Rose Gardens

Nelson Shrub Rose Garden. Photo by Jason Boudreau-Landis

Location

Assorted locations on the grounds

Path Type

Varies by garden

Type of Garden

The Arboretum is home to two main rose gardens and the Ankeny-Lang Rose Walk near the Annual Garden. The Palma J. Wilson Rose Garden displays varieties of hybrid garden roses surrounded by trellises of vining clematis and is accessible from the Oswald Visitor Center. The Nelson Shrub Rose Garden features hardy shrub roses and is located along Three-Mile Drive and Walk.

History

The Palma J. Wilson Rose Garden and Nelson Shrub Rose Garden display 400 varieties of hybrid garden roses and hardy shrub roses — including many of the varieties developed by the University of Minnesota.

An offshoot of the chrysanthemum breeding project in the 1940s, roses were some of the earliest woody landscape plant cultivars released from the University of Minnesota. The first directed breeding work on woody landscape plants can be dated to 1942 when Dr. Louis E. Longley, who started the chrysanthemum breeding project, began making some crabapple and rose crosses.

Find University of Minnesota introductions Suddenly Summer and Summer Waltz in the Shrub Rose Garden.

Main Rose Gardens

Nelson Shrub Rose Garden

Located about halfway along Three-Mile Drive and Walk, the Nelson Shrub Rose Garden features hardy shrub roses that don’t require any winter protection. The sun-filled garden features a wide variety of roses including two University of Minnesota introductions. The circular garden is centered around a circular reflecting pool that was added in the late 1990s. The sculpture Wonderment by artist Nick Legeros is perched at the edge of the pool. Nearby, South Wind II by artist Paul Granlund captures the spirit of the garden in full summer bloom.

Plant Varieties

Hybrid Rugosa Rose (Rosa 'Charles Albanel')
Woods' Rose (Rosa woodsii)
Austrian Copper Rose (Rosa foetida var. bicolor)
Maximowiczi Rose (Rosa maximowicziana)
Shrub Rose (Rosa 'Adelaide Hoodless')

Find it with Google

Palma J. Wilson Rose Garden

This classic rose garden displays more than 400 varieties of hybrid garden roses and features a gazebo that invites visitors to relax in the shade and observe the roses and a sparkling fountain. Each fall, horticulture staff and volunteers “tip” these tender roses into the ground to protect them for the winter. Learn more about the Minnesota Tip Method on our blog.

Plant Varieties

Sweet Chariot Miniature Rose (Rosa 'MORchari')
Kordesii Rose (Rosa 'William Baffin')
Fun in the Sun™ Grandiflora Rose (Rosa 'WEKpupmobalip')
Double Delight® Hybrid Tea Rose (Rosa 'ANDeli')
Huntington's 100th™ Floribunda Rose (Rosa 'WEKjucistwe')

Additional Features

Ankeny-Lang Rose Walk

This short winding pathway leads visitors from the Sweatt Terrace to the Annual Garden. In addition to beautiful rose blooms, visitors will also see the Rose Walk Fountain.

Plant varieties include...

Little Mischief Easy Elegance® Shrub Rose (Rosa 'BAIief')
Sven Northern Accents® Shrub Rose (Rosa 'BAIsven')
The Poet's Wife David Austin® English Shrub Rose (Rosa 'AUSwhirl')
Kordesii Rose (Rosa 'John Cabot')
Grande Dame Hybrid Tea Rose (Rosa 'WEKmerewby')

Clematis Collection

Home to about 100 unique varieties of clematis, the Anne and Edward Koempel Clematis Collection is located on the trellises surrounding the Wilson Rose Garden. These vining clematis complement the roses throughout the spring and summer.

Clematis (Clematis 'Huldine')
Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis paniculata)
Clematis (Clematis 'Rōguchi')
Scarlet Clematis (Clematis texensis 'Étoile Rose')
Clematis (Clematis 'Asao')

At-Home Gardening & Care

Learn more about growing roses on Minnesota Hardy

Main Rose Gardens

Additional Features

Ankeny-Lang Rose Walk

Clematis Collection

At-Home Gardening & Care

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