Extensive shade can be a challenge; the desire for shade can offset the gardener’s ability to showcase bright blooms. Azaleas and camellias, species native to Southeast Asia, were introduced into Houston gardens as early as the 1920’s, and have become enormously popular as well as successful transplants into this semi-tropical environment. These showy species prefer…

This bronze bust of Vicente Rocafuerte, an influential political leader in Ecuador, was created by Amadeus Palacio Collmann. Rocafuerte worked to free his country from Spain and later served as the governor of Guayas Province and the second president of Ecuador.

This elevated corner represents a glimpse of the past – the piney woods of east Texas. It was the presence of mature pine trees in this area along Brays Bayou that made it a logical choice for future parkland, culminating in George Hermann’s gift to the City of Houston in 1914. Seeds of the Loblolly…

The bronze bust was created in 1977 by C. Talacca. Bolivar, a military hero of South America, was part of the movement to liberate the continent from Spain. He served as president of Venezuela, Gran Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru. The statue was dedicated in 1978.

Formal rose beds have been a feature in Hermann Park since the earliest plans were made for the Houston Garden Center in the late 1930’s. These re-designed rose beds feature a broad range of antique roses: found garden roses, polyanthas, Chinas, Bourbons, teas, climbers, and roses which have received the coveted ‘Earth-kind’ designation. Earth-kind roses,…

The bronze bust of Scottish poet, Robert Burns, was created by Hungarian-American sculptor Ferenc Varga. It was placed in Hermann Park in 2002.

Ramon Castilla fought in the Spanish army against revolutionaries in Peru but later switched sides and fought for independence. He later served four terms as president of Peru. No artist is recorded.