We honor the Mesa-East Valley Rose Society for its collaboration and stewardship of The Rose Garden at MCC. Our partnership, established in 1997, has resulted in the largest public rose garden in the Desert Southwest. The Garden brings global acclaim to MCC and the City of Mesa, with rankings among the “Best Things to Do in Mesa” by sites such as Tripadvisor, Yelp, and international travel sites.
The Rose Garden is a model of community collaboration, with Mesa-East Valley Rose Society volunteers serving as “Deadheaders” to remove the spent blooms, providing expert care, mentorship, and education. More than a conservatory, the Rose Garden is a living lab for our biology, botany, landscaping, and horticulture students as well as artists who paint and create works inspired by nature.
In 2000, the Rose Garden received formal approval from the All-America Rose Selections to become one of 26 test gardens in the United States.
LeRoy Brady, a Master Rosarian, is the visionary Landscape Architect behind the Rose Garden’s design. His work includes the Veteran’s Rose Garden, which features more than 2,500 roses with patriotic names, the very first Blue Star Memorial plaque on a community college campus, and a Never Forget Garden honoring the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.