International Rose Test Garden, Portland, Oregon

The​ International Rose Test Garden, part of the larger Washington Park area in Portland is a great place to walk, picnic or just check out the award winning roses.  

The garden, which was first envisioned by Georgiana Burton Pittock, socialite and rose lover in 1888 when she wanted to show off her roses.  

As things usually do, when the wealthy decide something is worth doing, funding follows.  Roses became a craze in Portland and by 1912, the Royal Rosarians had formed and continue to this to be "ambassadors of goodwill" for Portland Events, particularly the annual Rose Festival.

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There gardens within the main Rose Garden, including a Shakespeare Garden (originally located Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden) which was installed in 1945 and designed to only include plants found in Shakespeare's plays.  There is also a  Miniature Rose Garden, which is one of only 6 test gardens for miniature roses in the country.

We visited in the morning and were rewarded by lots of urban wildlife, including two bunnies and a swarm of hummingbirds.

The garden is free, but you need to pay to park, unless you take public transit. 

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