morcom amphitheater of roses

A lovely place to go enjoy a book or picnic, meditate or "do steps". Enough grass areas and benches to sit on, some public toilets that are not scary to visit, (drinking) water fountain, then a small pond and water fall area. This is a little oasis in a city, and a lovely place to enjoy. Take time and smell a rose - or several - as you walk around, it will put you in the very best of moods!

This is a hidden jewel in Oakland. It is right off the busy Grand Avenue in the shopping area near Lake Merritt and the Piedmont city border. It is very well maintained and has a beautiful assortment of roses. In the spring it just has the most lovely atmosphere. The variety of roses is outstanding and those who are gardeners will love to walk around the area. It is slightly hilly and parking is limited.

This place is so lovely, and yet people don't know about it. You can walk from Lake Merrit or park off of Oakland Ave. New walkways can provide you with lovely strolls.

The Morcom Amphitheater of Roses, created in 1932 as a WPA effort, is nestled in an almost hidden "bowl" on the Oakland/Piedmont border. You will enjoy its classic and classy vibe as you slowly move from bush to bush and stop to smell the heirloom roses - many of which actually DO smell "old school" delicious. Walkways, water features and a newly restored cascade combine to transport you to a beautiful, simpler world.One entrance at the corner of Oakland Ave. and Olive. The main entrance is a block off Grand Ave. (Ace Garden Center is on the corner).

Morcom Amphitheater of Roses ("the rose garden")is located just a block from Grand Avenue in Oakland, California. This part of Grand Avenue is distinguished by its gift shops, book stores, restaurants, all of which lend a unique and attractive neighborhood flavor. The rose garden is also a short walk from the glorious movie theater at the foot of Grand Avenue, and also a short walk from the out-of-doors of of fair and farmer's market located between the theater and Lake Merritt. I have lived near Oakland since the mid-1960s, mostly in Berkeley and San Leandro. But for reasons unknown, I was not aware of the rose garden until today. Apparently, it is the goal of the "powers that be" to refrain from publicizing Oakland's rose garden. I discovered it by chance, during one of my weekend recreational walks. That said, the rose garden resides in the middle of an upper middle class residential neighborhood, but it resides in a deep gully or valley, so that nearby houses are not much visible. The rose garden is on a slope, where the slope has been leveled off at three areas, to produce a row of terraces, where the row goes from west (lowest part) to east (highest part). There are two small buildings (a restroom and, from what I can guess, a shed for storing supplies). On the north slope is a beautiful water fountain. The rose beds are defined by asphalt walkways, and beyond that, are well-groomed grassy areas, where the tourist interested in meditation can sit for a while. There are not any designated picnic areas, though the rose garden can be reserved for weddings.Now regarding the roses, these reside in about a dozen distinctly marked flower beds. Near each rose bush is a metal plaque with the name of the rose. Some of the names are, Pink Promise, All That Jazz, Marmalade Skies, Red Devil, Apothecary's Rose, and Sunshine Daydream. The quality of the presentation, as a whole, is as good as that of the rose garden in the Berkeley hills, located on Euclid Avenue, a short walk from the University of California campus.