Willowbranch Rose Garden Park (.7 acre) is located at 2840 Park Street, in Riverside between Mallory St. and Azalea Terrace, across from Willowbranch Park.
In 1916, the site was part of the City’s initial purchase for the land to create Willowbranch Park. It remained part of the Park until 1955, when members of the Jacksonville Rose Society established the Variety Rose Garden on the site.
The Society and other volunteers (with the City’s help) maintained the roses for many years. However, eventually the garden deteriorated until in 1998 two teenage brothers, Adam and Joseph Bierce, took over restoration of the remaining garden. At the request of Riverside Avondale Preservation, the Park name was changed in 2002, and today it contains two rose beds with timber borders and a bench for relaxing.
In April 2016, one half of the park was designated for a community garden. It is the first of its kind in Jacksonville and today operates as a public-private partnership between the City of Jacksonville’s Parks and Recreational department and Riverside Avondale Preservation.
The Community Garden was designed by Dorina Bakari of The American Institute of Architects (AIA) as part of an Emerging Professionals Design Professionals (EDP) contest. Ms. Bakari’s serpentine design features a curving horizontal wall made of slatted wood that ranges in height along Park and Azalea street. The curves’ undulations create public seating, with benches constructed into both the interior and exterior curves. The Garden was built by a group of dedicated gardeners and residents who have volunteered thousands of hours towards making this amenity a reality. We thank them for their vision, dedication, and service to their community.
For more information, please follow this link: https://riversideavondale.org/community-garden/
