Rose Gardens In Rapperswil

Rapperswil-Jona is called the City of Roses, and its rose gardens are a set of public gardens in and around the old town that give the Roses their living core. Spread over several sites, they are planted with many thousands of rose bushes representing hundreds of varieties, from old garden roses with strong scent to modern hybrids. The gardens are open to walkers in daylight and can be visited without a ticket, and the bloom runs from late spring until the first frosts of autumn.

The planting is arranged by character as well as by colour. In the garden at the foot of the castle hill, the beds are laid out with names so you can identify varieties, and some sections feature roses chosen for their perfume. Scent is as important as colour here, and the notes people describe include honey, pear, lemon and spice. The older types, such as damask and gallica roses, tend to be fragrant and flower once a year, while modern varieties repeat their bloom through the summer. A walk through the beds teaches you how much roses differ in shape, from tightly packed old blooms to simple open flowers.

The flower is part of Rapperswil’s heraldry, and it also decorates fountains, signs and public spaces. The roses work well with the setting: the castle rises above, the old town’s roofs form the middle ground, and the lake lies below. Benches and shaded corners make it easy to sit and stay longer than planned. In June the gardens are at their peak, and a second flush often appears in late summer. The staff of the town gardening department maintain the beds, and from time to time there are talks and guided visits for groups, which you can arrange locally.

The gardens connect to other places on the Rapperswil circuit. Schloss Rapperswil and the old town are a short walk uphill, the lake promenade and the wooden footbridge to Hurden are below, and the Lindenhof with its deer park and the Polish Column are close. The garden is a permanent feature of the lakeside, with the rose bloom as its seasonal peak. Combine it with a coffee in the old town or a walk along the quay.

It suits garden lovers, photographers, families and anyone who enjoys scent and colour. Early morning and evening give the softest light, and weekdays are quieter than weekends in June. Do not pick the flowers, and keep dogs on a lead, as the beds are carefully tended.