Owen Rose Garden
Owen Rose Garden is a serene oasis of beauty located on the south side of the Willamette River. This park is the perfect venue for a wedding, a family reunion or a private and peaceful escape from your everyday busy life.
The best way to get to Owen Rose Garden by car is to head west from down town Eugene on Sixth Street, then turn right onto Washington Street, taking any street left to Jefferson. Take Jefferson north (right) and you will have no choice but to arrive in the garden. If you arrive downtown via 105, simply exit at 6th Street, turn right onto Madison and take any street east (right) to Jefferson. It’s north (left) from there.
With all the roses, various plants, a picnic area, concrete and gravel paths, you will find this is the perfect place to literally stop and smell the roses. Each species of plant is labeled and tells the type of flower you are looking at, which gives you a little education in and of itself. To the north of the gardens, there is the bike path that runs east and west along the Willamette River, which links this park with many other local parks in the area. In all actuality, almost the entire length of the Willamette River that runs through Eugene has parks or bike paths all along its north and south banks.
From the parking lot of the rose garden, you will walk down this tunnel of climbing roses and feel as though you are in a Hobbit trail with nothing but pink filtered sunlight shinning through. Saunter along and find a delightful gazebo on your left, where you might think it a perfect place to get Married or set up for that family reunion. With plenty of open space and optional chair rental from the city, this is the perfect place to have your next event. If you pick this venue, the costs will be minimal and the ambiance stunning. It is the perfect place for making memories.
Since I believe in full disclosure, I will have to tell you that if you make a trip to this park early in the morning, you may see a homeless person sleeping under the roof of the gazebo in hopes of securing some shelter from the moist evening. For the most part, you will have no trouble with the homeless as they really keep different hours and usually move away if there are lots of people around. All in all, homeless folks mind their own business and will remain asleep if you give them their space. I bet leaving some healthy food or some moist handy wipes for a person that is down on their luck would be welcome. Do it anonymously and don’t tell another soul you are an angel.
Maybe the reason you might want to go to Owen Rose Garden is all about the roses? Maybe take a visiting family member to the park, or perhaps you want to be alone and sit under a hundred year old oak tree. Enjoy Owen Rose Garden as it holds a special place in the hearts of many Eugene residents.
Written by Alison Silveria for DiscoverEugene.com
Photos by Alison Silveria and C.A. Clark
