Nestled in Boston’s Back Bay Fens is a peaceful oasis bursting with color.
The Kelleher Rose Garden is now in full bloom with 200 varieties and more than 1,000 roses.
“It feels like a fairy garden. Just absolutely beautiful, stunning,” said Micaela Plankey who visited the garden with her mom.
This bloom will likely last through the end of June, and another bloom will come in September. The city’s superintendent of horticulture, Anthony Hennessy, carefully selects the roses that will be planted in the garden each year.
“I usually rely on award-winning growers — award-winning roses, I should say,” Hennessy said. “We try to get those as fast as we can. There’s a lot of competition to buy roses, especially in Massachusetts. So as long as we can get the order in early, we can get those roses.”
While the wet weather has many Bostonians feeling down, the roses are loving it.
“The weather has actually cooperated with us a little bit. Rain is essential,” said Hennessy. “And sunny days in the 70s and cool nights in the 50s lead to perfect blooms.”
Those visiting the hidden gem from near and far are left nearly speechless taking in its beauty.
“I feel very much enraptured by the environment that I’m in. I love seeing how exquisite everything is, and the way everyone’s admiring it, as well,” said Kate Loeffel from North Carolina.
The garden dates back to the 1930s and was designed by landscape architect Arthur Shurcliff. The fountain and cherubs seen in the rose garden today were part of the original design.
“It was just the one circle when they first built it, and then they added the extended part in the 50s and then we put a hedge around it,” Hennessy said.
In 1975, the garden was named the James P. Kelleher Rose Garden in honor of Kelleher, who was the Boston Parks and Recreation Department’s superintendent of horticulture.
Nearly a century since its founding, the garden remains one of the city’s best-kept secrets just waiting to be discovered.
“It attacks the senses in a way that cannot be fully explained unless you experience it yourself,” said Hennessy. “You can look at it really close, you can look at it from a far perspective. It’s beauty at all angles.”
The garden is open from dawn until dusk. It’s also the centerpiece of many events, such as the 28th annual Rose Garden Party on June 26.