SAN JOSE, Calif. (KCBS)_ The story began in 2005 when city gardeners were cut back and San Jose’s Municipal Rose Garden was placed on probation by an association of rose growers due to lack of maintenance.
That’s when a volunteer effort was launched.
City gardener James Ballejo found out the garden is being re-named “America’s Best Rose Garden” by the same group that put it on probation.
“It was a huge partnership with the city and volunteers trying to get this place turned around,” said Ballejo.
Fans of flowers from all over the world have started coming in to see it.
The volunteer program’s head, Miles Tobin, is impressed with how much of a draw the rose garden has become.
“Japan, Australia, we had a lady that came in from Morocco,” Tobin said.
Tobin hopes the program’s success can be repeated in other city departments where employees are being laid off.
The park has about 4,000 rose bushes with over 320 varieties.
