Lynn Anderson Rose Garden Opens In Nashville

The late Lynn Anderson, known for her signature 1970 song “Rose Garden,” was honored with the unveiling of the Lynn Anderson Rose Garden at Nashville’s Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home and Memorial Park on Friday (June 15), Lynn Anderson Day in the state of Tennessee.

This garden at Lynn Anderson’s final resting place features 114 Lynn Anderson Hybrid Tea Roses and is open to the public every day from sunrise to sunset. Anderson died in 2015.

In a private ceremony attended by Country Music Hall of Fame Member Brenda Lee, Lynn Anderson’s daughters Lisa Sutton and Melissa Hempel and her father Casey Anderson were joined by representatives from the American Rose Society, Weeks Roses and Woodlawn’s executive team for a standing room only dedication and ribbon cutting.

Lynn’s daughter Lisa Sutton, Woodlawn’s Jeff Duffer & Lynn’s daughter Melissa Hempel. Photo: Randy Dorman

In a two-year initiative that was led by the Weeks Roses horticultural team, the Lynn Anderson Tea Rose was re-grown for a limited run for family and friends and to create this impressive collection of the singer’s namesake rose in a memorial that will pay tribute to her songs and to roses for years to come. Lynn’s daughter Lisa Sutton spearheaded the effort to create the garden in 2016 and once they broke ground on May 2, 2018 the build out only took just a little over a month.

“We are honored to unveil a permanent memorial to mom here in Nashville at Woodlawn,” says Sutton. “The beauty of this project is that we also brought back the rose, which has been out of commission for almost two decades. Rose Garden changed my mom’s life and it also changed the face and sound of country music. We are happy to share these 114 Lynn Anderson Hybrid Tea Roses, the largest collection ever of the rose, with the community.

Front Row (L-R): American Rose Society Presidential Candidate Chris VanCleve, Weeks Roses David Johnson & Lynn Anderson’s father Casey Anderson. Middle Row (L-R) American Rose Society Former President Marilyn Wellan, American Rose Society’s Laura Seabaugh, Lynn Anderson’ daughter Melissa Hempel. Back Row (L-R) Lynn Anderson’s daughter Lisa Sutton andWoodlawn’s Jeffrey Duffer. Photo: Randy Dorman