• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Humbly Homemade
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Seasonal
  • About
  • Collaborate
  • Summer Baking
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Seasonal
  • About
  • Collaborate
  • Summer Baking
×
Home » Travel

Portland International Rose Test Garden

Published: Jul 10, 2021 · Updated: Jun 18, 2023 by Carissa Erzen · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

view of the Portland International Rose Test Garden from the entrance
a lamp post covered with climbing rose vines
close-up photo of brilliant pink roses
light pink roses next to deep magenta rose buds

What to Do at the Rose Garden

Hello sunshine and blue skies! A couple weeks ago we drove to Washington Park to visit the incredible Portland International Rose Test Garden, and it was teeming with beauty! As soon as we walked in sight of the rose bushes, the floral aroma surrounded us. We walked meandered along the paved and stone paths and on the grass in between each rose bush.

Honestly, we saw rose varieties that you never could have dreamed of! Some really do look as if they were hand painted, like the 'Scentimental' Floribunda rose. I could have sworn that someone must have come in and tie-dyed light pink roses with dark pink dye. And they smelled AMAZING! Better than any perfume you could buy in the store. You could spend hours walking along all the pathways and smelling each unique rose.

In the early summer warmth, families gathered on blankets for picnics and kids were laughing and playing in the amphitheater, which uses massive live trees as the stage's curtains. During the summer, this grass and stone amphitheater hosts live Shakespearean plays. But I suggest to arrive early reserve a nice spot on those nights to avoid the crowds that build up.

Take a stroll through the grounds and you'll find a few views of downtown Portland and Mt. Hood through the trees. Walk a little farther and you might find yourself in the Shakespeare Garden. There's a memorial to the famous playwright, donning one of Shakespeare's quotes, "Of all flowers methinks a rose is best."

view of several rows of multi-colored roses in the Portland International Rose Test Garden
Standing near the Royal Rosarian Garden looking at the hundreds of rose bushes in view while visiting Portland, Oregon
multi-colored roses blooming during summer travel in Portland, Oregon
pink and white roses in the Portland International Rose Test Garden
close-up of a purple rose with droplets of water from Oregon rain on it

When to Visit the Rose Garden

The beautiful grounds of the rose garden are open & free to the public year-round. The rose garden in the winter can be a really beautiful and peaceful experience. Sometimes we go up on a cold day and walk around the paths to reconnect with nature. The rose bushes are pruned to thorny stumps. But the lush greenery of arbor vitae and cedar trees are thriving. You might just get an entire section of the garden to yourself, to fully immerse yourself in Winter's raw beauty.

However, if you're planning to take in the gorgeous technicolor rainbow of roses in bloom, then you'll want to plan your trip between late May and early October. The Oregon sunshine warms all the roses and carries their perfume in the air. Summer finds the gardens much more crowded, but there are also more events to catch, such as live performances in the amphitheater!

There are over 10,000 rose bushes you can smell, in over 600 varieties! So I'd suggest to plan to spend one hour at the minimum in the gardens!

There is a free Washington Park shuttle service that runs from March through September. The shuttle can get you from the Washington Park MAX station to all the various attractions at Washington Park, including the Rose Garden, the Oregon Zoo, World Forestry Center, etc. You could also walk through the Hoyt Arboretum to get to most of the park's attractions.

a deep red rose in the foreground with yellow and purple roses in the background at the Portland International Rose Test Garden
gold and orange roses budding and blooming summer in Oregon
brilliantly colored garden roses with droplets of Oregon rain on them
a pink and yellow rose that looks tie-dyed at the Portland International Rose Test Garden

Rose Garden History

The Portland International Rose Test Garden is actually the oldest publicly-run garden of its kind in the entire United States! In 1917, the building plans for the rose garden got approval. And by the beginning of 1918, hybrid roses began arriving from England to keep them safe during World War I.

The large grass and stone amphitheater was designed back in1921. This is a common place for a picnic, or to watch the theater performances in the summer!

There's even a not-so-secret society called the Order of Royal Rosarians that was founded way back in 1912. In order to join, you have to be knighted under your namesake rose! You can see the Royal Rosarians in the Rose Parade and other activities of the Rose Festival between late May and mid-June in Portland. You can take a walk through the Royal Rosarian Garden section of the rose garden. Stop and smell the namesake roses of each past Prime Ministers of the Royal Rosarians!

Also, are you wondering why it's an "international" "test" garden? Well, new hybrid rose varieties are sent here from all over the world. They're grown in these Oregon's ideal rose conditions to test for factors like color, fragrance and resistance to disease.

a fern slowly growing and uncurling adjacent to blooming roses
roses showcasing their brilliant colors of lilac and magenta
gazing upon half a dozen rows of colorful garden roses at the Portland International Rose Test Garden
pink and orange roses that look like a sunset or a dress
a long row of purple roses at the Portland International Rose Test Garden

Visit the Rose Garden Now!

The Portland International Test Garden is a wonderful and magical place to visit, at any time of the year. It's completely outdoor, so plan your attire accordingly. A rain jacket is never a bad idea in Oregon. We went in June and the roses were in FULL BLOOM! It sprinkled on us for about twenty minutes, during which we just hid under and archway of vines and blooms. When you visit, you'll find that the rose garden is an ideal place for a solitary walk, a romantic stroll, or a fun excursion for the family.

Want to know what else there is to do in Oregon? Tons! Visit Camp 18 for a good old logger-style breakfast. Or drive out to Mount Hood and pick apples in the fall!

steel rod tower with large roses climbing up it

More Pacific Northwest Travel Posts

  • Apple Picking Near Mount Hood
  • Exploring Camp 18
  • A Weekend at Timberline Lodge
  • What to do at Long Beach, Washington

More Travel Posts Across the U.S.

  • Visit Sweet Land Farm on Oahu
  • 6 Best Places for Sunset on Oahu
  • 10 Best Hikes on Oahu
  • Best Food on Oahu

International Travel Posts

  • 7 Best Outdoor Places to Visit in Qatar
  • What to Do in Qatar Indoors
  • 5 Best Restaurants in Qatar

More Travel Guides

  • Visit Sweet Land Farm on Oahu
  • 6 Best Places for Sunset on Oahu
  • 10 Best Hikes on Oahu
  • 7 Best Outdoor Places to Visit in Qatar

About Carissa Erzen

Growing up in Germany, I fell head-over-heels in love with ALL the German baked goods, from Lebkuchen to pretzels. Now I'm the founder, recipe developer, and food photographer behind Humbly Homemade, where I test and share German sweets lovingly created from scratch. So pull up a chair, and stay a while!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Markus + Micah

    July 15, 2021 at 1:22 am

    I want you to know that your post made me smile a lot. So pretty, thank you.

    Reply
    • strawberryandcream

      July 26, 2021 at 9:32 pm

      Oh I'm so glad!!! I was smiling the whole time we were there, I'm really grateful folks here take such wonderful care of these roses 🥰🥰

      Reply
  2. Rachel Duerden

    July 11, 2021 at 5:06 am

    Roses are my favourite flowers so I'd definitely visit this garden. 🌹

    Reply
    • strawberryandcream

      July 11, 2021 at 10:52 am

      I do hope you get to visit someday!! 🥰🥰

      Reply
  3. Azilde Elizabeth

    July 10, 2021 at 5:53 pm

    Beautiful 💐

    Reply
    • strawberryandcream

      July 11, 2021 at 10:49 am

      Thank you!! 🥰🌹

      Reply
  4. Yum-number1

    July 10, 2021 at 12:43 pm

    Wow these roses like so pretty! I can only imagine how good they smell! Will have to go on a visit someday

    Reply
    • strawberryandcream

      July 10, 2021 at 2:30 pm

      They smelled divine!!!! 🌹

      Reply

I'm eggcited to hear from you :) Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

A girl in a pink apron sitting on a kitchen counter.

Hello, I'm Carissa!

I'm the founder, recipe developer, and food photographer behind Humbly Homemade. Inspired by my childhood growing up in Germany, I share recipes of delicious German bakes from scratch.

Learn More

Stay Connected

  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok

Sign Up + Never Miss a New Recipe!

Summer Baking

  • A purple cake topped with fresh lemon slices and dried lavender flowers.
    Moist Lemon Lavender Cake with Lemon Drizzle

  • Easy Lavender Lemon Shortbread Cookie Bars

  • Easy Streusel Plum Yogurt Cake (without oil)

  • Peach Strudel with Fresh Peaches & Phyllo Dough

Trending Recipes

  • Easy Black Forest Chocolate Brownies from Scratch

  • Old Fashioned German Poppy Seed Cake | Mohnkuchen

  • A dozen chocolate-dipped shortbread cookies piled on a plate.
    Peanut Butter Shortbread Cookies with Brown Butter

  • A hand holding a cookie packed with rolled oats over a plate of more cookies.
    4-Ingredient Oat Peanut Butter Banana Cookies

Footer

Let's Get Baking!

No baking experience? No problem! I've spent the past five years developing fool-proof recipes that anyone can create.

About

  • About
  • Work with Me
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Shop

Recipes

  • Recipe Index
  • Cookies
  • Cake
  • Bread
  • Dessert
  • Breakfast

Connect

  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok

Copyright © 2025 Humbly Homemade. All rights reserved.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.