“Love would never be a promise of a rose garden unless it is showered with a light of faith, water of sincerity, and an art of passion.”
—Jack Canfield
It’s always a pleasure to share what the Greater San Jose area has to offer out-of-towners especially when
it’s family. In this case it is Cecile’s sister Sherry who is visiting with us from South Carolina. She not only took the time to see the roses but paused—as we all did—to take a whiff of the intoxicating fragrance of the showy blooms that highlight the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden, designated as "America’s Best Rose Garden."
Hardly a day passes when some species is not in full bloom, featuring 3,500 plantings and 189 varieties, showcasing a breathtaking array of colors and delighting the senses of all who wander its winding paths. Though early May offers acres of sweet, fragrant, majestic roses at its most beautiful stage, they were joyfully blooming here in early August. The 1/2-acre Municipal Rose Garden which was once a prune yard is considered one of the most attractive of its kind in the world, drawing thousands of visitors each year.
When Cecile and I first settled in San Jose in 1975 to open the Park Avenue Foot Clinic, we used to take two-hour lunch breaks (picnics) at the nearby garden in the midst of the rolling green lawns. The intoxicating beauty of the roses had a calming effect on us, especially during the earlier years when the practice began to grow and prosper.
Nestled in the heart of San Silicon Valley, this fragrant oasis and botanical gem opened to the public in 1927, is one of the oldest municipal rose gardens in the United States.
