INTERNATIONAL ROSE TEST GARDEN | PORTLAND OR

Seriously, what can I say?  This garden has to be one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.  It defiantly sits high on my list of favourite places ever and I truly think it'll stay up there for probably the rest of my life... big call I know!  But if you're a rose lover you have to get there one day in the American summer time! 

My gal pal and fff (flower friend forever) Alice of FLORALISTA and I visited the garden on a whim when we were heading through Portland at the beginning of this month (we were heading for San Fransisco on our 'flower road trip' but ended up flying to the great land of Mexico, but that story's for another day!).  Apparently the garden bloomed a month early and we were extremely lucky to see it in all its glory at that time (according to the nice gals we bought our super cool 'rose garden' caps from in the souvenir store). 

We were in love when we first walked through the gardens, it may sound lame to some, but it truly was overwhelming, so overwhelmed with the beauty and abundance we literally started to tear up! haha!  That visit that night wasn't enough and we had to head back the next morning to capture these snaps on my camera.. then we drove back to Seattle and hopped on a plane bound for Mexico!

The gardens purpose is for new rose varieties to be planted and 'tested' for 4 years until they are allowed to be sold at market.   Its also the largest garden of its kind in the United States.  (again, according to the ladies in the shop!)
You can read more about it here; www.rosegardenstore.org/international-rose-test-garden.cfm

Oh and yes we wore matching outfits on purpose! .. Enjoy!  xx