Berkeley Rose Garden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Berkeley Rose Garden |
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| Type | City park |
| Location | 1200 Euclid Avenue, Berkeley, California, United States |
| Created | 1933 |
| Operated by | City of Berkeley |
The Berkeley Rose Garden is a beautiful park owned by the city of Berkeley, California. You can find it in the North Berkeley part of town. This lovely rose garden sits among homes in the Berkeley Hills, between the Cragmont and La Loma Park areas. It takes up most of the block between Eunice Street and Bayview Place, just west of Euclid Avenue and Codornices Park.
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Discover the Berkeley Rose Garden
The Berkeley Rose Garden looks like a giant outdoor theater with steps, called a terraced amphitheater. It's built in a small canyon and offers amazing views of San Francisco and the famous Golden Gate.
Over 100 different kinds of roses grow here, blooming brightly along the terraces. The best time to see them is usually in mid-May. Codornices Creek flows right through the middle of the park. On the north side, you'll find tennis courts. The south side has a peaceful forest with tall coast redwoods, fragrant bay laurel, and strong coastal live oak trees.
How the Rose Garden Was Built
Work on the rose garden started way back in 1933. Funds came from a government program called the Civil Works Administration. More money for building came from the California State Relief Administration and the federal Works Progress Administration in the years that followed. The Berkeley Rose Garden officially opened its gates on September 26, 1937. Since then, it has hosted many beautiful rose shows.
Explore Codornices Park
Right across Euclid Avenue from the Rose Garden is Codornices Park. This park is even older, first opening in 1915. The Rose Garden was actually thought of as an extension of Codornices Park at first.
Codornices Park has a big grassy lawn, perfect for picnics. It also has fun play equipment for kids and a long concrete slide. Two parts of Codornices Creek meet here, right along the Hayward Fault line. A neighborhood club, the Codornices Club, once had its clubhouse next to the top of the concrete slide.
The Pedestrian Tunnel and Its History
A special tunnel for people runs under Euclid Avenue, connecting the Rose Garden and Codornices Park. Before the Rose Garden was built, from 1912 to 1928, a long wooden bridge for streetcars and cars crossed Codornices Creek here.
In late 1928 and early 1929, this bridge was filled in. A pipe was laid for the creek, and the pedestrian tunnel was built. Much of the dirt used to fill the bridge came from digging a small hill on the UC Berkeley campus for a building called Giannini Hall.
How to Use the Concrete Slide Safely
To have the most fun on the concrete slide, it's a good idea to sit on a piece of cardboard. A piece about the size of a normal doormat works best. Sometimes, you can find cardboard left by others at the top or bottom of the slide. However, it's always smart to bring your own, especially if it has rained recently. For a faster, more exciting ride, some experienced sliders sprinkle a few handfuls of sand at the top before they go!
See also
- John Hinkel Park
