A rose garden with a history

The roses here go back to the founding of New Delhi itself. After the British shifted the capital from Calcutta in 1911, the Viceroy's House—today the Rashtrapati Bhavan—rose on Raisina Hill, and its gardens were designed by architect Edwin Lutyens working with William R. Mustoe, Delhi's Superintendent of Horticulture Operations. Lutyens fused the geometric water channels of the Mughal charbagh with the soft, seasonal flowerbeds of an English garden; roses were Mustoe's speciality, and he introduced hundreds of hybrid varieties drawn from around the world.↗↗

In 1931 the horticulturist Lady Beatrix Stanley famously wrote that she had not seen better roses in England. Later presidents kept adding to the collection, and today visitors can find well over a hundred named roses on the estate—from the dark 'Black Rose' Oklahoma and the blue-toned Blue Moon to the elusive green rose—many of them christened after famous people and places.↗

Walking the rose beds

The heart of the rose display is the Long Garden, a narrow allée the official estate describes as 'predominantly a rose garden' containing sixteen rose beds along some 430 feet of path. Enclosed by walls about twelve feet high—enough to earn it the nickname Purdha, or 'screened', garden—it links the Central Lawn to the Circular Garden. The beds carry heritage and modern roses such as Iceberg, Summer Snow, Oklahoma and Louisiana, margined with dahlias, marigold, salvia, gazania, oxalis, ranunculus and iris.↗

A red-sandstone pergola runs down the central pavement, garlanded with climbing roses, bougainvillea and grape vines, and flanked by rows of carved sandstone elephant trunks that nod to Indian architectural motifs. The enclosing walls themselves are dressed with flame vine, trumpet vine, jasmine and lassan bel, while China orange (kumquat) trees line the edges. With wind chimes, falling water from the nearby fountain and the scent of jasmine and roses, the Long Garden works as a true sensory space.↗

Just beyond, the Circular Garden—also called the Pearl or Sunken Garden—drops away amphitheatre-style around a central fountain and lotus pond ringed with marigolds. Visitors often note roses blooming in curved beds around the fountain here, making it a favourite spot to linger and photograph. Together the two gardens give the Rose Garden its signature look: formal geometry, water and an abundance of flowers.↗↗↗

More than roses

Because the Rose Garden sits within the larger 15-acre Amrit Udyan, your visit naturally becomes a longer stroll. The winter-blooming season brings tulips and bulbs such as daffodil, hyacinth and calla lily alongside the roses, and the estate's route passes the Central Lawn, Bonsai Garden, Herbal and Tactile Gardens, a children's Bal Vatika with a 225-year-old sheesham tree, and a meandering water feature called the Babbling Brook. Peacocks are known to appear along the nature trail, so keep a look out.↗↗↗

Planning your visit

The gardens open for public viewing for a limited window each spring, typically early February through late March, on all days except Mondays (a maintenance day) and certain holidays. The standard visiting hours are 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with last entry earlier in the afternoon; the estate now also opens for a shorter summer-annuals season. Dates shift a little year to year, so check the official booking portal before you go.↗↗↗↗

Entry is free, but a timed slot booked online at visit.rashtrapatibhavan.gov.in is required, and you should carry your digital visitor pass along with a government photo ID. Everyone enters and exits through Gate No. 35, where parking is available. By metro, Central Secretariat (Yellow and Violet lines) is about 2 km away, with shuttle buses running from the station to the gate during the season; Shivaji Stadium on the Airport Express line is another option. The estate provides drinking water, toilets, first-aid and wheelchairs.↗↗↗↗

Security rules are strict: mobile phones, wallets and small personal items are allowed, but eatables, tobacco, backpacks and professional cameras are not, and only visitors with infants may carry water or milk bottles. The entrance is wheelchair-accessible, with accessible parking.↗↗

Local tip

This is one of Delhi's most anticipated spring outings, so crowds can be heavy—especially on opening day and at weekends. To see the roses in relative calm, aim for a weekday morning slot early in the season, and pair your visit with the nearby landmarks on Raisina Hill, from India Gate and the National Museum to the bustle of Connaught Place.↗↗