The Lyndale Park Rose Garden is located on Roseway Drive, Minneapolis, in the northeast corner of Lake Harriet. In the 1.5 acre garden is over 3,000 plants on show in 100 different varieties. The garden is the second oldest public rose garden in the United States and was designated as a test rose garden by the All America Rose Selection association.
The peak time to visit the garden is from mid-June when the roses start blooming until early October. The Park is a popular place for couples to host their wedding ceremony with permits available. The Garden is run by Minneapolis Parks and Recreation and was established in 1907. There is no admission fee to visit the garden.
Ample free street parking is available at the Lyndale Park or in a fee parking lot close by. Restrooms are located near the parking lot and bird sanctuary. Bird watching is available in the park along with hiking and biking.
The garden was designed by Theodore Wirth when he was superintendent of the Minneapolis Parks System, the layout of the garden has not changed since the first rose was planted in 1908, which is a layout of 62 rectangular plots in the central section that include hybrid tea and gradiflora roses. The gardens are lined with floribundas, old fashioned and shrub. During the peak blooming season there can be up to 60,000 blooms in the garden. The heffelfinger fountain is located at the uppermost end of the garden and is made from bronze and marble and was imported from Italy. The sculpture was donated to the garden by Frank Heffelfinger and includes a cherub surfing a dolphin at the top, which is surrounded by satyrs and human faces on the pedestal base depicts the progress of age.
