The Northeastern US State That's Home To America's Oldest Public Rose Garden

Head to Connecticut to experience the stunning atmosphere of America's oldest public rose garden. The Elizabeth Park Conservancy was established in 1977 to safeguard the grounds and buildings of a public park originally donated by Charles Pond to the city of Hartford, Connecticut, in 1894. Elizabeth Park — home to the extensive Helen S. Kaman Rose Garden — welcomes visitors each year eager to see its impressive collection of the world's finest roses. A visit to this incredible garden in the northeastern part of the U.S. might even inspire you to cultivate your own sweet-smelling flowers that make your garden smell like heaven.

As the first municipal rose garden in the United States, Elizabeth Park is free to explore from sunrise to sunset year-round. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this public park includes rose gardens and several other attractions where visitors can connect with a piece of the past. Beyond the famous Helen S. Kaman Rose Garden, located at the very center of the park, you can experience the wonders of the Robert A. Prill Tulip Garden, the Sue B. Hart Perennial Garden, and the Julian and Edith Eddy Rock Garden. Visit the tulips in early spring and swing by the Perennial Garden from spring through late summer for the best blooms. Meanwhile, the Rock Garden, also known as the Shade Garden, can be a good place to beat the heat in any season. 

At this historic garden, staff only need to plant these perennials once – they return year after year, resulting in an astounding collection of roses. Today, the Helen S. Kaman Rose Garden is the third largest rose garden in the United States, and features 212 rose beds, 75 arches, and over 150 rose varieties. From fantastic yellow shrub-style roses like 'Golden Unicorn' to a classic red rose like 'True Love,' the garden showcases an exciting mix of colors.

Taking a walk through the gorgeous rose arches of the Helen S. Kaman Rose Garden might lend you some ideas for how to incorporate French-inspired landscaping into your own backyard design. The garden's original design by Theodore Wirth, the park's first superintendent, featured a rustic gazebo at the center with extensive rose beds and trellises of climbing roses. Much of Wirth's original design persists for visitors today, with the scene augmented by 15,000 rose bushes of all sorts.

Plan your visit for late June to see the rose garden in full bloom. The rose-covered arches, overgrown with beautiful climbing roses, bloom just once every season. However, many rose varieties continue blooming through October. Set aside time to explore all 2.5 acres of the rose garden itself, plus the almost 100 acres beyond it in the rest of the park.