Leif Erickson Park Roses Get Ready For The Winter Months

DULUTH, Minn. — One of Duluth’s most popular destinations is preparing for the cold months ahead.

The City of Duluth and Lake Superior Rose Society hosts the annual Tipping of the Roses events. Roses in the Rose Garden at Leif Erikson Park go through the process to protect roses for winter.

That involves cutting the flowers down, tying them up, tipping them below the soil, giving them about 2 inches of soil on top, and finally topping them with bagged leaves.

“Up here the northern climates we need to do some winter protection on them. And so, it is important to the bloom. Every season that we have here we have to protect them in order to see that. You know the results are the blooms every summer here at the Rose Garden,” said Robert Dunsmore, City of Duluth Park Maintenance Lead Worker.

There are about 1,800 to 2,000 roses preserved this year. The Parks Department is asking the public to donate bagged leaves to finish the process.