Portland’s climate combines warm summers and rainy winters, never dipping too far down on the thermometer. This makes it a perfect site for rose gardens, which led to the city’s nickname a century ago. Visitors to the city will not want to miss the International Rose Test Garden, the oldest still-operating garden in the country.The garden was founded in 1917 by Jesse A. Curry, the editor of the Oregon Journal. This site served as protection for the roses recovered from Europe during the first World War. Starting in 1919 Portland began to offer gold medals for the best new variety, and in 1996 the Portland’s Best Rose award was installed. This award is judged by rose experts from around the world. Read the rest of this entry »