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James P. Kelleher Rose Garden
park

Back Bay Fens

address

73 Park Dr, Boston, MA 02215

Neighborhood

Fenway/Kenmore

Hours

Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Free for everyone

Accessibility

Mostly level pathways, benches available, gravel and unpaved surfaces may be challenging for some mobility devices.

Learn more

Stop and Smell the Roses

About

This downtown park in the Back Bay Fens opened in 1931 and features over 1,500 roses behind tall green hedges. It retains its secret garden feeling, despite being located in the middle of the neighborhood, minutes from Boylston Street and Fenway Park.

The garden was designed by Arthur Shurcliff, who later worked under Frederick Law Olmsted—the designer of the Emerald Necklace and Central Park in New York City.

explore for

Indulging In Nature's Perfume

Making Friends

Helping Prune this Habitat

did you know?

Historically, Bostonians blasted the Kelleher Rose Garden as a gaudy intrusion on Olmsted’s understated, wild park design. As sentiments softened, the breathtaking, fragrant, and romantic environment make it a popular backdrop today for proposals and weddings.

  • Kelleher Rose Garden in full bloom.

    Credits:

    Erik Gehring

  • A replica of Desconsol in the Kelleher Rose Garden, seen in July 2021. It was given to Boston in 1986 by its sister city Barcelona.

  • A hand-colored gelatin silver print of the Rose Garden and Museum of Fine Arts in the Back Bay Fens in the 1920s

    Credits:

    Digital Commonwealth

  • Early white border postcard of Kelleher Rose Garden in the Back Bay Fens

    Credits:

    Digital Commonwealth

  • Kelleher Rose Garden in full bloom.

    Credits:

    Erik Gehring

  • A replica of Desconsol in the Kelleher Rose Garden, seen in July 2021. It was given to Boston in 1986 by its sister city Barcelona.

  • A hand-colored gelatin silver print of the Rose Garden and Museum of Fine Arts in the Back Bay Fens in the 1920s

    Credits:

    Digital Commonwealth

  • Early white border postcard of Kelleher Rose Garden in the Back Bay Fens

    Credits:

    Digital Commonwealth

  • Kelleher Rose Garden in full bloom.

    Credits:

    Erik Gehring

  • A replica of Desconsol in the Kelleher Rose Garden, seen in July 2021. It was given to Boston in 1986 by its sister city Barcelona.

  • A hand-colored gelatin silver print of the Rose Garden and Museum of Fine Arts in the Back Bay Fens in the 1920s

    Credits:

    Digital Commonwealth

  • Early white border postcard of Kelleher Rose Garden in the Back Bay Fens

    Credits:

    Digital Commonwealth

faqS

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Land & water
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The world didn't start with Olmsted. For millennia before and in the centuries since Frederick Law Olmsted designed the Emerald Necklace park system for a rapidly industrializing city and metropolitan area, the lands and waters of and around Greater Boston have served as a site of exchange among communities including the Massachusett, Pawtucket, Wampanoag and Nipmuc peoples. The Emerald Necklace Conservancy acknowledges the Greater Boston region as their unceded ancestral territories. This acknowledgement is a starting point toward right relations with Indigenous neighbors and their understandings of land stewardship.

People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

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Shattuck Visitor Center

125 the Fenway
Boston, MA 02115

Year-Round

Mon-Fri 9:30am – 5pm

May-October

Sat-Sun 10am – 4pm

Learn More

Mailing address

350 Jamaicaway
Boston, MA 02130

+1 (617) 522–2700

The Emerald Necklace Conservancy is a not-for-profit organization and is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 04-3414988.

Donate

FAQ

Partner & Volunteer

Careers

Publications

Contact Us

Land & water
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The world didn't start with Olmsted. For millennia before and in the centuries since Frederick Law Olmsted designed the Emerald Necklace park system for a rapidly industrializing city and metropolitan area, the lands and waters of and around Greater Boston have served as a site of exchange among communities including the Massachusett, Pawtucket, Wampanoag and Nipmuc peoples. The Emerald Necklace Conservancy acknowledges the Greater Boston region as their unceded ancestral territories. This acknowledgement is a starting point toward right relations with Indigenous neighbors and their understandings of land stewardship.

People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Subscribe for Necklace news, community events, and to enliven the parks.

Get Necklace News

Shattuck Visitor Center

125 the Fenway
Boston, MA 02115

Year-Round

Mon-Fri 9:30am – 5pm

May-October

Sat-Sun 10am – 4pm

Learn More

Mailing address

350 Jamaicaway
Boston, MA 02130

+1 (617) 522–2700

The Emerald Necklace Conservancy is a not-for-profit organization and is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 04-3414988.

Donate

FAQ

Partner + Volunteer

Careers

Publications

Contact Us

Land & water
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The world didn't start with Olmsted. For millennia before and in the centuries since Frederick Law Olmsted designed the Emerald Necklace park system for a rapidly industrializing city and metropolitan area, the lands and waters of and around Greater Boston have served as a site of exchange among communities including the Massachusett, Pawtucket, Wampanoag and Nipmuc peoples. The Emerald Necklace Conservancy acknowledges the Greater Boston region as their unceded ancestral territories. This acknowledgement is a starting point toward right relations with Indigenous neighbors and their understandings of land stewardship.

People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Subscribe for Necklace news, community events, and to enliven the parks.

Get Necklace News

Shattuck Visitor Center

125 the Fenway
Boston, MA 02115

Year-Round

Mon-Fri 9:30am – 5pm

May-October

Sat-Sun 10am – 4pm

Learn More

Mailing address

350 Jamaicaway
Boston, MA 02130

+1 (617) 522–2700

The Emerald Necklace Conservancy is a not-for-profit organization and is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 04-3414988.

Donate

FAQ

Partners + Volunteers

Career

Publications

Contact Us