WHEATON, Md. – Montgomery Parks is renovating the rose garden at Brookside Gardens beginning April 2024 to provide a series of environmental improvements. The rose garden will be closed until early May so that staff can install more diverse and ecologically friendly plantings, improve the soil, and install an irrigation system.
The new rose garden will feature over two hundred roses including thirty rare species, heirloom, and modern selections intermixed with approximately 800 flowering perennials and ornamental grasses. The new plantings will attract more wildlife and extend the bloom time from May to November.
“The newly planted rose garden, with fertile soils and resilient plant selections, will be a model of ecological landscape design and maintenance. We hope our visitors will learn from our garden and be inspired to make improvements to their own landscapes that lead to a beautiful and healthy environment,” said Director of Brookside Gardens, Stephanie Oberle.
The roses removed from the garden will be composted and returned to the gardens as nutrients for other plants to thrive. The aged plants will be removed in April by the horticulture staff and a volunteer group of students from Blair High School. The process will continue with the installation of drip irrigation, the addition of compost, planting with the help of volunteers, and top dressing with leaf mulch supplied by Pope Farm Nursery. Existing features that will remain in place include the original hardscaping, commemorative bricks, screen fountain, wisteria arbor, majestic Apache crape myrtles, and memorial benches to encourage visitors to linger in the garden.
The rose garden renovation is made possible by a $5,000 gift from the Friends of Brookside Gardens, helping to offset the $15,000 cost of the project. Friends of Brookside Gardens is a volunteer-led non-profit group that supports all aspects of Brookside Gardens, including seasonal plantings, programs for adults and children, and the summer outdoor concert series. Membership information can be found at friendsofbrooksidegardens.org/membership .
About Montgomery Parks
Montgomery Parks manages more than 37,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 419 parks. Montgomery Parks is focused on promoting physical activity, social connectivity, and environmental stewardship, especially in diverse and urbanizing areas, with an emphasis on teens, working-age adults, and seniors. Montgomery Parks is a department of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), a bi-county agency established in 1927 to steward public land. M-NCPPC has been nationally recognized for its high-quality parks and recreation services and is regarded as a national model by other parks systems. MontgomeryParks.org
Accessibility
Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, encourages and supports the participation of individuals with disabilities. Please contact the Program Access Office at 301-495-2581 (Voice), MD Relay 7-1-1 or 800-552-7724 or ProgramAccess@MontgomeryParks.org to request a disability modification. Visit Montgomery Parks Accessibility for more information.
###