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International Rose Test Garden

International Rose Test Garden, Portland: Address, Phone Number, International Rose Test Garden Reviews: 4.5/5

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International Rose Test Garden

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International Rose Test Garden
4.5
5,628
#3 of 456 things to do in Portland
Gardens
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About
The oldest official, continuously operated public rose test garden in the United States boasts more than 8,000 roses.
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Northwest District
Best nearby
Restaurants
1,753 within 3 miles
Umami Cafe
41
0.1 mi$$ - $$$ • Japanese • Cafe • Asian
Elephants Delicatessen
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0.6 mi$$ - $$$ • American • Deli • Soups
Ringside Steakhouse
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0.6 mi$$$$ • American • Steakhouse • Gluten Free Options
Thai Bloom!
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0.6 mi$$ - $$$ • Asian • Thai • Vegetarian Friendly
Ken's Artisan Bakery
214
0.7 mi$$ - $$$ • Bakeries • Cafe • Vegetarian Friendly
Papa Haydn
632
0.7 mi$$ - $$$ • Dessert • American • Vegetarian Friendly
Starbucks
41
0.5 mi$ • Quick Bites • American • Cafe
Salt & Straw
1,047
0.8 mi$$ - $$$ • Dessert • American • Gluten Free Options
Goose Hollow Inn
93
0.6 mi$$ - $$$ • American • Bar • Pub
Ben & Jerry's
23
0.5 mi$ • Dessert
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Attractions
383 within 6 miles
Rose Garden Children's Park
24
163 ftParks • Gardens
Portland Japanese Garden
6,260
501 ftGardens
Hoyt Arboretum
364
0.7 miNature & Wildlife Areas • Parks
Washington Park
1,554
0.8 miZoos • Parks
Pittock Mansion
2,555
0.7 miPoints of Interest & Landmarks • Architectural Buildings
Northwest (Nob Hill)
162
0.7 miNeighborhoods • Historic Walking Areas
Portland Farmers Market
227
1.1 miFarmers Markets
Multnomah County Central Library
306
1.1 miLibraries
Providence Park
151
0.7 miArenas & Stadiums
Oregon Zoo
2,593
0.9 miZoos
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
5,628 reviews
Excellent
4,002
Very good
1,301
Average
291
Poor
28
Terrible
6
Jim W.
Atlanta, GA949 contributions
Beautiful Rose Garden in Washington Park.
It is hard to imagine a dedicated rose garden that would be more impressive than this one, so I'm giving it a '5'.

The garden is located in Washington Park, not far from downtown Portland. The only real challenge here is parking. The adjacent lot is quite small, so be prepared to drive past the garden and down the twisty hillside road. There are spaces along here with varying degrees of difficulty in parallel parking (not all spaces require that). You will pay to park, but the garden itself is free.

Once you hike back up to the garden, you are rewarded with an explosion of colors. There are about 3 distinct tiers of large flower beds. You begin at the top tier and can descend to the lower ones via several sets of stairs. The different types of roses are labeled.

Based on my limited experience with Portland weather, you are more likely to get sunshine after noon or 1 p.m., at least when we visited in July. Bright sunshine will help with any photography you do here (and you'll probably want to take a number of photos of the roses).

This is a really beautiful spot and is well worth a stop.
Written August 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
CynCeeG 🇺🇸
Austin, TX491 contributions
In Bloom, Vibrant Colors
Solo
Took the Trimet Max Lite Rail from downtown to Washington Park ($2.50).The rail stops right at the site however, the rail is underground. Took elevators up to the ground level. Waited outside for the free mini air-con shuttle. Driver was socialable. Along the way, it makes pit stops to the other sites in the park. The park is free. When I stepped onto the Rose Garden, the smell of those flowers were imminent. The view of all those vibrant colors was amazing. Photograph many and smelled lots! Nearby was a food truck selling snowcones. After a while, took to one of the benches on the grounds (under some shade), sat in front of the bushes & had my refreshment. So peaceful. This garden is an icon, any tourists of all ages should come experience it. Highly recommend a visit.
Written August 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Colleen S
Portland, OR21 contributions
Fabulous at every season
Acres of roses with a breathtaking view over the city of Portland, this oasis of color and fragrance is the pinnacle of must-visit sites in the city. From April to October roses bloom in profusion, but even in off-months the paths, occasional blooms, proximiity to downtown and wilds of Forest Park trails makes the Rose Test Garden the true heart of Portland, the Rose City. It's free. There's good bus access, train and free shuttle, and you can even walk (uphill) to here from downtown in 30 minutes.
Written November 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Don'tWaitForRetirement
California4,634 contributions
Nice place to take photographs, wander, relax, soak in the sights and smells
While visiting Portland, we took the MAX to Washington Park and then the free park shuttle to the Int'l Rose Test Garden. We enjoyed wandering around, taking photos, smelling the roses, reading the amusing rose names and taking in the spectacular views over Portland. We also visited the quality gift shop where we purchased a Christmas ornament.

Perhaps we weren't there at the best time (Late August) as some were slightly over and while we found the collection to be good, the experience was slightly underwhelming and no better than the Balboa Park rose garden in our own city of San Diego -- perhaps we were expecting a bit more 'wow'.

After the Rose Garden, we spent time in the adjacent Japanese Garden (Entrance fee required) and rounded out our day's visit at the Hoyt Arboretum.

Note: The rose garden is free.

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Written April 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
TravelingAmos
New Jersey462 contributions
A must see
Even if you are not interested in visiting the Portland Zoo or the Japanese Garden nearby, it makes sense to at least visit the Rose Garden. It is free and after all, Portland is the Rose City. If coming in summer, it is probably wise to come early in order to find parking nearby and to avoid the heat.
Written September 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Allison S
Glendale, AZ4 contributions
Beautiful Rose Garden
Family
We had a great time walking around the Rose Garden, even though we went relatively late (around 8 pm, but got free parking and the sun was just setting at 9 pm!). There are so many varieties of beautiful roses, in all colors, shapes, sizes, and smells. We walked around for an hour, but could have easily spent more time if we'd arrived earlier. We took hundreds of pictures!
Written July 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Olivia H
Boise, ID82 contributions
Blissful
Couples
Me and my new husband came to this Garden on our honeymoon to Portland. We were very impressed with this garden and we loved the fact that we didn’t have to pay to get in! Although I did spend a little bit of money in the gift shop… We also really loved that we could bring our dog with us. Her name is Rosie and we kept saying “a Rosie in a rose garden”. She really enjoyed being in there and smelling new smells. I will definitely return to this garden! I was very impressed!
Written July 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
bac26
Charlotte, NC635 contributions
Don’t miss if you love walking through gardens and relaxing!
After morning coffee I walked from the river to the rose garden. It was a good hike and uphill. The garden is located at a very high point of the city offering a view of Mt. Hood on a clear day. The garden was lovely and they have a nice gift shop with beverages including a rose lemonade that was delicious! No entrance fee too,
Written July 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
derrickwg36
Colorado Springs, CO3,465 contributions
Amazing Garden & Park
Couples
This is a great place to visit if you are looking for a very serene outdoor activity. The rose garden is well laid out, and a great place to walk and take in amazing scenery. The rose garden is free and a great place to visit in Portland’s Washington Park.
Written June 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
AndreaUbok
Florida2,706 contributions
A Wow - Not to be missed!
Couples
We got off the free shuttle at the Rose garden and were blown away, it was just spectacular! We walked through 4.5 acres with over 10,000 plantings and 600 different varieties. Each Rose was marked with a name, date & code where we could get more information. We took so many photos here, my iPhone didn’t give all the colors justice. It was so fragrant yet they were no peas or insects visible. I’m glad I took an allergy pill this morning before we left.

There were clean bathrooms, lots of shady places to sit, a food truck, and a gift shop.
Written June 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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