Tucked away off Hillsborough Street near the main campus of NC State University, the Raleigh Rose Garden is a bit of a hidden gem and I remember being impressed and pleasantly surprised by it when our friend took us there for the first time after moving to Raleigh in 2004.
Having access to several gorgeous gardens in Raleigh is one of the nice aspects about living here, and we just love being able to get year-round exposure to the abundance of nature, greenery and parks on offer in the City of Oaks.
About Raleigh Rose Garden
The grounds of the Raleigh Municipal Rose Garden include 60 rose beds surrounded by an arboretum of evergreen and deciduous trees. The roses are typically in bloom between Mother’s Day and mid-November, but it’s open to the public from dawn to dusk, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
The Raleigh Rose Garden is a public garden, was dedicated in 1951, and is one of three accredited rose gardens in North Carolina.
A beautiful and tranquil space, we’ve spent time here visiting as a couple and our kids even enjoyed exploring the nearly two acres of gardens and varieties of roses and hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras, and climbers.
The garden is designed to showcase the different colors, fragrances, and textures of the flowers and they’re arranged in a variety of beds and borders.
Raleigh Rose Garden also features a variety of plants and trees, including Japanese maples, magnolias, and camellias, plus several fountains and benches scattered throughout the garden, making it a popular spot for photography, weddings and events, or contemplation and relaxation.
Raleigh Little Theatre
The Raleigh Little Theatre campus, which includes the Stephenson Amphitheatre and Raleigh Rose Garden sits on land belonging to the Lumbee and Tuscarora tribes. In 1936, a group of passionate local performers joined forces with technical workers from the Federal Theatre Project to begin a community theatre in Raleigh, joining a nation-wide movement of little theatres focused on intimate, non-commercial theater.
We’ve seen a performance here in the past and it’s a unique and lovely experience at an outdoor theater. Check out their upcoming shows and events.
If you’re searching on your phone for a “rose garden near me”, when the roses are in bloom it’s well worth a visit. But if you’re looking to pick roses in Raleigh, note that you are NOT allowed to cut or pick any roses during your visit here!
HOT TIP: Grab a coffee-to-go from one of our favorite coffee shops in Raleigh, Jubala Coffee on nearby Hillsborough St and stroll then stroll the gardens. Watch our video of the Rose Garden.
- Address: Located behind the Raleigh Little Theater at 301 Pogue Street, Raleigh
- Hours: dawn to dusk, 7 days a week
- Cost: Free
- Website: Here.
Other gardens to love in Raleigh include the Juniper Level Botanic Garden and the JC Raulston Arboretum.
