Honor in bloom: Mount Soledad veterans memorial in La Jolla gets new rose garden
As the Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial continues to grow, a new partnership is bringing added color and vibrancy to the La Jolla overlook.
With funding from The Village Garden Club of La Jolla and guidance from the San Diego Rose Society, the Mount Soledad Memorial Association recently planted a rose garden spread across the property and dedicated during a small ceremony May 16.
Association Executive Director Neil O’Connell said the idea for a rose garden came when docent Al Vandendriesse introduced O’Connell to Vandendriesse’s wife, Susan, a member of The Village Garden Club.
“We were undergoing a total site enhancement in 2022 to add five new walls” to honor more veterans, O’Connell said. “With the wall extension, we added a landscape enhancement project. The conversation [with Susan] about adding a garden started and just grew and grew.”
The plantings replace patches of natal plum and bramble next to the walls that contain more than 6,600 plaques honoring living and deceased veterans as far back as the Civil War.
“When we put in the natal plum bushes back in 2002, they looked fantastic, but over the years they got huge,” O’Connell said. “At one point, they got so big you couldn’t see the first row of plaques. We decided to start from scratch.”
Enter Susan Vandendriesse, who said she was inspired by a recent visit to the Richard Nixon Library & Museum in Yorba Linda in Orange County.
“I noticed they had a rose garden, and I had no idea there were a whole category of roses that were patriotic in name … and that all the first ladies have roses named for them,” she said. “That was my inspiration. I thought as long as [the Mount Soledad Memorial Association was] in the middle of a renovation, to add a rose garden.”
The new garden consists of red “Veterans Honor” roses and white “Honor” roses.
“I did not know a lot about roses, but I love the vibrant color, the red and white theme,” Vandendriesse said. “It goes with the other landscaping here. The fragrance is fantastic. I’m pleased with the way it turned out.”
Radioman Walter Mintus, who was shot down in the Pacific during World War II and his remains weren’t found until 2016, will be recognized with a plaque on Mount Soledad on Memorial Day.
San Diego Rose Society consulting rosarian Christine Allen said a lot of thought went into the roses’ selection.
“There are over 3,000 roses,” she said. “In recognition of this memorial, we decided to go with patriotic colors and names. They both do well on the coast; that was something we had to consider.”
A temporary sign is onsite while a more permanent one is being made. It reads, “This memorial rose garden is dedicated with appreciation to the brave men and women recognized on these walls for their service to our nation.”
Vandendriesse said she was especially pleased to have the roses in place by Memorial Day.
“We’re always amazed at how many people come to this site from all over the world,” she said. “It’s not just a community project; it has a much broader audience. That’s the piece that moved me the most.”
The Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial is at 6905 La Jolla Scenic Drive South and is open to the public from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Learn more at soledadmemorial.org. ◆
Get the La Jolla Light weekly in your inbox
News, features and sports about La Jolla, every Thursday for free
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the La Jolla Light.
Become a press patron
At a time when local news is more important than ever, support from our readers is essential. If you are able to, please support the La Jolla Light today.
