The Veterans Memorial Rose Garden Story

By Jim Gatacre

The original Veterans Memorial Rose Garden was developed by the ‘San Clemente Military Council in 1950’ and a monument was placed by the American Legion Post 423. First Lady Pat Nixon, an avid gardener who loved growing roses, dedicated 3 Peace Rose bushes to the VMR Garden in 1970. The VMR Garden was removed when the park was renovated in the 80s, not sure of the date.

The Peace Roses were removed at that time and distributed around town, one at the city hall entrance, one on the golf course and one is at a past city council member‘s garden. I won’t go into how I felt about this, just say it motivated us to buy 3 more Peace Roses and plant them in the small garden area that was left to us. One day a few months ago I looked out my window and saw the roses had been pulled out. Lets say I got motivated again to plant 3 more Peace Rose bushes which is how this current renovation of the VMR Garden got started.

So, there has been 9 Peace Rose Bushes planted at 3 different times!

The first to get involved and give me the go-ahead replant the VMR Garden was Randy Little at the city Building Department. They have been great, removing debris, installing the irrigation and toping the garden with mulch. Members of the Historical Society, Garden Club & neighbors dug the holes for planting 8 of the roses bushes. Not sure of the date but I think you have photographs of them when they completed digging the holes. 2 feet wide by 2 feet deep. May 26th, the Garden Club, Historical Society members & neighbors planted the remaining 8 roses. Participating were: Laura Bard (Landscape Designer & San Clemente Garden Club member); Veteran, Donna Vidrine (San Clemente Garden Club & Kiwanis member); Veteran, Jim Proett (San Clemente Garden Club member), Veteran, Jim (Historical Society), Pat Gatacre, & Lisa Spinelli (Historical Society and San Clemente Garden Club member).

The Peace Rose was developed in France in 1939 by Rose Gardener Francis Melland. As the War advanced into France he was worried this rose would be destroyed. He made cuttings and smuggled them out of France. April 29, 1945 Rose growers gathered in Pasadena, at a ceremony to christen splendid rose. White Doves were set free to honor the occasion. The Rose was christened ‘Peace’ to commemorate the end of WWII. Later in 1945, a Peace Rose was handed to each of the 49 Delegates at the Inaugural meeting of the United Nations with a note that read; “We hope the Peace Rose will influence men’s thoughts for everlasting World peace.”

The selection of the roses was based on size for easy maintenance, color, fragrance, and expression, such as the rose ‘Because She Served’ developed by Heirloom Roses in conjunction with ‘Women’s Marine Association’ in Portland, OR. Each Rose has a Memorial Stake that gives the rose’s name & a memorial message such as ‘About Face’, “POW Prisoners of War – MIA Missing in Action – You Are Not Forgotten.” These will be placed on June 27th. Laura Bard remarked, “I hope this is the beginning of returning the Park to its original beauty.”