Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden

Balboa Park is renowned for its beautiful landscaping and lush gardens, and among the loveliest and most frequently visited of them all is the award-winning Inez Grant Parker Memorial Garden. Residing on a three-acre site, it features more than 2,500 rose bushes in 200 varieties and has been designated as an All-America Rose Selection (AARS) Display Garden. The flowers are in bloom from March through December, and the roses typically achieve their peak in April and May.

The Memorial Rose Garden was named after philanthropist Inez Grant Parker (1887~1972), the founder of the Parker Foundation. Born and raised in Kansas, where she became a proficient horsewoman, Mrs. Parker moved to San Diego with her husband, financier Gerald T. Parker. Once here, she demonstrated a passionate commitment to the local community, supporting such causes as the Boy Scouts, the San Diego Museum of Art, and the Northwest Family YMCA.

The Inez Grant Parker Memorial Garden is open to the public free of charge, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It is located across from the San Diego Natural History Museum at 1788 El Prado, San Diego, California 92101, accessible by car or the Balboa Park Tram. Subject to approval, wedding ceremonies can be held among the fragrant blooms, with groups limited to no more than 50 persons.