This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)

The municipal rose garden of Rome is located on the slopes of the Aventine hill; from there, a great view of the Circus Maximus, and the Palatine Hill can be enjoyed.

The Roseto hosts about 1.100 species of roses from all over the world, such as the Rosa chinensis virdiflora, with green petals, the Rosa chinensis mutabilis, which changes color with the passing of the days, and the Rosa foetida, with a most unpleasant scent.

Among other varieties, there are ancient roses that used to bloom in Paestum and Pompeii, which are still used today for perfumes and essential oils.

The larger area houses the collection of botanical roses, ancient and modern varieties, while the lower part, much smaller, features the winners of “Rome Prize”, and the collections which have achieved this award since 1933.

The rose garden hosts botanical roses, that is, wild roses that grow in different areas, from the hottest to the coldest, but only in the Northern Hemisphere (150-200 known species). There are also ancient roses, the result of spontaneous crossbreeds, or of the first hybridization experiments. The contemporary roses section includes species obtained since the end of the 1800s, with roses brought from China and other regions of the Far East.
There are also English roses, the result of crossbreeding ancient and modern specimens: they retain the former’s scent, but the latter’s stance, shape and – quite often – soft shades. Hanging roses are also abundant, growing on walls or fences – they are also present on the ground. Not to mention miniature roses, easily cultivated in pots, and therefore suitable for terraces, and patio roses that can be used to build small hedges.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)