The garden is open every day of the year from 8 a.m. until dusk, and there is never an admission charge.

Popular to many visitors to Rose Hills Memorial Park is the Pageant of Roses Garden, which first opened to the public in 1959. Over the years this 3.5 acre garden has grown in the variety of roses displayed. Today, the garden features approximately 7,000 rose bushes in more than 600 varieties.

Since its inception, the Pageant of Roses Garden has received many awards.Recognition has come from the Los Angeles Community Beautiful organization, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and the American Rose Society (ARS). In 1984, the garden was honored by the All-America Rose Selections (AARS) with the coveted Public Rose Garden Achievement Award, designating it the most outstanding public rose garden in the nation.

There is always something new to see at the Pageant of Roses Garden. As an official display garden for both the ARS and the AARS, as well as a miniature display and test site for the ARS, the garden receives the most up-to date roses available.

Within the garden you will find a vast selection of roses, from history's oldest moss rose to the current All-America title winners. There are even some unusual varieties displayed, such as the Apple Rose from Central Europe, which does not produce blossoming buds, but rather is noted for its distinct scent of apples. The Bamboo Rose from Japan likewise does not bloom and appears more closely related to the bamboo family than to a rose. Old Smoothie, with beautiful spreading blooms, is best known for its smooth canes that do not produce thorns.

Look for row upon row of AARS winners, the best roses of a particular year. These award-winners include Mister Lincoln ('65), American Heritage ('66), Color Magic ('78), Mon Cheri ('82), Olympiad ('84), Voodoo ('86), Singin' in the Rain ('95), and most recently Timeless ('97). Also on display are the beautiful weeping tree roses with their magnificent cascading blankets of color. Among them are Margo Koster, China Doll, and Renae.

Be sure not to miss the colorful and dainty miniature roses which line the borders of many of the beds. These flowers, with names appropriate for their delicate beauty, include Baby Ophelia, Crissy, Little Fireball, Golden Slippers, and of course, Rose Hills Red.