About Quizzes

Berkeley Rose Garden

The Berkeley Rose Garden, located in Berkeley, California, was conceived in 1933, and completed and dedicated for public use in September 1937. It was one of the first Civil Works Progress Projects built under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) of the Franklin Roosevelt administration. The garden was designed by Vernon M. Dean, and construction was supervised by Charles W. Cresswell, of the Berkeley Parks and Recreation Department. The main section of the rose garden is designed like an amphitheater, with wide stone terraces facing magnificent views of San Francisco Bay. A semicircular redwood pergola, which extends the full width of the amphitheater, provides not only visual definition for the site, but a structure for climbing roses and shaded benches. Traditionally, the annual winners of the All-American Rose Society were planted at the garden; other rose varieties were supplied by growers from all over the world. The Friends of the Berkeley Rose Garden have been active over the past decade, restoring key historical features and improving accessibility to the garden. Working in partnership with city gardeners, the society continues to play a key role in improvements to the garden. The Berkeley Rose Garden is considered by many to be the finest rose garden in northern California.