SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Rose Day in June is normally a special time in the city of Syracuse, but this year’s festivities rose to the occasion.
As the E.M. Mills Rose Garden celebrates its 100th anniversary, the Syracuse Rose Society made corsages and taught people how to plant roses for the special day.
Located at Thornden Park, the Mills Rose Garden features more than 3,000 rose bushes, and is considered to be one of the best public rose gardens in the nation.
People from across the country came to visit the garden. Barbara Thomas is from Ashland, Kentucky and came for the first time, and she said the experience was worth it.
“It’s the first time I’ve been here, but it’s gorgeous,” Thomas said. “The setting is beautiful.”
Whether it’s a person’s first time or 100th time, Syracuse Rose Society president Darlene Lowell said people feel good when smelling the roses.
“Just smelling the roses, it brings warmth,” Lowell said. “It brings tenderness inside. It makes you relax from a day-to-day busy [schedule].”
The Syracuse Rose Society helps preserve the Mills Garden through the help of its volunteers. Lisa Munoff, one of the volunteers, said people are appreciative of the hard work the society puts into the garden.
“Every single time that I’ve been here,” Munoff said. “Someone has walked through the garden and said, thank you for what we do.”
As someone who has lived in Syracuse for 20 years, Dale Avers believes the Mills Rose Garden is as beautiful as it was a century ago.
“It’s a wonderful place of beauty that historically has been kept just kind of the way it was 100 years ago,” Avers said.
Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh was in attendance and read a proclamation that declared June 15, 2024 to be Rose Day. According to Walsh, there are people who have spent their whole lives in Syracuse and have never heard about the garden.
In fact, Walsh didn’t even know the Mills Garden existed until he became mayor. Walsh said more people need to visit.
“It’s just such a special part of the community that is still a bit of a secret,” Walsh said.
The Mills Rose Garden is open seven days a week from 6 a.m. – 8 p.m.
