The Rose Garden is not only a Mesa landmark but a centerpiece for community, education, and innovative economic initiatives in the East Valley. Students, kindergarten through
high school and community college through university, use the Rose Garden as botanical laboratories and study areas.
Community members are encouraged to consider the Garden as a demonstration center for rose and tree varieties as well as locations for special events, meetings, and social gatherings. The terrace areas of both the East and West gardens offer ideal intimate settings for music ensembles, theatrical readings, and art displays.
The Rose Garden at Mesa Community College is an excellent
example of the unique and outstanding results that can be achieved through one of Mesa Community College's community
partnerships. The partnership between the Mesa-East Valley Rose Society and Mesa
Community College has resulted in the largest public rose garden in the desert
southwest and is the only significant public rose garden begun since 1974. The
garden provides a beautiful setting for students and the
public to enjoy our nation's national flower--the Rose.
The landscape Architectural design and
construction transformed an unremarkable open area into a garden area providing
terraces for gatherings and seat walls for a break from class, a lunch or an
outdoor study area where one is surrounded by roses of all colors, types and
fragrances. The landscape architect used to advantage the linear open
space between a college access road and a major city arterial street. The
design provides gently curving visual screen
walls for separation from the busy
street traffic. The freeform curving terraces, seatwalls and rose beds
give birth to a variety of visual experiences with large and small view
areas created and changing as one moves through the garden.
The Rose Garden has over 5,000 rose bushes which
demonstrate the tremendous number of vibrant colors, flower forms and
growth habits that are available for everyone to enjoy from
roses whether at The Rose Garden at Mesa Community College
orto provide ideas for their own
gardens.
We invite you to visit our collection of over 5000 roses in The Rose Garden at Mesa Community College whenever you are in the area.
In 2000, the Rose Garden at MCC received formal authorization from the All-America Rose Selections (AARS) (a national association of rose growers) to become one of 26 Demonstration and Test Gardens nationwide. Test garden roses are evaluated regularly and the best roses receive an AARS seal of approval and are then sold worldwide.
In 2002, people from all over Arizona gathered to celebrate the rose, America's National Floral Emblem. The Governor of Arizona and several East Valley Mayors issued proclamations declaring 2002 "The Year of the Rose." The roses were at the height of the blooming season, providing a beautiful surrounding for the occasion, held in April.
