This year will be the perfect time to stop and smell the roses at Point Defiance Park as Metro Parks Tacoma propagates historic rose bushes from the last of three original arbors dating as far back as 1910.
The backdrop to many weddings and graduation photos, the remaining arbor, estimated at around 50 years old, will get an entire makeover this year.
As crews carefully pruned age-old varieties that produce beautiful pinks and whites in the summertime, they also removed the former green metal arbor, to be replaced with a new one.
Cuttings have been taken from less healthy canes to be reinvigorated in Metro Parks greenhouses and reintroduced when they are ready.
In addition, an ornate gate featuring intricately placed life-like metal rose bushes and petals is being crafted by staff welder, Koyi Clay.
“With the new arbor there will now be a grand entrance into the gardens,” Steve Herbig lead horticulturalist on the project said in a release. “It will be stronger – it’s actually a greenhouse frame, with more support for the canes and easier maintenance. And we can really clean up the old roses and plant some young, strong ones.”
The project gives the vintage roses a new life, and offers a picturesque setting for generations to come.
