About the Rose Garden

The Tyler Municipal Rose Garden is a 14-acre park, making it the nation's largest rose garden. The garden is full of breath-taking beauty, especially in the spring and again in mid-October when the Rose Garden is in full bloom. There are over 38,000 rose bushes of at least 500 different varieties, from tall grafted rose trees to miniature roses no larger than a dime.

The Rose Garden is the site of the annual Texas Rose Festival held in mid-October each year and attracts tourists by the thousands.  Numerous visitors gather to meet the Rose Queen, and enjoy refreshments in this spectacular outdoor setting during the popular Queens Tea. Click here for more information about the Texas Rose Festival.

The Garden is one of 24 All American Rose Selection (AARS) test gardens in the country where the newest varieties are evaluated over a two-year period. These are bushes not yet introduced, and the ones that pass the test for vigor, flowering, and disease resistance are then nationally introduced to the gardening public as AARS selections. Many folks visiting the rose garden bring pad and pencil to write down favorite varieties, making notes on fragrance, color and form.

A section of 300 David Austin roses bushes was added to the garden in 2003. The David Austin roses perform well in East Texas and are reminiscent of traditional English garden roses. These fragrant roses feature multiple petal formations and come in dozens of colors.

Nestled in the southwestern corner of the garden is the Heritage Rose and Sensory Garden. Here more than 50 varieties of antique or heritage roses, along with many perennials bloom all summer long. The Heritage Garden is cooperative effort between the Gertrude Windsor Garden Club, the Smith Co. Master Gardeners, Dr. Brent Pemberton and the Tyler Parks Department to showcase hardy and colorful roses and perennials in an informal setting.

While roses are the main attraction in the garden, there are several other features in the 14-acre complex that compliment the roses. 

In the spring of 1999, the I.D.E.A. demonstration garden was created by the Smith County Master Gardeners. Funded by a grant from East Texas Council of Governments, this garden is designed to give visitors gardening ideas to take home and use in their own garden. The IDEA Garden features new and under-utilized plants for East Texas, a water-garden and bog area, an area devoted to teaching composting, displays of various mulching materials, groundcover plants for sloping areas, and water-wise landscaping techniques. Signs and handouts interpret the garden and guide the visitors through the displays. 

Visitors to the garden may also enjoy the meditation area with reflecting pools, flowing fountains and a large, rustic wooden gazebo. This is a popular location for special photographic opportunities and weddings, family gatherings and other special occasions. Please contact us for more information about reserving this space.

On the southern end of the garden is the Vance Burks Memorial Camellia Garden. Here a grove of pine and hardwood trees provide a shaded area ideal for the dozens of large camellias. Nearby, the East Texas Daylily Society maintains several daylily beds with hundreds of labeled daylily varieties are in full bloom in early summer.

The Hosta Variety Trail was established in 1997. Hostas are one of the best perennials for shade, grown mainly for their large, attractive leaves. There are hundreds of hosta varieties, and the goal of this trial is to identify the best ones of the northeast Texas area. Plants are labeled, and you can decide for yourself which ones are the most appealing to you.

The history of the Texas Rose Festival and rose industry are chronicled in the Tyler Rose Museum. Interactive exhibits draw you in and make you part of the excitement. Hear the marching band as the floats pass by in the Parade Room. Listen to the recorded voices of former Rose Queens describe their "royal" experience. Beautiful hand-sewn gowns dating from 1935 share display space with bejeweled crowns and scepters.

The "Attic of Memories", a favorite of many museum visitors, feature antiques an poignant memorabilia donated from the private collections of local residents. In the tradition of the best Smithsonian displays, "The Attic" gives visitors a realistic glimpse of life in Smith County throughout the past hundred years. Steamer trunks and faded hat boxes display dated treasures, while audio tapes describe how these items relate to unforgettable Rose Festival moments.

The museum is located in the Rose Garden Center. Hours are: Tuesday - Friday, 9 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; and Sunday 1:30 - 4:30 p.m.

Take time to visit the Museum's gift shop, also located in the Rose Garden Center, where you'll find your own favorite rose memento. Books, stationery, garden items, sachets, china and other unique rose motif gifts are available, as well as seasonal specialties.

For additional information about the museum and gift shop, please call 903-597-3130 or go to: www.texasrosefestival.com.