Cornell Rose Garden

Project Description

The Santa Fe Master Gardener Association began assisting the Santa Fe Rose Society with maintenance of the long established Harvey H. Cornell, Sr. Rose Garden in 2010. Our members assist the City of Santa Fe with rose pruning, deadheading, mulching, and various garden tasks during the growing season. There are over 20 varieties of roses in this peaceful park. It is a wonderful place to visit, picnic or just enjoy the gardens. In 2017, the Cornell Rose Garden celebrated its 50th Anniversary.

Project Goal

Our goal is provide public education on rose growing in the Santa Fe area and assist with maintaining one of our valuable, local garden resources.

Park History

The park was established in 1957 to beautify the newly established neighborhood. Joe Clark, the first President of the Santa Fe Rose Society, asked Harvey Cornell to develop a grade slope plan to address drainage for the rose gardens, lawns and trees. Local garden clubs planted irises in the southern end of the park. According to a June 1976 article, the first roses to be planted in the park were “Blaze” climbing roses along the fence at the Galisteo Street edge of the park.

The Park was named for Cornell upon his passing to honor his contributions to beautifying Santa Fe. Harvey Cornell’s wife, Herdis Cornell, planted bush roses in the park and commissioned the fountain at the center of the northern terraced rose beds. There are a variety of hybrid teas, floribunda, and grandiflora roses in the park, planted largely by the Santa Fe Rose Society over the past 50 years.