Woodland Park Rose Garden offers a wonderful setting for flower lovers. Stroll through 2.5 acres of formal landscape and enjoy nearly 3000 roses representing over 200 different varieties. The large variety of roses blend elegantly with the garden’s formal architectural design to create a memorable showcase landscape.

Since 2006 the Rose Garden has been pesticide-free. One of the benefits of being pesticide free is we are now able to feed the spent flowers to animals in the zoo, most notably the gorillas, which have become quite fond of them.

Using a combination of natural approaches, the garden has flourished. The methods include:

• Building healthy soils

• Planting right for the site

• Practicing smart watering

• Trying alternatives to pesticides

• Practicing natural lawn care

During your visit to the garden you can learn more about each of these practices.

 

 

 

About the Rose Garden

Opened: 1924

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

Size: 2.5 Acres

Rose Cultivation: 200 Varieties, 3,000 individual plants.

Annual Visitors: More than 200,000.

Hours: Open from 7:30 a.m. until dusk every day of the year, free of charge. 

Parking:  There is a fee to park in zoo lots during zoo hours; free while the zoo is closed.

A photo permit is required for any professional photography or video session. Please contact Group Sales at groupsales@zoo.org to check availability. 

Download our rose list!

 

Rose Garden Rentals

You can rent the Rose Garden for your wedding or other intimate event!

 

rent the Rose Garden

 

 

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, a designation it retained until 2010.