Visitors who come to Texas expecting to see only oil wells and cactus are amazed by the flourishing beauty of East Texas. What seems even more surprising to the Old West ideal are the famous Tyler Roses. Approximately one-fifth of all commercial rose bushes produced in the United States are grown in Smith County, while over one-half of the nation's rose bushes are packaged and shipped from this area.

This burgeoning industry, which began at the turn of the century, has established Tyler as the "Rose Capital of the Nation." It is only fitting that the "City of Roses" is home to the nation's largest Municipal Rose Garden. From late April until frost, the Tyler Municipal Rose Garden blooms with nearly 40,000 rose bushes exhibiting approximately 500 varieties of roses. Over 100,000 people from around the world visit the Rose Garden annually.