purpose of the Garden is to serve as a testing ground for new rose varieties. In the beginning, while World War I was raging, hybridists sent roses from around the world to Portland’s garden for testing.

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Tips For a Safe Park Visit

Car prowls occur throughout the City of Portland including within Washington Park. Please see Tips For a Safe Park visit to learn more how you can help reduce the chance of your vehicle becoming a target.

Remove valuables from your vehicle:

• Remove all valuables, bags, or items that could be perceived as valuable when leaving your vehicle. Store them in the trunk if you cannot take them with you.
• Close vehicle windows and lock vehicle doors every time.
• Keep unused chargers and accessories in your glove box.
• Be observant when you exit or enter your parked vehicle, stop and take a look around the area. Report any suspicious activity to park rangers or the police.

Getting Here

Plan your visit with parking, transit, and shuttle information from Explore Washington Park.

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Pay to Park is in effect in Washington Park. When parking, use the Parking Kitty appor website.

Brochures with Maps

Tour Groups

Guided tours for groups of are available seasonally starting in the spring, for a nominal fee per person. Contact ParksCommercialUse@portlandoregon.gov to make arrangements. Please allow four weeks for planning. Memorial Day through Labor day individuals, families and small groups can take a daily tour at 1 pm which meets at the Rose Garden Store. Visit the Rose Garden Store website.

Volunteering

Volunteer opportunities are available in both garden and non-garden work. Garden tasks include deadheading, planting, pruning, sign painting, and garden improvement projects. Non-garden tasks include strategic planning, fundraising, updating educational materials, leading garden tours, maintaining inventory records, and coordinating volunteer efforts. Contact the Rose Garden at 503-823-3636 or Volunteer Services at 503-823-5121.

Portland Rose Society

Founded in 1889, the Portland Rose Society is a nonprofit organization offering educational programs on rose culture and encouraging the use of roses in the landscape. For information on Rose Society programs or membership, write or call Portland Rose Society, PO Box 515, Portland, 97207, voice mail: 503-777-4311.

Maintenance Closures

The Rose Garden is closed for regular maintenance every other Wednesday from 5 AM – 10 AM. The anticipated schedule for the summer of 2023 is:

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May 10, May 24, June 7, June 21, July 5, July 19, August 2, August 16

These dates are subject to change due to weather.

Test Garden Status

The American Garden Rose Selections (AGRS) has replaced All American Rose Selections (AARS). 2013 was our inaugural season. AGRS has eleven test sites nationally:

1. Portland, Oregon (Washington Park International Rose Test Garden)
2. Orangeburg, South Carolina
3. San Jose, California
4. Farmer’s Branch, Texas
5. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
6. Kennewick, Washington
7. Westfield, Massachusetts
8. Columbus, Ohio
9. Glencoe, Illinois
10. Ames, Iowa
11. Lexington, Kentucky

Other independent rose testing ongoing at IRTG:

• Five rose breeders entered the 2013 trials with seven varieties of roses.
• Rose trials run for two years.
• During the testing period, all roses are only identified by code numbers.
• Each site has two judges making seven evaluations per growing season.
• Eleven attributes are judged (disease resistance, vigor, foliage proportion and attractiveness, plant habit, flowering effect/bloom abundance, rebloom habit, bloom form/attractiveness, aging quality of blooms, fragrance, hardiness, general impression).
• No fungicide spraying occurs; roses receive only basic maintenance.
• Weeks and Star Rose Grower’s trials
• David Austin Roses (near tennis courts); one of five test gardens nationally
• Miniature Roses (in the test garden); one of eleven test gardens nationally. No fungicide spraying.

ADA Improvements

The Washington Park International Rose Test Garden celebrated its Centennial anniversary in 2017. With funding from the Parks Replacement Bond, this project removed ADA accessibility barriers from the main promenade within the Rose Garden and improved the connection to the parking lot, so that all Portland residents and visitors can equally enjoy this space for the next 100 years. Read more about these improvements on our Parks Replacement Bond page.

Accessible parking is located on SW Rose Garden Way and SW Kingston Ave. Visitors may park in these spaces and follow signs to the ramp access into the garden. Note that parking is very limited in Washington Park on sunny weekends and most days during the summer months. The Washington Park free shuttle is fully accessible and connects to the Washington Park TriMet MAX Station and various parking areas in Washington Park. Learn more at Explore Washington Park.

Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Garden news