Rose gardens have long been designed to showcase the exquisite beauty of roses. In the United States alone, there are both public and private gardens dedicated to roses that serve this purpose; notable examples are Volksgarten in Vienna; Graythwaite Hall in England; Bulla in Victoria where Alister Clark designed his own garden; as well as many others around the globe.
Brookdale Park Rose Garden in Montclair, New Jersey is part of Essex County Park System and makes for an idyllic place to spend an enjoyable day with family or friends. Residents can enjoy sports-oriented recreation facilities as well as recreational trails for walking or hiking; expansive lawns; lush groves of trees and flowers; sports entertainment activities; trail walking/hiking paths and so much more!
The Brookdale Park Rose Garden is managed through a partnership between Essex County Master Gardeners (ECMG) and Brookdale Park Conservancy (BPRG), meaning its care is handled by dedicated groups from both organizations. Each Thursday morning from mid-March until November ECMG members and BPRG volunteers come together to ensure it looks its best.
Susan Jankolovits of Montclair has dedicated much of her free time since 2007 tagging and weeding the Rose Garden, helping maintain its beauty year after year.
Rose gardens such as this are especially significant because they were one of the first created in Texas specifically to honor those who served during WWII and honor both them and their families. It serves as an opportunity to recognize both individuals as well as families of these brave American soldiers while simultaneously honoring them both individually and as individuals.
Many public parks across the U.S. have been designated Rosie the Riveter Memorial Rose Gardens to honor and remember WWII’s unsung heroes, such as at Miami VA or other facilities nationwide. Some parks may also host private Rose Gardens established specifically to remember these unheralded heroes.
Brookdale Park Rose Garden was created through a collaborative effort by the New Jersey Rose Society and Essex County Parks Department in 1959, initially featuring 650 rose bushes of various varieties before later expanding with 120 different kinds.
Since its opening, the Rose Garden has gained immense public appreciation and been awarded by various groups; for instance, it was the first New Jersey park ever chosen as one of the “Top Ten” rose gardens by the National Rose Society.
Attributing their success are dedicated volunteers from both the community and master gardeners. The BPRG is especially fortunate as home of the Katrina Survivor Rose bush which was planted in 2006 as a tribute to those who survived Hurricane Katrina.
The Katrina Survivor Rose was inspired by Peggy Martin, who lost her garden during Hurricane Katrina. From cuttings sent from Peggy’s garden in New Orleans, a rose started growing, which survived and has now spread throughout the Gulf Coast as part of a campaign to rebuild gardens damaged in its path.
