Rose Rambles: A List of Public Rose Gardens Located in or Around the Lehigh Valley

March 29, 2021

We all acknowledge the effects of this past long winter coupled with 2020 COVID cabin fever. The prospect of a day trip to a local garden satisfies our cravings for getting outdoors while providing inspiration for our personal garden plans.

Here's a list of local public rose gardens, followed by a list of general gardens to help you devise a delightful day trip. Over the next few months we will attempt to review each one of these gardens to aid your selection. As you visit the gardens we welcome your comments and travel tips from your Rose Rambles!

Note: * - admission required. Gardens that offer free admittance to American Rose Society members thru the American Horticultural Society Reciprocal Admittance program (AHS RAP) are noted. For more information, please see https://ahsgardening.org/gardening-programs/rap/

Pennsylvania

Allentown: Malcolm W. Gross Memorial Garden Municipal rose garden featuring paved walking paths, three pavilions and a fitness/exercise trail. Parkway Blvd and Ott Street, Allentown PA 18104

Bethlehem: Rose Garden at Rose Garden Park Formal municipal garden along W Union Blvd in the Rose Garden Park featuring the Lehigh Valley Workers' Memorial and other memorial statues. Union Blvd and 8th Ave, Bethlehem PA 18018

Germantown: Rose Garden at Wyck House and Garden Widely recognized as the oldest rose garden in original plan in America, with over 50 cultivars of historic roses. 6026 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19144

Philadelphia: Independence National Historic Park Rose Garden 96 varieties of antique roses, as well as a patch of cobblestone paving from the 19th century. Unlike modern hybrid roses, the majority of the roses in the garden only bloom once a year, usually the end of May though June. Walnut Street and Locust Street, between 4th and 5th Streets Philadelphia PA 19106

*Philadelphia: Rose Garden at the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania - Created in 1888, companion plants have been recently added to the roses. 100 E. Northwestern Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19118 Free with ARS membership thru AHS RAP, but 90-mile exclusion radius applies (ie, not free to most members of LVRS).

Swarthmore: Dean Bond Rose Garden at the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College roses mixed with perennials. 500 College Ave Swarthmore PA 19081

Merion: Rose Garden at the Barnes Arboretum Small formal rose garden is a subset of the award-winning plant collection at the arboretum. St Joseph’s University 50 Lapsley Lane, Merion, PA 19066

*Kennett Square: Rose Garden at Longwood Garden the extensive grounds include both an arbor and a small rose garden which is currently transitioning to a new planting design. 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348

*Hershey: Historic Rose Garden at Hershey Gardens 23 acres of gardens including a historic formal garden with 3500 roses. The historical highlight of Hershey Gardens, the rose garden was established in 1937. The brilliant assortment of 3,500 roses representing 175 varieties includes an interesting mix of heights, colors and flower forms of Hybrid Tea, floribunda, shrub, and miniature roses. 170 Hotel Road Hershey, PA 17033 Free with ARS membership thru AHS RAP

Harrisburg: Jane Shafer Rose Garden at the Governors Mansion Gardens 250 roses of 13 cultivars. 2035 North Front Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102

Delaware

Wilmington: Jasper Crane Rose Garden in Brandywine Park: a municipal garden dating to the 1930s, it is now part of a state park. 1080 N Park Dr, Wilmington, DE 19802

New Jersey

Somerset: The Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden in Colonial Park an acre of over 3000 roses, including AARS selections focusing on roses that thrive in central New Jersey. Colonial Park 156 Mettlers Road, Somerset, NJ 08873

New York

New York, NY: Peggy Rockefeller Garden at the New York Botanical Garden Originally designed by Beatrix Farrand in 1916 and completed in 1988. Over 6000 roses of 680 varieties. 2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx NY 10458

* Flushing, NY: Queen’s Botanical Garden: the closest American Gardens Rose Selection trial garden to LVRS. Re-planted in 2009, the rose garden at Queen’s has undergone many transformations throughout the years and is considered a leader in sustainable rose gardening. 43-50 Main Street Flushing, NY 11355 free with ARS membership thru AHS RAP

Other Gardens

Philadelphia is hailed as the garden capital of America, and there are many other notable gardens in the area (http://americasgardencapital.org/) including

*Andalusia https://andalusiapa.org/

Bartram's Garden https://www.bartramsgarden.org/ ; AHS Garden

*Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve https://bhwp.org/

Chanticleer http://www.chanticleergarden.org/

Haverford College Arboretum https://www.haverford.edu/arboretum AHS Garden

*Henry Botanic Gardens www.henrybotanicgarden.org

*Hortulus Farm https://www.hortulusfarm.com/gardens

Jenkins Arboretum https://www.jenkinsarboretum.org/

*Mt Cuba Center https://mtcubacenter.org/

Meadowbrook Farm https://phsonline.org/locations/phs-meadowbrook-farm/the-gardens

*The Gardens at Mill Fleurs https://www.thegardensatmillfleurs.com/

*Tyler Arboretum https://tylerarboretum.org/ ; AHS Garden