Public gardens are a national treasure, just like museums, libraries, and opera houses. Even amongst public gardens, however, rose gardens hold a special preeminence. Roses have attracted more attention from painters, poets, and romantics than any other flower. One of the 130 top award-winning rose gardens in the U.S.A. is right behind Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold in New Vrindaban in the hills of West Virginia. The rose garden is a vivid bouquet set amidst the green hills, where you can see and smell the fragrant aromas of over 150 varieties of roses.  There’s nothing quite like a visit to the Palace of Gold’s public rose garden for a sight and smell delight.  It’s hard to say which is more striking, the vast sea of rose colors or the sweet fragrance that permeates the air.There’s nothing quite like a visit to the Palace of Gold’s public rose garden during the summer

The Palace of Gold Rose Garden has been an award winning rose garden since 1987 and has attracted many visitors throughout the spring and summer seasons. Some have called it a “hidden gem.” One visitor said, ”The rose garden is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen and the vistas are breathtaking. This garden alone made the trip to Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold worthwhile.”

Rose gardens generally only have two blooms per season but the Palace Rose Garden has three different blooms, starting in early June to mid-July, followed by a second bloom late July to early August, and the third bloom is late Sept. to the first frost. One year there was even a fourth bloom due to the expert care that the garden gets.  All of this is a testimony to the expertise of the Palace rosarians.  But the award-winning rose garden is beautiful throughout the whole season and is worth bringing your family and friends to experience it.

There aren’t only roses in the Palace Gardens. The Garden of Time to the east of the Palace is resplendent with color from spring to late fall. Geraniums, marigolds, zinnias, blue salvias, dahlias, and one of America’s largest collection of roses blend into a vivid bouquet set amidst the green hills. Walkways divide the flowers into islands that surround the central fountain like calibrations on a sundial. The lower terrace contains fountains, water lilies and chatra (umbrella), a covered sitting place often constructed by ancient Vedic kings for holy men to use in prayers and meditations.

Another highlight of the Palace gardens is the Lotus Pond with a fountain and often visiting swans from the lower lakes. The Lotuses are in full bloom the second part of the season and this special flower, glorified in all the Indian scriptures, pleases the visitors.

The whole family will enjoy the Palace of Gold Gardens, which are available to tour during visiting hours at the visitors’ leisure.