"Lawrence Lloyd Elder (1896-1964) was a valued employee of the City of Lynchburg for over 34 years. His special domain was gardening and his responsibility the greenhouses in Miller Park where the city's flowers were raised for use in the parks. Later he was assigned the care of nearby municipal properties, including Monument Terrace, the Court House, the Post Office and the roses in the Confederate Cemetery.
In the adjoining remote area he also tended his personal garden of roses, which brought much pleasure to the many city employees in the area.
In 1986, twenty-two years after Mr. Elder's death, the Blue Ridge Rose Society, in cooperation with the City of Lynchburg, undertook the revitalization of the garden as a Bicentennial project. The garden now serves as a repository of old Lynchburg roses, all of which are known to have been grown and loved by the Lynchburg during its 200 year history."
The concept of rejuvenating Mr. Elder's Garden began with Carl Cato of Lynchburg, rose devotee and a founder of the National Heritage Roses Group. Many of the roses came from across the United States and Canada; others were rescued from neglect or oblivion in forgotten corners of neighborhoods in older parts of Lynchburg and transplanted to Mr. Elder's Garden. Members of the Blue Ridge Rose Society maintain the roses in the garden, adding and replacing roses as needed.
In 1989, the Lynchburg Woman's Club funded the azalea, dogwood, holly and magnolia planting along the retaining wall, enhancing the garden setting.
City employees as well as rose enthusiast from across the United States have discovered the beauty, tranquillity and originality of this unique public garden.
The following is a list of roses growing in Mr. Elder's Garden. Enjoy.
1918 Mermaid Hybrid Bracteata 1946 Climbing Crimson Glory Climbing Hybrid Tea 1824 Lady Banks Rose (R. banksiae lutea) Species before 1569 R. moschata plena Species unknown June Hackett Tea (study name) Hybrid Tea 1907 Mrs. Dudley Cross Hybrid Tea before 1551 Sweet Brier Rose Species 1881 Etoile de Lyon Tea 1936 Pink Summer Snow Climbing Floribunda 1869 Paul Neyron Hybrid Perpetual 1930 New Dawn Large Climber 1884 Perle d'Or Polyantha 1976 America Large Climber 1842 La Reine Hybrid Perpetual unknown Red Fountain 1909 Variegata de Bologna Bourbon(sport) 1957 Climbing Queen Elizabeth Climbing Grandiflora before 1750 Celsiana Damask 1899 R. hugonis Species 1901 Frau Karl Druschki Hybrid Perpetual 1843 Souvenir de la Malmaison Bourbon 1842 Marquie Bocella Hybrid Perpetual 1932 Blaze Large Climber 1853 General Jacqueminot Hybrid perpetual unknown Radiance Hybrid Tea 1840 Hermosa China 1950 Climbing Peace Climbing Hybrid Tea 1901 Roseraie de L'Hay Rugosa Hybrid 1982 Fair Bianca English (Austin) 1894 Belle Poitevine Rugosa Hybrid 1696 Old Pink Moss (R. centifolia muscosa) Moss 1881 Cecile Brunner Polyantha before 1848 Bella Donna Damask 1958 Don Juan Large Climber 1835 Mme Plantier Hybrid alba 1951 Blossomtime Large Climber unknown Mary Wallace LCL 1842 Baronne Prevost Hybrid perpetual 1910 Aviateur Bleriot Rambler 1910 Dr. W. Van Fleet LCL 1935 Betty Prior Floribunda 1927 Spanish Beauty Large Flowering Climber before 1814 Chestnut Rose(R. roxburghii plena) Species
For more information or directions, please e-mail me
or phone Lynchburg's Visitor center at 1-800-732-5821
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Revised 6/6/97