If there is one thing that I think my hometown part of Texas does better than the rest of the state, it’s nature. Sure, ya got your Post Oak Savannah & Hill Country in the rest of the state, but the Piney Woods of East Texas has them all beat. The smell of pine and roses instantly transport me back to East Texas! You might be thinking “Ok, I get the pine part, but why roses?” Well, Tyler, Texas is nicknamed “The Rose Capital of America”. I might be biased, but I think the prettiest Roses grow in Tyler. More specifically, they grow at the Tyler Rose Garden!
The Tyler Rose Garden is home to over 32,000 rose bushes with over 600 varieties of roses on 14 acres of land. Basically, lots of flowers!
History of The Tyler Rose Garden
The city of Tyler purchased the land where the rose garden resides back in 1912. However, it took until a WPA application was granted in 1938 for the construction of the garden to be funded. This is thought to be the largest grant awarded for the construction of a park by the WPA.
WPA Landscape Architect Kieth Maxwell initially drew up the plans for the rose garden, but they were later revised by landscape architect Henry Thompson. Thompson was later killed in WWII, and there is a whole section of the garden that honors him.
Due to WWII, the gardens didn’t officially open till 1952! 67 years later, and the Tyler Rose Garden is still thriving! I’m a nerd for this history because it involves landscape architects.
What to see at the Tyler Rose Gardens
Sub-Gardens
Now that you’ve been enticed with the history of the Tyler Rose Gardens, I guess you’d like to know what all there is to see there. Well obviously, there are lots of roses to be seen! The neat thing about the layout of the Garden is that it is broken down into sub-gardens.
A few of these sub-gardens include:
- Meditation Garden
- Shade Garden
- IDEA Garden
- All American Rose Selection Garden
- Camellia Garden
- Rose Maze
- Heritage Rose Garden (some of these bushes are as old as 1876!)
- Etc.
Inside all of these gardens are amazing fountains and water features. If it’s a hot day like when I went recently, then you’ll enjoy dipping your hand into the cool water!
Rose Museum
Trust me, even if you think museums are a yawn fest, you’ll enjoy this one. The museum goes more into depth on the history of the garden, Tyler, and the Tyler Rose Festival. The Tyler rose festival, like many other small-town festivals, has a queen’s court. Basically, this is a group of teenage girls, that have been selected to represent the city. They wear the most immaculate gowns that honestly puts the British Royal family to shame! Those gowns are all on display at the Rose Museum. Trust me, you’ll want to see them.
Planning your Trip
Ok, between the pictures and my comments, I’m sure I’ve convinced you to travel to East Texas, and take a visit to the Tyler Rose Garden. Let me help you plan your trip!
Best Time to Go
The best time to visit is obviously when the roses are in bloom. Thankfully, they bloom twice a year, typically in the fall and the late spring/early summer.
The Rose Garden’s hours are:
- Weekdays: 8am – 5pm
- Saturday: 9am – 5pm
- Sunday: 1pm – 5pm
Cost
You’re in luck, the price to just walk around the gardens is FREE! If you are planning on visiting the museum, be sure to save up because its a massive sum of $3. Yeah, I know, pricey…
What to Bring
- Sunscreen, hat, and/or sunglasses: Roses like the sun, so there isn’t a ton of shade along the paths. This, mixed with the Texas heat, leads to a hot situation. If you burn from the sun coming in through the car window like me, then it’s important to pack some sun protection gear.
- Camera: There are SOOO many places to take nice pictures, so bring your camera along!
- Time: It takes some time to fully walk through the gardens and museum so give yourself enough time to thoroughly enjoy yourself!
I hope this makes you want to visit my neck of the woods and see the beautiful East Texas Nature perfectly captured at the Tyler Rose Gardens! If you go, make sure to let me know!
