1833 A celebration was held in December at Mesa Community College on West Southern Avenue to mark the 25th anniversary of the Rose Garden.
Attending the event were members of the Mesa City Council. Mesa Community College Leader and Faculty. Officers and volunteers of the American Rose Society and the Mesa-East Valley Rose Society, according to the release.
Those who shared their memories of Rose Garden’s founding included Dr. Larry Christensen, former president of MCC. Jared Langkilde, former director of the Rose Garden and current President and CEO of the HonorHealth Foundation. Peter Conden, Executive Director of Rose Garden. Rose garden architect Leroy Brady.
During the ceremony, MCC President Dr. Tammy Robinson, in collaboration with the Rose Society and community volunteers, offered a wonderful welcome to the campus: “Come. Enjoy. Prosper.” Rather, it is a kindergarten living laboratory for college students studying biology, botany, and horticulture, as well as artists who draw and create works inspired by nature.
President Robinson also announced that The Rose Garden has brought global recognition to the City of Mesa and Mesa Community College and has been featured on Canadian adventure travel Trexplorer, TripAdvisor, Vacation Ideas Magazine, Yelp, and Japanese travel site Trip 101.
Diana Sommers, President of the American Rose Society, spoke about the long and colorful history of roses. A 35-million-year-old flower fossil was found in Europe. Millions of dollars are spent each year researching, growing and selling roses in the U.S. Arizona’s climate allows her to bloom nearly 8 out of 12 months, making the domestic rose bush produces more than 75% of In 2000, Mesa Community College’s Rose Garden was approved by the National Rose Selections organization to be one of 26 test gardens, making him one of the top three AARS test gardens in the nation.
On behalf of the MCC, Tanya Smith, Administrative Associate Coordinator of the MCC Secretariat, received a Presidential Certificate of Commendation for Rose Garden from the American Rose Society. Southwest. “
Conden, who is also co-director of the MCC Arboretum, recognized volunteers who helped find and continue growing the rose garden. Among those to whom they were credited were Helen Baird, Leroy Brady, Merrill Coffman, Carol Holkenbrink, Mike Jepsen and Steve Sheard. He also acknowledged that Mike Cryer worked as his volunteer coordinator for nearly 20 years.
The gala finale included the presentation of a plaque commemorating the 25th anniversary and speakers and dignitaries joining MCC President Robinson for the cake cutting.
The best times to visit the Rose Garden, which is open to the public, are April to June and October to December when the roses are in full bloom. The largest public rose garden in the desert southwest, the Rose Garden is part of MCC’s 140-acre arboretum and was the first in Arizona to receive certification from his ArbNet Arboretum Certification Program and Morton Arboretum. rice field. MCC is the only community college in Arizona to be designated a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation.
For more information, visit mesacc.edu/rosegarden.