Opened: 1924

Location: the zoo's South Entrance at the intersection of N. 50th Street and Fremont Ave. N.
(750 N. 50th Street)

Size Today: 2.5 Acres

Rose Cultivation: 280 Varieties, Over 5,000 individual plants. You can view and download a list of roses here (requires the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you are unable to view or download the list go here to obtain the reader).

Distinction: 1 of 24 All-America Rose Selections Test Gardens in the United States.

Annual Number of Visitors: More than 200,000. For Rose Garden rental information, click here.

Hours: Open from 7:00 a.m. until dusk every day of the year, free of charge.

Parking: $4.50 in zoo lots during zoo hours; free during non-zoo hours.

Setting: Seattle, with its moderate climate, is fortunate in having one of the finest rose growing environments in the world.

History: The concept for a Seattle Civic Rose Garden in Woodland Park bloomed formally in 1922 through the combined inspiration and effort of the Seattle Lion's Club and the Seattle Rose Society. The garden's purpose was to provide a free, public display of roses suitable for Seattle's climate.

The original garden plan, prepared by Howard E. Andrews, was approved by the Superintendent of Parks in October of 1922. Construction of the garden was completed in 1924 and when the garden opened it encompassed 1.8 acres and exhibited 150 varieties of roses.

The Rose Garden's reputation grew steadily and in 1947 it was selected to become a nationally recognized All-America Rose Selections test site.

Test Garden: Woodland Park Rose Garden has been a successful proving ground for the best methods of rose growing. Each year All-America Rose Selections Test Garden sponsors provide new plant material to the garden. These new roses are tested for a period of two years. The All-America Rose Selections, Inc. maintains records on the test roses and makes the final selections. Poor roses are eliminated and only the best are named and retained for cultivation by growers.

Today: Woodland Park Rose Garden offers a splendid setting for flower lovers to stroll the grass pathways circulating through 2-1/2 acres of rose displays. The garden's extensive array of bush roses, hybrid teas, miniatures, climbers, tree roses, and All-America test varieties blends elegantly with the garden's formal architectural design to create a memorable showcase landscape.

The public is annually invited to a rose pruning demonstration on the last Sunday in February.

A list of all the roses in the garden is also available to visitors.

We hope you enjoy your visit!

Visit the Seattle Parks Foundation Rose Garden Web site.