A couple of weeks ago, I was driving in El Paso when I passed a Rose Garden. I was in a hurry, so I was not able to stop in, but I made a mental note to return as soon as I could.
The El Paso Municipal Rose Garden can be found at 3418 Aurora Street in the east side of El Paso, TX. The El Paso Visitors Web Site, visitelpaso.com describes the garden as being over four acres and adds;
“The All-American Rose Selection (AARS) public garden is one of over 100 certified gardens within the United States. There are over 1900 rosebushes, with 500 varieties.”
When I arrived for my lunchtime visit, I expected to be alone. I wasn’t disappointed to see that there were several other small groups of people enjoying the beautiful roses and the garden walk way.
I watched one group take photos in front of the flowers, another small group just enjoying being outside, and one couple examining the flowers like experts. Throughout my visit, I watched several more groups come and go. I was happy that it was being visited and enjoyed.
Having just found the garden, I missed the peak bloom season. Seeing that many of the blooms were entering their last stages, I expect that the peak season this year was mid-March to early April. There were enough blooms to enjoy, however, as I strolled.
I was delighted to see a plague from 1937 that read:
“Better Homes and Gardens Highest Community Honor, More Beautiful America Achievement Award. Presented to City of El Paso, Texas. For Outstanding Accomplishment in Civic Improvement and in Recognition of Vision Industry and Civic Pride. 1937.”
Markers, such as this one, gives me a sense of the history and the longevity of the garden itself. For a moment, it connects me through the year of the many that have contributed through the years to make this wonderful Rose Garden flourish from year to year.