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Rose Garden
updated: Aug 07, 2010, 10:30 AM

By the Dedicated Staff

Should you need a reason to stop and smell a lot of roses; beautiful, colorful, perfume-scented, picturesque, lovingly maintained roses; the place to go in Santa Barbara is the A.C. Postel Rose Garden. Across the street from Mission Santa Barbara and a favorite spot to picnic, toss a Frisbee, let the kids run around, and so many other activities for generations of Santa Barbarians.

Unless you are allergic to roses or pretty flowers just aren't your thing, we really can't think of a single reason why someone wouldn't want to go to the Rose Garden (well, maybe if there was a downpour, or it was the time of year when the bushes have been aggressively pruned). Here is our short list of reasons to visit.

For the views. You may have to crane your neck to see the ocean, but Mission Santa Barbara is right behind you in all its historic majesty. Edhat photographer Dan Seibert uses the lawn adjacent to the garden as one of his favorite wintertime photography spots. A great place to people watch, you might catch a wedding taking place, or a competitive late afternoon Frisbee match.

To admire the dedication of the volunteers. The corps that takes care of the garden is among the most dedicated group of unpaid helpers around. They know their stuff when it comes to roses, and they keep the gardens perpetually looking lovely. Their efforts have been rewarded with numerous awards for the garden over the years and several quite recently. Read about their efforts, and find out how you can help, here, or call 805-564-5433. They also have a primer on what types of roses grow best in Santa Barbara's climate.

To run around. Whether you are running past the Garden, to the garden, around on the lawn as kids love to do, or walking, exercise meets beautiful flowers and equals a special harmony. Fido and Fluffy are welcome in the garden, as long as they are on a leash and you pick up after them. Children not only love to run down the hill towards the rose bushes, they also love to roll down the hill (get ready for grass stains). Frisbee enthusiasts frequently play on the lawn, and one weekend we saw a wedding party playing a competitive softball game on the lawn in their suits and gowns. One of the story links below includes a video of two local kids slipping and sliding - in their wetsuits - on the garden lawn after a big rain.

To learn about roses. Did you know there are rose varieties in the garden named Voodoo, Mellow Yellow, Artistry, Brigadoon, Opening Night and Granada? And celebrities are featured with their own roses... the Marilyn Monroe, Barbra Streisand, and Henry Fonda are all on hand. Each month, the garden volunteers designate a particular flower as the Rose of the Month, and expand on its history and legacy in their newsletter, which you can find: here

For the smells. Even a block away from the garden, as long as you are downwind, the gentle sweet smell of roses will come wafting your way. Like a favorite grandmother's perfume, it's a smell that easily becomes embedded in memory.

To picnic. Whether it's a store bought sandwich or the most perfect Martha Stewart-packed picnic basket your imagination and budget can devise, take a blanket, a book, and some sunscreen, and get ready for a leisurely afternoon near the Rose Garden. Parking is plentiful and free nearby, including in the Mission Santa Barbara visitor parking lot, and the weather is perfect for being outside pretty much year round. Just remember to pick up your trash when you're done.