International Rose Test Garden, Rose test garden in Washington Park, Portland, United States.
The International Rose Test Garden is a rose garden in Washington Park, Portland, Oregon. The grounds spread across terraced slopes and host thousands of flowering plants organized into several thematic beds.
Jesse A. Currey, president of Portland's Rose Society, proposed the garden in 1915 so European hybrid roses could be safeguarded from World War I bombings. The Park Bureau approved it in 1917, and plants arrived from England and Ireland in early 1918. Florence Holmes Gerke designed it, and it was dedicated in June 1924.
The Shakespeare Garden was donated by the Shakespeare Society in 1943 and originally held species named in William Shakespeare's works; later plantings were limited to sun-loving roses because of shade from surrounding trees. The Queens Walk, a brick walkway, carries bronze plaques with each Rose Festival queen's handwritten name and year since 1907.
The garden lies in several tiers facing downtown Portland, the Willamette River and East Portland, with Cascade Range views on clear days. The Queens Walk, a brick walkway at the base, carries bronze plaques with each Rose Festival queen's handwritten name and year since 1907. Roses bloom from April through October, peaking in June depending on weather.
Professionals evaluate new varieties in two-year trials for disease resistance and fragrance before commercial release. This process makes the site a living laboratory for rose breeders worldwide.
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