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In 1888, Georgiana Burton Pittock, wife of pioneer publisher Henry Pittock, invited her friends and neighbors to exhibit their roses in a tent set up in her garden. Thus began the annual rose show for Portland Rose Society. Jesse A. Currey, a former Rose Society president, convinced city fathers to inaugurate a rose test garden in 1917 with the support of the American Rose Society, City officials, and civic –minded citizens. At that time, Portland had 20 miles of rose-bordered streets – a strategy to draw attention to the 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial celebration. As a result, Portland was dubbed “City of Roses”. The garden was a perfect opportunity for enhancing that reputation.

Founded in 1917, Portland’s International Rose Test Garden is the oldest official, continuously operated public rose test garden in the United States. In the beginning, even though World War I was raging in Europe, hybridists sent roses from around the world to Portland’s garden for testing and to keep the new hybrids safe from being destroyed by the bombing in Europe.




THE GOLD MEDAL GARDEN


The primary purpose of this garden is to serve as a testing ground for new rose varieties. The City of Portland Gold Medal Awards are issued annually to the best introductions. The first "Gold Medal" rose award was given in 1919, making it the oldest rose testing program of its kind in the United States. Portland is the only North American city to issue such awards. These award winning varieties are planted in the Gold Medal Garden.


The terrace above the Shakespeare garden was originally planted in old garden roses. By 1959, so many Gold Award roses had crept into the terrace that it became known as the Gold Award Garden and the old garden roses were moved to another area of the garden.

With the support of the Portland Rose Society, today’s Gold Medal Garden was constructed in 1969 commemorating 50 years of Gold Medal awards in the City of Roses. In 1991, the Portland Rose Society donated the gazebo to the Gold Medal Garden, a popular spot for weddings and a wonderful vantage point from which to view the award winning roses.




Click here for a PDF of Gold Medal roses



Portland Rose Society >>





INTERNATIONAL ROSE TEST GARDEN

The International Rose Test Garden is also one of 24 official testing sites for the internationally respected All-America Rose Selections (AARS). The All-American Rose Selections is a non-profit association of rose growers and introducers dedicated to the introduction and promotion of exceptional roses. Since 1938 the AARS seal of approval has graced outstanding new rose varieties that have performed the best in the test gardens located throughout the country and representing all climate zones. AARS testing began here in Portland in 1940.

Roses currently under test in the garden are not named but are designated only by a number. The new varieties are submitted by the hybridizers to the AARS, who then distributes them to the test gardens identified only by their code number. Four plants of each entry are evaluated for two years on 14 different characteristics consumers desire in a garden plant including plant habit, vigor, disease resistance, color, flower production, form, foliage, and fragrance. About 200 rose cultivars are under test each year.



MINIATURE ROSE GARDEN


The garden is also one of only six testing grounds for the American Rose Society miniature rose test program. The national annual winners from both ARS and AARS associations are displayed in the middle of the garden along the center aisle.





SHAKESPEARE GARDEN

A popular spot found within the garden is the Shakespeare Garden. Dedicated in 1945, this garden donated by the LaBarre Shakespeare Club was originally designed to include only herbs, trees and flowers mentioned in Shakespeare’s plays. Some of the trees have done so well in this garden, that their extensive shade has made it impossible to grow many of those original sun-loving plant varieties. The garden continues to honor the Bard with roses named after characters in his plays.

The informal design features graceful trees, brick walks and hundreds of annuals and perennials besides roses. Over the years, this garden has been the site for hundreds of weddings. A favorite spot for picnics, its shady lawn quickly transports visitors to faraway lands.



The focal point of the garden is a brick wall with a plaque featuring Williams Shakespeare’s image and his quote, “Of all flowers methinks a rose is best.”







ROYAL ROSARIAN GARDEN


The Royal Rosarian Garden honors the Royal Rosarian civic group, which serves as the official greeters and goodwill ambassadors for the City of Portland.

Royal Rosarians take part in many Rose Festival events and are very visible in their distinctive off-white uniforms and straw hats. They produce knighting ceremonies, appear in the Grand Floral Parade and escort the royal Court during its Rose Festival reign. The

One of my backyard shade gardens. The backyard gardens might be described as informal woodland gardens. They're mostly made up of perennials with a few annuals mixed in for color. These gardens are really still in their infancy having only been established two years ago or less. Parts of the garden should really be taking off this year. See photo for plant notes.

Roswell, Georgia. Zone 7b. 4.16.06