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History

The Sangerhausen of the West

The San Jose Heritage Rose Garden is an unexpected jewel in the midst of a revitalized downtown San Jose, California; a five-acre rose garden that contains 4,000 plants. How did this happen?

1987      San Jose Mayor McEnery  initiated turning land cleared for airport safety, a weed infested eyesore, into a central park for San Jose.

1988     Tom Liggett was approached by Lorrie Freeman, "The Mother of Guadalupe Gardens" and avid rosarian, to develop a competitive proposal for a rose  garden in the area. His concept grew from an initial half-acre plot to a full city block.

1992      Tom's proposal for a San Jose Heritage Rose Garden was selected and funded by the San Jose City Council. Local Councilmember David Pandori  steered the garden safely through the political shoals.
                         
 
  Garden Design

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   The garden features an innovative bowl-shaped topography with a central depth of 5 feet. This architectural design enables comprehensive visibility of every specimen 
   from any vantage point within the garden. The interior space is organized into six diamond-shaped sections, each dedicated to a specific classification of roses.

   
  Environmental Showcase

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   Established as an environmental model, the garden implements sustainable maintenance practices that minimize labor requirements, water consumption,
   resource utilization, and chemical applications. This approach serves two primary objectives:
  • The garden is established and maintained predominantly through volunteer contributions
  • The garden operates without the application of chemical spray treatments


What we preserve
A heritage garden functions as a conservation repository for roses. Central to this mission is the identification of varieties meriting preservation. Our selection criteria encompass four distinct categories:

  1. Specimens currently classified as rare or endangered
  2. Exceptional varieties that warrant public exhibition
  3. Varieties projected to become rare in future decades
  4. Varieties of significant historical importance to rose hybridization

UNidentified specicmens
"Unknown" or "found" roses constitute an integral component of our heritage collection. These specimens are typically discovered in historic cemeteries, surrounding heritage properties, or along rural thoroughfares. Pending formal identification, these roses receive provisional nomenclature in quotation marks, generally indicating their location of discovery.
Growing our own
Growing our own plants is the key that makes the garden work. We collect budwood and cuttings from all over the United States and Europe. Ed Wilkinson spearheaded the European collection, especially. Many individuals and nurseries are very generous in giving us their varieties.


Establishment and Growth
In March 1995, following five years of meticulous procurement and cultivation at a remote field over 40 miles away, the garden was officially planted. Despite record precipitation, over 750 volunteers participated across three consecutive weekends. The collection continues to expand through approximately three major planting initiatives annually. The garden received its formal dedication from city officials in September 1995.

Tom Liggett, Mel Hulse, Kelly Kline and Lorrie Freeman during initial planting
Tom Liggett conceptualized the garden as a "rose encyclopedia." Within the course of a spring afternoon, novice visitors can acquire more substantive knowledge about the rose family than would be possible through weeks of literary research. This educational philosophy continues to inspire dedicated volunteer participation.

The garden now houses a collection of rose varieties believed to exceed that of any other public rose exhibition in the Western Hemisphere—an achievement that brings distinction to San Jose. Of greater significance, however, is that despite numerous challenges, the garden was successfully established, continues to flourish, and maintains its aesthetic excellence. Noted rosarian Robert B. Martin, Jr. characterized it as the "holy place that all rosarians should visit sometime in their lifetime."

Significant Developments (1997-2005)
Since its foundational years, the Heritage Rose Garden has achieved substantial progress. It remains an entirely volunteer-managed initiative, supported by an increasingly proficient team of dedicated individuals and receiving significant assistance from the City of San Jose and the Friends of the Guadalupe River Park and Gardens. Notable accomplishments include:

1997
  • Initiated annual complimentary public pruning educational sessions during January and early February, enhancing both garden maintenance and improving residential rose cultivation throughout the area.
  • Established the Friends of the Guadalupe River Park & Gardens (FGRPG) annual festival, "Spring in Guadalupe Gardens," coinciding with peak spring bloom on the last Saturday in April, continuing San José's rose-oriented festival tradition dating to 1895.
  • Secured dedicated FGRPG staff to coordinate volunteer recruitment and support, including post-workday refreshments on Wednesdays.
  • Installed a dedicated tool storage facility to enhance volunteer convenience.
  • Implemented a systematic program to replace duplicate specimens and incorrectly positioned plants with appropriate varieties, increasing the collection by over 1,200 specimens.
  • Modified the landscape by removing three feet of soil from front and back berms to improve visibility from Taylor Street.

1999
  • Expanded the collection with a dedicated plot in the adjacent Courtyard Garden for miniature rose varieties released after 1988.
  • Formalized an agreement with Santa Clara University to install up to 260 climbing roses along their half-mile wrought iron perimeter, with 240 specimens successfully established.

2000-2001
  • Achieved comprehensive winter pruning of the entire garden within a single season (excluding climbing varieties).
  • Completed volunteer-led comprehensive replacement of the drip irrigation infrastructure.

2002
  • Implemented a systematic program to progressively address all climbing rose specimens, including pruning and securing them to vertical supports.
  • Hosted the American Rose Society Spring Convention in San Jose, featuring the Heritage Rose Garden as the principal attraction during the Year of the Rose, with 500 attendees from domestic and international locations.
  • Published five descriptive articles about the garden in four international rose publications (2001-2002).

2003
  • Significantly advanced the identification program, installing informational plaques throughout the garden. Progress limited only by material costs of approximately $10 per unit.

2004
  • Following over two years of planning and fundraising, established a dedicated nursery facility capable of cultivating more than 300 roses to maturity before garden introduction. Materials funded through donations and vendor discounts, with construction labor provided by the San Jose Conservation Corps.

2005
  • Completed Guadalupe Gardens Phase I, including visitor parking facilities and conversion of the entire garden to recycled water systems. Enhanced visitor experience with comprehensive directional and interpretive signage throughout the park.

These developmental years have witnessed the transformation of the Heritage Rose Garden from a relatively unknown horticultural installation in an infrequently visited section of San Jose to an internationally recognized destination attracting rose enthusiasts from across the nation and around the world.
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