By BECKY GOODRICH
Planted in 1946 to honor local service members killed in World War II, the Memorial Rose Garden has been a Missoula institution for over 70 years. Parks and Recreation, along with the Missoula Rose Society, is hosting a volunteer workday on Saturday, October 27, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Volunteers will work alongside Rose Society members to prepare the Garden for winter and help ensure the roses’ hardy growth next spring. Memorial Rose Garden Park is located at 800 Brooks St., at the intersection of Brooks and Mount.
The all-volunteer Missoula Rose Society was started in 1944 and since then has planted and maintained the Memorial Rose Garden, which is part of the City’s WWII memorial. The Garden’s obelisk memorial lists the names of local causalities of the war.
Today, the Garden’s 41 beds are home to over 600 rose plants of all varieties. Through a long-term partnership, the Missoula Rose Society provides for the planting and care of the roses, and Parks and Recreation maintains the park. Volunteers are needed in the fall, spring and summer to prepare the Garden for the season ahead.
The October 27 workday is from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and is open to ages 8 and up. Working with rose-growing experts from the Rose Society, volunteers will be mulching and weeding to prepare the roses for winter. Volunteers may stay for the entire event, or drop by to help for a shorter period. Tools, gloves and refreshments will be provided.
Parks and Recreation director Donna Gaukler says the hard work and commitment of the Missoula Rose Society has kept the Garden flourishing for the last 70 years. “Without the experienced and talented Rose Society members providing leadership, the Memorial Rose Garden would not succeed,” Gaukler says. “I hope folks will consider volunteering a few hours this weekend or year-round. It is an easy way to show support for an important community resource, learn more about roses and the memorials, and share community pride.”
Parks and Recreation plans to host additional volunteer workdays at the Rose Garden next spring and summer. To register for the Oct. 27 event, donate to the Memorial Rose Gardens, or join the Rose Society, visit www.missoulaparks.org.