The Secret Garden In Arizona You’re Guaranteed To Love

Located at the north entrance of the Mesa Community College campus is this garden, which is home to more than 9,000 rose bushes in about 350 varieties. That makes it the largest rose garden in our neck of the woods!

The garden's origins began in 1997 as a partnership with the college and the Mesa-East Valley Rose Society to help beautify the area. Since then, it's become the only rose garden testing site in the southwest, a location for small events, and a visitors destination for those will to look for hidden gems.

Fun fact: When I attended MCC many years ago, the garden was in its early phase. Since then, it has blossomed into a true beauty!

Most visitors tend to explore the garden on their own but you'll occasionally find guided tours throughout the year.

Since it's a national testing site to learn about how roses can best survive in the desert, you'll get to figure out how to replicate such gorgeous results in your own backyard.

The best time to visit the garden is in spring (late March through June) and fall (November and December).