A garden that's one of Tacoma's hidden gems. There's completely free parking and free entrance. This area is perfect for relaxing or even for photoshoots. For photographers, there's the garden, a parking area nearby with few cars for photoshoots, the gorgeous water view, and Mount Ranier in the background. I'm here in June and the flowers are currently in full bloom! It's a relaxing atmosphere with some bits of shade scattered here and there. If you're going in the summer, bring a hat or sunglasses! It's very very sunny. Stop here for a mini date in the park! :) read more

Point Defiance Rose Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

An outstanding beautiful flower garden within Point Defiance Park. Located immediately upon entry of the park. Totally worth a visit. On this visit the focus was on the fuschia section. The many different fuschia flowers were stunning. Close by were the dahlias. Different colors and textures. Stunning!! The rose garden is enclosed inside iron gates/ be careful entering and exiting as the gates are heavy. A public restroom is nearby. Loads a close green grass areas for picnics if you'd like. I highly recommend this garden!! Do it. See beautiful flowers and SYOY! read more

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A truly beautiful garden and it's free to the public to visit. I've been a couple times now in August/September during the early morning hours and there were only a few others there as well. A majority of everything there was labeled too. I recommend stopping by in the early morning if you are wanting to enjoy everything in a quiet and relaxing environment. read more

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Visited the Point Defiance Rose Garden and really enjoyed all the beautiful flowers planted there. It's now the end of July and the flowers are still blooming and healthy, though I don't know the growing season for flowers. There were lots and lots of different colored roses, but very few of them had a scent. There weren't too many people there, so I was able to walk around and smell the roses! There was also an area that had the most amazing dahlias. I loved all the variety and colors represented. Fuchsias were in another area but weren't as eye-catching as the roses and dahlias. It's wonderful to have an area with so many flowers that can be visited for free. Great place to have a picnic and take some very colorful photographs! read more

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Absolutely lovely place in an absolutely lovely park! The rose arch is most definitely one of my favourite things to experience when it's at peak blooming! On the other side there's an area with a bench that allows you to get lost in a good book while being surrounded by the beauty this area has to offer. This garden is surrounded by a deer-proof fence to ensure that we can actually enjoy what it has to offer and it doesn't become an all they can eat buffet. Word to the wise: don't accidentally let the gate slip out of your hands! To say that it closes loudly is the understatement of the year! Wow (so, so sorry!) Many varieties of roses, a sizable section of dahlias, various other plants...everything is labeled and some of them have delightful, silly names! It's pretty well past peak season for 2020 roses, most of the other flowers are gone as well, though the dahlias are still doing well and look like they'll be producing a few more flowers still this year. This garden is in Point Defiance Park which has a TON of things to do, so it's definitely worth the drive! read more

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We used to live in Los Angeles and my mom was a volunteer at Descanso Gardens and we loved dropping by Huntington Garden and Arlington Gardens, so we've become fans and are looking for the great gardens of Washington. Dropped by in the summer and pretty much ended up driving around this garden because it didn't look really impressive. Lots of grass you have to walk across to get to the garden, but there's little payoff because there isn't a lot of flora. Mom has a pacemaker and can't walk 20 feet without having to stop to take a breath, so walking around was not going to happen. There was a little Japanese area and if you drive a bit a ways you can see the rhododendrons, which is a small walk around a hill which my mother also had a hard time handling and there were very few flowers there too. So accessibility is an issue and lack of flowers too. At least we enjoyed the drive. read more

I have lived nearby for a decade and have only recently stumbled upon this garden in Pt Defiance Park! Who knew such a lovely gem would exist in Tacoma? Unlike many gardens in Seattle, this one is free to enter and it's actually well kept. There's a variety of perennials and roses, and the way the garden is landscapes makes it very picturesque. Given that it's a public space, this is perfect for taking one's special occasion photos! One of the main attractions is the tunnel of pink flowers which makes for gorgeous pictures. There are also cute gazebos and lawn areas decorated with flowers - I imagine it would make for a nice wedding location (Metro Parks lets you do rentals for weddings). I do like that they have benches around the place in case you want to just sit back and read among the flowers. Since I went on a sunny summer day, all the roses were in bloom making for colorful scenery. They have a variety of different roses, and they're all quite big! The fence around the garden is probably there to keep out the roaming deer in the area - I imagine it'd be game over if the deers got the all-you-can-eat rose bud buffet. If you're visiting Pt Defiance State Park, it's worth checking out the garden... especially in the spring/summer when the weather is nice and the flowers are in bloom. read more

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I love love the rose garden! This was something I wanted to do last fall and the garden met my expectations! The roses are beautiful and smelled so great. The freshest and brightest smelling flowers! There was a wedding being held while I was there, but people can still go in and out of the garden. The rose garden is perfect for couples to stroll and walk around and great for picture taking! read more

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Me and my fiance was very very lucky when we went. We went during June when the Rose's started to bloom and especially on a sunny day! It is free to go, so I highly recommend going! It was so beautiful and relaxing to be there. There wasnt too much of a crowd, which wax great! Highly highly recommend going here! read more

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Last month(May) was Rhododendron blooming season and Point Defiance has a garden for those blooms. June is rose blooming season and Point Defiance has a rose garden as well! It seems to be much more popular than the Rhododendron garden. Rose blooms also last a lot longer and taper off more in the summer and you get a second round of them in August so it seems like they are always present in the warmer months but June seems to be when they are at their best! We went here on the 10th of June and quite a few rose blooms were just a tad past their prime but many more have yet to fully show their splendor. As I said the rose garden here is pretty busy and choosing to come here on a weekend it is even busier. There were several events going on... graduations, prom and a wedding so there were lots of well dressed people but all present had to avoid from photo bombing each other. Despite some shifting and maneuvering everybody seemed to respect each other's space with photography but you need to remain mindful if you make the choice of being considerate at all which is why coming here during the week is probably best. There are all kinds of types of roses, colors and fragrances that you can enjoy here and if you want to try and look at each type you can spend quite a bit of time here! In addition to the garden itself there are some very beautiful archways that go in and out of the garden and a wishing well area from the main rose area where you can get some excellent photos as well. While the Point Defiance rose Garden may not be the most meditative place in the park it certainly is one of the most beautiful spots there! read more

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This place is soooooooo major and it's FREE to the public. I had been waiting for the roses to bloom since the last time I went it was in the winter. The garden is not overwhelming on the nose but you hear everyone yelling across the garden "smell this one!" So it's a smell fest. I don't have allergies though, so obviously use your own judgment since it basically all flowers. I like the general layout of the rose garden in that the majority of the roses are in a well manicured circle on the outside of a small pavilion in the center. It's nice because if the heat gets too much for you then you can go directly to the center and sit down inside the pavilion. Let's be real though, too hot in Washington.....L...O...L, right? This is place is really beautiful. So many different variety and species. Don't forget about the dahlias and fuchsias which are also in the same garden. The dahlias weren't in bloom when I went. Parking can be a bit of a haggle but you can't miss this. I went June 1 and they were still very beautiful. Probably if you come in the mid of May it would be better. The roses would probably be a little more tight and petals wouldn't be on the ground as much. Stop by the wildlife habitat nearby too. Not the zoo, but the small pond area right next to the garden. There is also a small herb garden too. So much to see & take your time. read more

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So beautiful and wide variety of roses! Quiet and peaceful, enjoyed it very much, great for taking pictures or a picnic. Dogs are welcome! read more

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Lots of bloomed flowers when we visited in late august! I think it's a good place to go for pictures/portraits but unfortunately most of the greenery tunnels you can see in other reviews were closed off with wire and caution tape. They might've been doing renovations or something. But they were closed off as of 08/26/22. nonetheless it was very beautiful and I definitely will come back on a sunnier day. So many sleepy bees in flowers that are used to close-ups read more

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Absolutely gorgeous such a fun thing to do with your family without spending money definitely if you live in Washington state you have to check this out beautiful photos beautiful memories read more

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Great place for photos. Just don't go during peak times. You'll be "fighting " to get those sweet spots for photos. read more

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Really enjoyed the stroll through the gardens. Saw geese and deer as well, capping off a pleasant sunset stroll. Dahlias were stunningly beautiful! read more

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This is the Garden of Eden of our time! No human eye can process the magnificence of such beauty of the Point Defiance Garden! There is a variety of wild and subtle flowers to gaze at. Each one has a character of its own, and wears their colors proudly. I especially loved the white rose, which is actually my favorite flower of all time! They named the rose after Marilyn Monroe which I assume was from the flower's ravishing white ensemble. I adored that she had elegant and a pure composure which carried herself with absolute class! The garden also has a Japanese theme to it. I spotted at least two shrines that portrayed the culture as lovely as it is. Another thing that I fell in love with was the duck pond because it was vibrant and the surroundings created a refreshing scenery! The ducks were in their own little oasis while I was in complete Wonderland! I'm basically Alice from the Disney movie at that point because I was going nuts from the fact of hearing flowers whisper to themselves and Chesire the cat grinning at me? I was absorbed in the dreamlike quality of this remarkable place and couldnt seem to escape as sooner as I liked to. Every element of the garden was perfectly orchestrated in harmony like the arrangements of the carats in a high-end wedding ring! And since there is free admissions, I'll definitely be in Tacoma more often! read more

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Beautiful, luscious garden! We met a photographer here on a Sunday at mid morning and had so many vibrant colors in the background to choose from for our photos. While there were other people enjoying the flowers, it wasn't overcrowded and we didn't have to worry about other people in our photos. We look forward to visiting the gardens read more

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This place is amazing definitely love during the summer time when all the flowers bloom definitely a good place to go to they even have a ocean water front more down by the zoo I love this place 10/10 recommended read more

Good things often come in small packages. The Point Defiance Rose Garden is at the entrance of the park and offers you a short, relaxing stroll through a very well-maintained flower garden. Personally, flowers are not really my thing, but I love gardens and am a huge fan of this place. I have a very sensitive nose and when I visit I try to secretively smell these roses without anyone noticing and judging me. Yes, I am a guy and I like to smell roses. Get over it! read more

Point Defiance Rose Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Beyond 5 stars. This is a magical park with ocean views, rhododendron - dahlias - roses, and more. Sea otters and seals can be seen. Little raccoons always huddling for food. Even deers roam around carefree. I love this park and am so grateful that Tacoma has such beautiful natural places. read more

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Love Point Defiance! The rose garden is free to the public. Many different types of roses, with walking paths throughout the garden. The colors and smells of the roses are very pleasing. Oh did I mention it's free! read more

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Lovely to start your day. Stroll around and take a close up pics of the flowers in bloom nearby the marina of Port Ruston, Tacoma, WA. It's almost at the end of flower season and yet I was able to enjoy walking around and take pics. read more

Point Defiance Rose Garden - Nice to stroll in the morning by the marina - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Beautiful, large variety of roses and other flowers. Very well maintained, loved the benches along the flowers. The entrance gates are very loud, however, and children seemed to love playing with them due to the noise. Only really enjoyed the garden when we got away from those. read more

Both the Rose garden and the Dahlia garden are outstanding. We were there on the 1st of September and overall they were still in great shape. In my opinion, both gardens compare very favorably with the internationally know Butchart Gardens in BC and are must-see Summer spot. The park could use more parking/better access. This was our third attempt to visit this Summer and the first time that we were were able to find a parking spot. read more

Nice place to stroll through, but wasn't super impressive, Sorr of cramped with people taking engagement photos and walking around. Parking was a bit of a challenge too. Nothing horrible about it just pretty average. read more

This place is amazing! The people who designed and maintain it are great at there job. September is a good time to see and smell lots of roses in bloom. read more

This place did great with social distancing I love how it wasn't packed! But this isn't the first time we have had this problem...there are NO animals to see ever! We spent good money in our household of 6 to see three animals! Even before this pandemic it was the same and I'm just sick of it. They don't deserve four stars this place has nothing. You pay to walk around the park and that's it! Very very disappointed and I will not go back. read more

This park is gorgeous. I went two weeks ago in the new year and the roses were dead. I was disappointed but used my imagination. I can only picture how gorgeous this park is during the spring time. You can walk to the Japanese garden, pond, and the trails (it's all in the proximity)! I was able to reach my steps. I would come here again to explore more of the park and the town. read more

Such a beautiful garden. I have been 4 times so far and am always greeted by breathtaking blooms, the garden has a beautiful assortment of roses for you to look at and enjoy as wel as having an area that looks like it could House an outdoors event. read more

Aside from seeing my kids and grandkids, this was the best part of our 2018 Summer Vacation. This park is just beautiful! The roses are amazing. We visited after dinner, just before dusk - which is when they close - but had just enough time to see that garden. My favorite all time garden - and I've been to some of the best! read more