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A panorama of the International Rose Test Garden in Portland, Oregon, USA.

International Rose Test Garden

Portland’s hillside rose garden with over 10,000 bushes and global test beds

Photo: PiccoloNamek, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Set in Washington Park, Portland, the International Rose Test Garden features more than 10,000 rose bushes from around 650 varieties. Roses are sent from many countries for trial and display, and the garden is open to visitors from spring through autumn, drawing hundreds of thousands each year.

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  • Over 10,000 rose bushes and 650 varieties are grown here
  • Roses bloom from April to October, with June as the peak season
  • New rose types from around the world are tested each year
  • The garden’s Queens Walk honors Rose Festival queens
  • Portland’s Best Rose award is judged here every June

What is International Rose Test Garden?

The International Rose Test Garden is a public garden in Portland, Oregon, set on several terraced acres overlooking the city and Mount Hood. Visitors find more than 10,000 rose bushes, representing about 650 types, arranged in themed beds. The garden includes features such as an amphitheater, a fountain, and walkways lined with plaques honoring Rose Festival queens. There are also special gardens for miniature roses, award-winning varieties, and roses named for Shakespearean characters.

The history of International Rose Test Garden

The garden was started during World War I as a safe place for European rose hybrids, with the first plants arriving from England and Ireland in 1918. Portland already had a reputation for roses, with thousands of bushes planted for the 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition. The city’s Rose Society president at the time, Jesse A. Currey, led the effort to create the garden, which moved to its current site in 1928 and expanded further after the zoo relocated in the 1950s.

What there is to see

Roses are sent to the garden each year from breeders around the world. These new varieties are grown and monitored for qualities such as color, shape, scent, and disease resistance. The garden’s staff and volunteers care for the plants, and records are kept for every rose. There are also test beds where unnamed roses are evaluated before release to the public.

Title: Two models in rose test gardens, Washington Park, Portland, Oregon Subjects: Parks Places: Oregon > Multnomah (county) > Portland Notes: Title from item. Extent: 1 print (postcard) : linen texture, color ; 3
Title: Two models in rose test gardens, Washington Park, Portland, Oregon Subjects: Parks Places: Oregon > Multnomah . Photo: Angelus Commercial Studio, Portland, Oregon, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
An aerial view of Portland's International Rose Test Garden
An aerial view of Portland's International Rose Test Garden. Photo: Pdx.rollingthunder, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
International Rose Test Garden (Portland, Oregon)
International Rose Test Garden (Portland, Oregon). Photo: Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Int. Rose Test Garden, PDX, 2017
Int. Rose Test Garden, PDX, 2017. Photo: Another Believer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

When to go

The garden is open to the public and is busiest from late spring through early autumn, when the roses are in bloom. It hosts events like concerts and plays in its amphitheater, and weddings are often held in the Gold Award Garden. Rose experts gather in June to judge new varieties for the Portland’s Best Rose award. The site is also a stop for local transit and is accessible for visitors year-round.

Parts and collections

Within the garden, visitors can explore several themed areas: the Gold Award Garden for top-rated roses, the Royal Rosarian Garden with rare and historic types, the Miniature Rose Garden for small varieties, and the Shakespeare Garden with roses named after literary characters. Some beds feature roses not found in stores, while others display the latest introductions.

Why International Rose Test Garden matters

Portland’s identity as the 'City of Roses' is closely tied to this garden, which has been a center for rose testing and display since 1917. The garden’s Queens Walk and Royal Rosarian statue honor local traditions and festival figures. The annual Portland’s Best Rose award is unique in North America, and the garden remains a major draw for visitors and rose enthusiasts.

The flowers of International Rose Test Garden

RoseWoody perennial plants with showy, often fragrant flowers in many colours

Plan a visit

🇺🇸 Portland · May to SepPortland's International Rose Test GardenA terraced public rose garden in Portland's Washington Park, where new varieties have been tested since 1917.

Questions people ask about International Rose Test Garden

Where is the International Rose Test Garden located?

The garden is in Washington Park, Portland, Oregon, overlooking downtown and Mount Hood. Its address is 400 SW Kingston Ave., and it is accessible by public transit.

When is the best time to visit for peak blooms?

The roses are at their best from April through October, with the largest number of blooms usually seen in June, depending on weather conditions.

What makes this garden special?

It is a major site for testing new rose varieties sent from around the world, and it has operated since 1917. The garden is also closely linked to Portland’s tradition as the 'City of Roses.'

Are there special events at the garden?

Yes, the garden hosts concerts, plays, and weddings, especially in the amphitheater and Gold Award Garden. Rose experts gather in June to select Portland’s Best Rose.

What kinds of roses can visitors see?

Visitors can see a wide range, including award-winning, miniature, historic, and new test varieties. Some roses are not yet available to the public.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "International Rose Test Garden", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes. Opening times, prices and bloom dates change: check with the place before you travel. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.

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Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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