The Grand Rose Garden of Sokolniki Park

About museum

The Grand Rose Garden in Sokolniki Park was opened in 1957 in honor of the Sixth World Festival of Youth and Students. It occupies an area of 3.6 hectares and is home to more than 7,000 rose bushes and other rare plants. It all began in 1953, when decorator Anna Shukshina began planting roses. She conceived the Grand Rose Garden as a garden of continuous blooming, where flowers and exotic plants would be combined. More than 100 rose varieties were planted, and in some years their number reached 30,000. Professional designers were responsible for the layout, and a pool with pink nymphs stood at the center. The rose garden became a recreational area, featuring small pavilions and a reading room covered with wild grape vines. After the collapse of the USSR the Grand Rose Garden was abandoned, but in 2003 a decision was made to revive it.