It's great to be able to drive up to Napa or out to Sausalito for a romantic day, but when you don't want to be driving so much, the Berkeley Rose Garden is a great alternative. Such a romantic place to walk around, look at roses, and people watch. In my case, I went this past weekend and even though the roses have not bloomed yet, it was fun to sit on one of the benches and listen to the waterfall. This is probably my new favorite place to think, read, and be serene :) read more

Well, it's not the International Rose Test Garden in Portland, but it's pretty nice. I can't really say roses are my thing, but a walk in the terraces, especially after going through the tunnel from the adjoining park is pretty nice. Looks like they are doing some work right now, and the trellis walk is closed. If you're into flowers at all, definitely check it out. read more

I have been going her for years - in my youth I worked just on the north side of campus and would walk here often on my lunch time. And, when I had my first date with my beloved wife 13 years ago - we were supposed to meet at a cafe but then she said I could pick her up and take her to the rose garden so I did and we barely talked just looked at each other all goofy but we strolled among the roses and had a lovely time. Every time we return we are transported back to that wonderful, awkward first date... read more

It's alright. I wish the bushes were fuller. But the flowers and environment is calming

Beautiful rose garden located in Berkeley. I've been here once a few years ago to do a photosession for a family. I think I remembered it's just street parking & no admission fee. read more

You can't help but imagine what your wedding would be like here once you step foot into the garden. Picture perfect! The area at the top, outside of the garden's fences, and next to the street, is a wonderful place to watch the sun set behind the Golden Gate Bridge. read more

This amphitheater-shaped garden is overflowing with color and scent in mid-May. I like that it's not overly manicured as many rose gardens are. (I overhead that before the trees got too tall it had a great view of San Francisco and Golden Gate Bridge. Heh.) -1 star because dogs aren't allowed in so we had to take turns which cut down on the romance. Boo. read more

The Rose Garden holds so many memories for me. I discovered it when I was a student at Cal, and it was such a world away from campus, books -- a refreshing change and a place to get back in touch with the world outside of college life. To enjoy the glorious space , the bowl scooped out of the hillside, full of the smell of roses, looking out to the bay. The most beautiful setting for tennis courts is located here, and when my knees used to allow me to play, it was my favorite spot. It was really a retreat for me then, and for the other stages of my life. My kids played at Cordinices park across the street & had Little League games there over the years. But I think they really liked the Rose Garden Best-- they never admitted it though. Ben used to bring his GI Joes along & have adventures in the pond & creek. And Laura & her girlfriends liked to play here. This was a great place for me to escape to, to take time out to contemplate some difficult times in my life. It seems only when I'm troubled I take time to journal write, and I filled many pages here. I was fortunate enough to enjoy a 2nd marriage, and our wedding took place here in 2002. I knew the risks of a ceremony in a public place, but we put doubts aside, had the ceremony at 10am on a gorgeous May morning with all the roses in bloom. [it certainly saved on florists fees] We were advised to rope off the access aisles into the amphitheater, so we had some curious observers. There was 1 fellow who came to practice playing his sax during our ceremony, and 2 of our friends jumped up to convince him that it wasn't a great time for it. I honestly couldn't have wished for a more perfect place for our wedding. read more

I visited in early May and the roses were in bloom. Beautiful view and wonderful scents. Just watch out for bees. Best part is, they don't charge admission! If you have time, check out the concrete slide nearby read more

I love to come here. It is very peaceful and serene. On top of that, it is gorgeous with all of the roses. I always try to come here as much as possible and it is a great place to bring guests who are visiting. Definitely recommend it if you want to go to a nice place and simply hang out and enjoy the view of the city of San Francisco read more

The Berkeley Rose Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Berkeley, California

We took BART from downtown San Francisco to Berkeley. Then walked 1.5 miles to the garden. It gets hilly as you get closer so if you plan to walk keep that in mind. But it was a very nice walk through the nicer part of Berkeley. The garden itself is really nice. Great view of the Bay too. It's December but there were still many roses and other flowers in bloom. It's free, it's beautiful.. oh just go already! read more

The Berkeley Rose Garden - You can see San Francisco Bay! - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Oh my goodness. So beautiful, so serene, so perfectly manicured, so organized! Beyond words especially during the right season of the year. This place is perfect for weddings, picnics, strolling with your date, or jogging though! Very educational,every type of rose is labeled. I have absolutely no idea there's so many types!! I love the tennis court here, too , adds a nice touch especially for us tennis players. I guess it's better to go when your allergies aren't acting up, lol. I must have taken dozens of pictures here, and I can just sit here and read a book. There's plenty of benches for that too. Or you can go on a little adventure through the wooded areas and the stream of water a little ways down. If you've never been to this place, you have to go! This is a gem of berkeley, definitely must be deemed a Landmark. Please keep this place clean and stay off the roses! read more

I always hit my boyfriend when we go here. All but two times, so don't worry, it's not that often. WHY don't we come here more often?! Probably my favorite garden in the Bay Area. Oakland and Marin both have beautiful options for a lil nature in the city, but Berkeley takes the cake. Best panoramic view of Berkeley at sunset, and nicest kept garden by the city. Serene and sweet, this spot has tennis courts, benches, creeks, and Tilden across the way to boot. GREAT for picnics (although no food inside the garden) across the street. Go here to relax, reboot, escape, and become a bit with nature. I genuinely appreciate Berkeley more for this spot than any other place in the city. read more

Such a wonderful gem of Berkeley that I wish I knew about earlier. Go around May to see the roses in full bloom. I made the mistake of thinking that there would be flowers in "spring" a la March/April. Remember: April showers bring May flowers. You get a wonderful view of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge (if it's on a clear day) and I've seen plenty of weddings in the area. It is such a romantic place with lots of beautiful flowers to look at and a little walkway with vines growing all over it. I'm sure many Berkeley couples have gotten married here. When it's warm in Berkeley, it is a perfect place to come and relax and just take a break from the world... It's almost like a sanctuary during the weekdays and a good place to bring a book and take some pictures of the scenery. There's also a tennis court although I'm not sure about the hours and rules of the courts. Street parking is easy but make sure you know how to park on a hill. Also... be careful sitting on the benches because jeans (cloth in general) rips a lot easier when wet, and benches may be wet. i speak from experience. read more

I only give this place 4 stars because I went during the summer and unfortunately the roses were no longer in super full bloom. Now that I have that out of the way...this place is still very very beautiful during the summer. So many different roses and I love the Roman Coliseum set up for the rose garden. What I find really appealing is the fact they have the roses color coordinated with the lighter shades starting out at the bottom and graduating to the darker shades on top. So beautiful! I cannot wait to go back next year during the Spring so I can give it all 5-stars : ) read more

Learning to live, learning to see, learning to breathe the wonderous nature created before us In the spring time they bloom, their beautiful colors shine forth Some with a distinct shape or color, others with a slight similarity Golden, Pristine White, Pink, Red, Orange, and many colors in between Colors that meld into each other, full of luster and brilliancy Petals with two different tones what a wonderous mystery Roses sweet roses what a fraganct smell you produce Distinctly each of you are my heavenly muse Berkeley Rose Garden how I seek calmness and serentiy By walking down the path, eyeing, smelling all your fragrancies Find my way to the creek at the bottom what a soothing sound I can sit here forever in a glorious state Free from inner turmoil and this world's catatrastophes I am learning to live, to see, to breathe Nature you are truly bliss read more

Great place to go for the parents when they visit, or with a small group of friends who don't know Berkeley, or with one friend, if you'd like. When the roses are in bloom, it's awesome. When they're not, you'll have to be content with the Bay Area view. The benches ringing the garden turn out to be great places to talk; the kind of talking when you're not staring into each other's eyes, and prefer the privacy of sitting shoulder to shoulder. Park across the street is another big plus. read more

I came here after a picnic at the park across the street in late Fall/early Winter of last year and while the roses were not in full bloom, it was still completely beautiful. The scent of the flowers in the air was amazing and I can only imagine how much more vibrant the place is in late Spring. All of the different varieties of roses are labeled and while most of them you've probably seen in one form or another, there were some really unique/cool looking ones. I fell in love with the polka-dotted roses (I can't remember their name now) so keep an eye open for them when you visit. I cannot wait to come back in May. Roses are definitely some of my favorite flowers and it's great to have such a gorgeous garden in Berkeley devoted to them. read more

Ah Berkeley Rose Garden how I love you so. This place rocks. If you are a muscle bound -hates-girl-flowers-and-all-that-mushy-crap kinda guy... you should still read this review bc... well bc if you like girly girls, and u play your cards right, you can get laid my friend. using this beautiful oasis. This place is gorgeous, its trails and flowers and on a clear day its an awesome view of the bay. My family and I make a tradition of coming here at LEAST once a year all together when the flowers are all blossoming. You cant come here and be in a bad mood, its just beautiful, and girls love it. I would know Im a girl. I was walking one of the trails and there are random benches along the Garden and i was thinking to myself, "If my boyfriend brought me here one night, he would totally get some rose garden action." Action meaning = stirring conversation of course... or not just sayin... OH and across from the garden is Cordornices Park with THE MOST AWESOME ROCK SLIDE EVER! read more

Beautiful rose garden with an amazing view of the Bay. You can also see the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance. A handful of benches are scattered throughout the park, as well. read more

I would otherwise be completely in love with the place if it weren't for a few things: - the flowers aren't always in bloom (sucks when you bring someone to a rose garden and you're like, "Well, it's not usually like this.") -that weird feeling you get when you bring someone here and then you start feeling like you have to explain "this isn't a date or anything, I just came here to show you the gardens." .. and you don't want to actually SAY that because THAT would be awkward. But if you don't say that then you just settle with silently hoping that they're just into nature and all that. -watching couples and children as you're meandering through the garden with your totally platonic friend who you hope feels that this is just what platonic friends can enjoy together. But it IS a lovely place, so I see how it is a nice place to bring a date. I've enjoyed the view and have taken my fair share of nice strolls throughout. The wooded area adjacent reminds me of childhood camping days. This is a horrible place to pick up on people because most are either married, widowed, or already on a date. But if you must, try to introduce yourself to the person enjoying a nice dinner-for-one up top, or the lone artist working on sketches, or anyone of legal age who doesn't appear to be with anyone at the moment. read more

Roses of every type! Very romantic yet something fun to bring kids to, especially during the spring/summer because Berkeley is never too hot during t hose times. The roses are phenomenal, and really soothing from the bustle of Telegraph Ave. I'd suggest wearing appropriate footwear for walking on uneven terrain because certain parts aren't exactly easy to walk in heels (some wedding photography done here, very difficult to do because of annoying heels...). But if you like roses, this is the place~ read more

Even when things aren't in bloom (I went on Valentine's Day and the garden was empty like my heart), it's a nice place to walk around. Wheelchair accessibility notes: The amphitheater-style garden isn't wheelchair accessible. Like at all. read more

This rose garden is a fragrant reminder of how fortunate we are to have so many well developed and preserved green spaces in our dense urban environment. This is such a great place to go and appreciate flowers, relax and read - it's always quite peaceful and protected from the wind. I love the access to Cordonices park - it's got great bathrooms and feels wonderfully private and intimate even though it's absolutely public! read more

It's not just the field roses that draws me here, Or the oak trees covering the few picnic benches around the park, Or the walkways overflowing with vines, Or the fresh air and smell of green. It's the tennis courts built next to all of it and the easy-to-find parking spots. I can't think of a more peaceful place to play tennis in Berkeley or anywhere else in Norcal. The park even has a tennis wall for those who want to practice solo. Note that there are three courts and it can get a bit crowded when it's prime time for tennis (like everywhere else...) read more

Perfect for a midnight stroll with that special someone. Just a whiff of all the floral aromas and incredible views of the Bay is true romance. Men, take note. The ultimate date is a surprise trip/picnic dinner to the Rose Garden. You can thank me later. read more

well, we visited this place on a gorgeous October day, 4pm ish. What a treat, you descend into a roman-esque arena , terraced for the flowers. Even in mid-October, we found some pretty flowers to admire their beauty, design and scent. A great place to take pictures; very low key. Parking: can be tight, but we scored a prime spot. Hey, I'm Yelp Elite !!! =) read more

Disappointed in this rose garden. The flowers are beautiful but no dead heading done at all. The small rose trees are not staked up so they are leaning back. Hard to believe they can't get volunteers to come and clean up the rose bushes. read more

I dream of the Berkeley Rose Garden. What isn't there to love. The insane selection of roses! The tennis courts (although they only have 3) so I often head to nearby parks to play. The view is spectacular and worth driving around a bit to find a parking spot. Can't wait to return to Berkeley so I can spend some time at the Berkeley Rose Garden! read more

An Absolutely breath taking transformation of mother nature at it's finest as I fell in love instantly. As you walk down each step you begin to transform into something like the movie The Secret Garden. For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, visit The Rose Garden and thank me later. A romantic gem in Berkeley I can't seem to forget. read more

The Berkeley Rose garden ....oh how I wish I can see when there's no drought or when it was just brand-new! The landscape is beautiful and the roses can use some trimming...and a tad more TLC. (Tender loving care) read more

Such a cute place to hang out with a significant other unfortunately i don't have one. BUT going with your friends or family is a must

Lovely way to spend a Mother's Day afternoon (especially if your mom is big into gardening, like mine is). The majority of the roses didn't have much scent, but they were beautiful, and the garden is easy to navigate. The views of the city and the bay are wonderful. read more

It's beautiful in early summer. I took my mom here the last time she came to Berkeley, and she loved it, even though it was winter (but what does that really mean in Berkeley?). It also has a delightful view of the bay before you descend into the garden, which I especially enjoy at night. I would recommend if you like going on walks, like taking photos of fauna, or want to set the mood for a special someone. It's also across from an awesome park with a notorious slide. read more

I have such romantic memories of being in the Berkeley Rose Garden in early summer (watch the bees - I am phobic) with my "sanity man". It's such a romantic place and a great way to escape reality for a while. The flora is just magnificent. read more

This rose garden was a very interesting one. I loved the fact that they had a label for every single type of Rose that they had. Parking is a little tough here as it is extremely crowded but there are places to park in the residential area. Some of the roses were beautiful, some were not even bloomed, while some of the roses were already dead. Not sure why this happened, so maybe some Rose expert can clue me in here. Next to the Rose garden there is this trail that seems to lead you to a jungle. It was quite a contrast to the beautiful rose garden, so I thought that was amusing. 4 stars because apparently the roses should be peak in blooms right now but a lot were dead already =( read more

Must see... so beautiful. Great place to read. Have tennis courts too. read more

If you're ever feeling cynical about beauty and aesthetics, take a stroll over to the Berkeley Rose Garden. Rose gardens always stir memories in me, thanks to going to a college that prided itself on its (beautiful) rose garden at the center of campus. The Berkeley Rose Garden is like a gigangic sized version of my college memories. When I came here late in the summer, the roses were in full bloom, and the sight was stunning enough to make cynical old me hang out for awhile. If you have visitors in the bay area, this is the perfect place to take them, or it's ideal for a cozy chat with a friend, a romantic picnic date. A former classmate of mine even got married here. You can take pictures, camp out all day, and best of all - it's all free. read more

The Berkeley Rose Garden is a really nice place to visit for a short peaceful walk, some great views of the bay from up high in the hills, or do some photography. Obviously you'll want to go when the roses are all in full bloom, so aim for springtime. Any other time of the year, even early summer, you'll find that lots of roses are already decaying. It doesn't help that we're in a drought right now and I think the irrigation that this place currently receives is limited. But even with a few flowers dying, the majority of the place is still full of color and makes for a great stroll. read more

Gorgeous roses and a great place to seek some inner peace...very pleasant garden and the colorful flowers, babbling brook, and lovely scents of Mother Nature bring a sense of calm :) read more

The Berkeley Rose Garden - Mother Nature is perfect :) - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Berkeley, California