Reference & Credits:

Whatcom Museum of History and Art’s Photo Archives

Special thanks to Jeff Jewell, Photo Historian

Historical background information ~ Special thanks to

Tim Wall, Bellingham Parks

Reference: A History of Bellingham Parks by Aaron Joy

Front photo by Mike MacKay

Research by Zapote Gregory, 2008

Location: Corner of West Illinois Street and Cornwall

Avenue near southern entrance to Cornwall Park.

Park Hours: 6 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Directions to Cornwall Rose Garden From I-5:

Exit 256 and head south on Meridian Street, turn left on

East Illinois Street, then left again on Cornwall Avenue

Cornwall

Rose Garden

For questions please call:

Bellingham Parks & Recreation

3434 Meridian Street, Bellingham, WA 98225

360.778.7000

Cornwall Rose Garden

Corner of West Illinois Street and Cornwall Avenue

Roses blooming in the garden, circa 1923

Photo by J. Wilbur Sandison

Yesterday...In 1906, the City of Bellingham acquired

this small two acre plot of land from the Bellingham

Bay Improvement Company to use for public park

purposes. Originally, this parcel was known as

“Illinois Street Park”. It wasn’t until 1916 that the first

roses were planted. Later, in the late 1930’s the

Illinois Street Park officially became known as the

Cornwall Rose Garden.

Today... the garden offers close to 50 varieties of

roses, many of them selections from the All-American

Rose Selections. It features hybrid teas, grandifloras,

floribundas, climbers, and landscape roses.

Please do not pick the roses!

Leave them in the garden

for everyone to enjoy!

If you would like to volunteer call Parks Volunteer Coordinator 778.7105

City Park Gardeners

Ernie McMurchie, nurseryman, & Herb Ward,

employee in Cornwall Rose Garden 1957.

11 2 3 44 55

66 88 77

99

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1212 1313

1414 1515

1616 1717

1919

2020

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Rose’s with lovely scents

Bed Rose Name

3 Medallion - nice anise scent

3, 13 Elle - nice spicy and citrus scent

4 Heirloom - strong sweet rose scent

12 Memorial Day - strong, damask scent

13 About Face - fresh apple scent

19 Honey Perfume - strong spicy scent

20 Julia Child - sweet licorice and spice scent

23 Forth of July - clean apple scent

Please do not pick

the roses!

Leave them for

everyone to enjoy!

Bed Rose Name Type Rose

15 Hot Cocoa Floribunda

16 Day Breaker Floribunda

16 Marmalade Skies Floribunda

17 Electron Hybrid Tea

18 Portrait Hybrid Tea

19 Honey Perfume Floribunda

20 Julia Child Floribunda

20 Wild Blue Yonder Grandiflora

21 Gypsy Hybrid Tea

22 Gemini Hybrid Tea

23 Betty Boop Floribunda

Bed Rose Name Type Rose

8 Europeana Floribunda

8 Rina Hugo Hybrid Tea

9 El Capitan Floribunda

10 Octoberfest Grandiflora

10 Simon Bolivar Hybrid Tea

12 Memorial Day Hybrid Tea

13 About Face Grandiflora

13 Elle Hybrid Tea

14 Kaleidoscope Shrub

14 Starry Night Shrub

15 Cherry Parfait Floribunda

Bed Rose Name Type Rose

1 Pink Favorite Hybrid Tea

2 Eureka! Floribunda

3 Bewitched Hybrid Tea

3 Elle Hybrid Tea

3 Medallion Hybrid Tea

4 Heirloom Hybrid Tea

4 Opening Night Hybrid Tea

6 Chicago Peace Hybrid Tea

6 Fame! Grandiflora

7 Mr. Lincoln Hybrid Tea

Bed Rose Name Type Rose

23 Fourth of July Climber

23 Love and Peace Hybrid Tea

24 Crimson Bouquet Grandiflora

24 Impatient Floribunda

24 Proud Land Hybrid Tea

24 Whisper Hybrid Tea

25 Day Dream Hybrid Tea

25 New Canadian unknown

26 Sunset Celebration Hybrid Tea

26 Tahitian Sunset Hybrid Tea

27 Peace Hybrid Tea