June is rose season at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. A normal year would see thousands of people visiting the Cranford Rose Garden, basking in the colorful company of its tens of thousands of blossoms. Alas, this is not a normal year, and the roses that have bloomed are seen only by the gardeners and security staff. Until now. We were able to arrange a visit this week, so sit back, imagine yourself in a tranquil, quiet garden with a rose-scented breeze wafting by, and check out this gallery and video.
Some BBG rose facts:
- The garden was first planted in 1927, and some of those plants are still blooming.
- The garden includes "wild species, old garden roses, hybrid teas, grandifloras, floribundas, polyanthas, hybrid perpetuals, climbers, ramblers, and miniatures."
- Here is a highlights tour of some the garden's roses, including the rare violet-colored "Veilchenblau," any blue color is rare in roses.
- Did you know roses have fruits, called hips, that are used in medicines, teas, and jams?
The garden is currently planning its reopening, which will likely include limits on the number of people who can visit each day. Details will be announced soon.
