The American Rose Center near Shreveport, Louisiana, has quietly flourished for half a century as the headquarters of the American Rose Society. Spread across 118 acres, the center serves as a living museum of blooming roses—some rare, some familiar—planted in carefully curated gardens that showcase the beauty and diversity of America’s favorite flower.
american rose center – a living archive
“There’s probably a hundred different varieties of roses introduced every year,” says Beth Smiley, executive director of the American Rose Society. “Some of them will make it, some of them will become timeless roses.”
At any given time, the garden features between 300 to 400 different rose varieties, Smiley says. With nearly 6,000 bushes arranged in thematic displays, visitors are offered a colorful and aromatic journey through rose history—from modern hybrids to heirloom varieties. “The first and second circle feature modern roses—19th and 20th century,” Smiley explains. “And then the third circle features the shrub class of roses. The fourth circle features our old garden roses.”
The center is more than just a display garden; it’s an educational resource. “We want to show you the classes of roses so that if you have a spot in your home garden,” says Smiley, “you say, oh, well that would grow in that small spot that I have.”
a place of peace and preservation
Founded in Pennsylvania in the 1890s, the American Rose Society had in gardens in Ohio through much of the 20th century. The center relocated to Shreveport in 1974 after receiving a land donation. Since then, the American Rose Center has blossomed into a national destination and preservation site. One current project involves cultivating ramblers—long-stemmed climbing roses that can drape across fences, trellises, and even homes. The center’s nursery brims with young plants aimed at sparking interest in this sprawling variety.
Visitors can stroll shaded paths beneath tall pines, pause at a reflecting pool, or sit quietly as birds sing and the scent of roses drifts on the breeze. “That’s everybody’s first reaction, right?” Smiley says. “When you get a rose, you put your nose in it to smell it.”
american rose center featured on tv
when to visit the rose gardens
The best times to visit are during peak blooms—mid-April to mid-May, June to early July, and again from mid-September to mid-October. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a casual admirer, Smiley promises, “We can help you find the right roses for your place—wherever that place is, anywhere in the United States.”
getting there
The American Rose Center is located several miles west of Shreveport, Louisiana, at 8877 Jefferson Paige Road. Phone: (318) 938-5402. There is an admission charge. Click here for the American Rose Center website for current hours and admission.
8877 Jefferson Paige Rd, Shreveport, LA 71119
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