What to Know
- Roses are blooming around Southern California as May begins
- Descanso Gardens and the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens are great spots to admire the flowers; admission is required (and Huntington reservations on weekends and holidays)
- The Wrigley Gardens in Pasadena, which is next to the Tournament House on Orange Grove Boulevard, is free to visit and is known for its beautiful roses; the landmark is home to "more than 1,500 varieties of roses, camellias, and annuals"
Cultivated or wild, the fabulous flowers of Southern California boast intense fandoms that are as devoted as the fan followings behind any popular movie, TV series, or novel.
And while spring wildflowers are still impressing and delighting us — it wasn't the year for poppies in Antelope Valley, but you can still find lupines and daffodils at higher elevations around the state — cultivated blossoms are making a splendid showing as May begins.
The undisputed queen of the flowerverse, at least according to the poets of old and the lovers of today, is the rose. It's a splendid specimen that's so lavishly adored, and regularly celebrated, that it has its own parade every New Year's Day in a city that is aptly nicknamed "The Rose City."
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So you can bet that Pasadena's rose gardens are some of the most stunning around, including the one that sits next to the Tournament House, which is the longtime headquarters for the Rose Parade.
Paying a fee to see it, you shall not: Visiting the Wrigley Gardens is free and no reservation is required. Parking is ample on the surrounding streets, too.
A handsome pergola offers a bit of shade, and benches, too, once you've strolled along the fragrant pathways; there are dozens of varieties of roses, with evocative names like "Top Notch," "Touch of Class," and "Peace"; the Pacific Rose Society is the flower-loving organization that gives these beloved blossoms oodles of care and attention.
For any rose gardener knows that roses rise after a terrific amount of TLC.
The garden area is not the only complimentary offering to be found at the Orange Grove Boulevard landmark; there are now free tours of the Tournament House, inside, each Thursday at 2 o'clock.
It's a seasonal gift to the community, one that takes place during the warmer months, before the intense planning for the next Tournament of Roses steps up in earnest.
Note that while the history-rich interior events are free, you will need to make a reservation in advance.
Photo: The Wrigley Gardens in late May 2023
