Reid Park Rose Garden

I really loved this area. I was able to go with my family and spend some great family time. A walking and bike path runs behind garden with a baseball field on the sw corner and little BBQ area with cover pavilions scattered around the park. We took full advantage if this today we had a BBQ (water fountain at each pavilion) and the had a dog park right beside us and was able to play catch with our babies. I noticed when we were leaving the park was projecting a movie and 100’s of people were scattered on the lawn watching it. I was also told they have a great lake on the other side. We all know Reid park has a lot to do but this was my first time in the area and I was pleasantly surprised. Go visit the rose garden area!

The next time you visit the zoo, take a little side trip and walk around Reid Lake and enter the beautiful Rose Garden. It will do your heart good.
Here’s the city’s description of the garden: «The Reid Park Rose Garden boasts 1,080 different color rose beds, with more than 100 species of roses. The Rose Society of Tucson has been a partner with the City in the development and promotion of the garden for many years. A layout plan, available free at the garden, indicates the location of the various rose species in the garden and lists the best rose varieties for our desert climate. The garden also contains a large gazebo and is very popular for weddings, birthday parties and other special events by reservation. The Rose Garden is always a special place to visit, but the most impressive display of roses in bloom occurs each March-​April and October-​November. Open daily sunrise to sunset.»
Don’t forget your camera!

This isn’t a fancy botanical rose exhibit you pay $ 20 for; it’s a community space maintained by dedicated volunteers… a garden with (usually) open gates for you to just walk in and smell the roses… 5 stars for sure — it’s free and for what it is, it has huge heart and beauty. FYI — The gates are locked around sunset, doesn’t seem to be an exact closing time.

What was the point of this little area? I’m sorry and I don’t mean to be so mean to the flowers, but I don’t understand what was so special about it. I stumbled through Reid Park and got a bit lost, then found myself in this Rose Garden. Maybe it was the time of the day or maybe it was the heat, but to me these roses looked quite sad and dying. There is a little seating area and covering from the sun to escape the Arizona heat so that does help it a bit. Roses are pretty sometimes, but they also attract bees. I don’t want to be surrounded by bees. I’m gonna run away. Did not stay here very long and I doubt you would either. Maybe if the weather was cooler and the flowers were more blooming i guess…

If you’re at all familiar with Reid Park, chances are you’ve seen the little garden full of colorful varieties of roses. If you aren’t familiar with the park, think of it as a «hidden» treasure to find. OK, it really isn’t that hidden, but it is a treasure. Late March and early April are when the roses are shining best. And isn’t that fortunate, as those are my favorite months to get out to the parks around town and enjoy the best weather this place sees all year long!
Stop and smell the roses. Literally!

A wise man once said you should always take time to smell the roses. And that is exactly what I did on a recent Saturday morning. I had just finished a run at Reid Park and I couldn’t leave before taking a walk through the rose garden.
The rose garden boasts over 100 species of beautifully colored roses (more than 800 individual plants!!). The roses were lovely when I was there (in August) but the best times to see blooms in the spring (March, April) and the fall (September, October). There is a gazebo in the center of the garden, and it isavailable for weddings!
Next time you are near Reid Park make sure you take a little extra time to smell the roses…