Rose and Jasmine Garden, Islamabad's best-known flower garden, is in Shakarparian, just off the Kashmir Highway near the Sports Complex at Aabpara and the Pakistan-China Friendship Centre. It holds roughly 250 varieties of roses and about 150 kinds of jasmine across a garden of just over 20 hectares. It was established in 1948, a year after Pakistan's founding, as the Government Rose Garden, and it is best known today for its annual spring flower show, run jointly by the Capital Development Authority and the National Horticultural Society of Pakistan.
This guide covers when the garden is at its best, what the flower show involves, and how to combine a visit with nearby Shakarparian.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Location | Shakarparian, off Kashmir Highway, near Aabpara Sports Complex and the Pakistan-China Friendship Centre |
| Established | 1948, originally as the Government Rose Garden |
| Varieties | About 250 rose varieties and 150 jasmine varieties |
| Best months | Late March through April for peak bloom; the garden is open year-round |
| Annual event | A spring flower show, usually in April; the 44th was held in April 2025 |
When to see it in bloom
The garden is at its fullest from late March into April, when the roses are at their peak, with a second, gentler flush of colour continuing into May and June as early summer flowers take over from the roses. Outside these months the garden is still open and pleasant to walk through, with its lawns, walking and cycling tracks and picnic spots, but it is a different, quieter place without the spring colour.
Mornings and early evenings are the best times to visit even in peak season, both for softer light and cooler temperatures, and to avoid the busiest midday hours when the garden draws the most visitors.
The spring flower show
Once a year, usually in April, the garden hosts a multi-day spring flower show (the 44th edition ran in April 2025) organised jointly by the CDA and the National Horticultural Society of Pakistan, with past editions running for three days and drawing entries and displays well beyond the garden's permanent planting. The show has run for decades and has become something of a fixture on Islamabad's spring calendar, alongside similar displays elsewhere in the city.
Exact dates move from year to year depending on when the blooms peak and the organisers' own scheduling, so check with the CDA or local listings closer to the time rather than assuming a fixed date. If you are planning a spring trip to Islamabad around this event specifically, build in some flexibility rather than booking everything around a single presumed date.
What else is in the garden
Beyond the roses and jasmine, the garden has sitting areas, a walking and running track, a cycling track, a small café, and space set aside for picnics, which makes it a reasonable outing even outside the flowering season for families wanting green space within the city rather than a drive out to the hills.
Pairing it with Shakarparian
Rose and Jasmine Garden sits within the wider Shakarparian area, a hilltop park with its own viewpoints over Islamabad and Rawalpindi, and is an easy add-on to a visit there rather than a separate trip. Most people combine the two in a single outing: the garden for the flowers and quieter walking paths, Shakarparian's higher ground for the view. Our Shakarparian guide covers what else is on that hill, including its monuments and viewpoints.
Where is Rose and Jasmine Garden?
The garden is in the Shakarparian recreational area, on the Kashmir Highway side of the hill, close to the Sports Complex at Aabpara and the Pakistan-China Friendship Centre. It is a few minutes by car from Aabpara market and a short drive from most of central Islamabad. Search for "Rose and Jasmine Garden" in a map or ride-hailing app, since the garden shares the hill with Shakarparian, Lok Virsa and the Pakistan Monument and a general "Shakarparian" pin can put you on the wrong side of it. There is parking on site, though it fills up during the spring flower show, so arrive early on the show's busiest days if you want an easy space.
Is it worth visiting?
If your trip to Islamabad falls in late March or April, yes, and it is worth timing at least part of a day around it. Outside those months it is a pleasant but ordinary city garden, better treated as a stop alongside Shakarparian or F-9 Park than as a destination on its own. For families or couples wanting a gentler outing than the Margalla trails, it is a solid, low-effort option year-round, and a genuinely worthwhile one at the peak of spring.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Rose and Jasmine Garden in Islamabad?
Late March into April, when the roses are at their peak. A second, gentler bloom of early summer flowers follows into May and June.
When is the Islamabad spring flower show held?
Usually over three days in April, organised by the CDA and the National Horticultural Society of Pakistan, though exact dates vary from year to year, so check closer to the time.
Where is Rose and Jasmine Garden located in Islamabad?
In Shakarparian, off the Kashmir Highway, near the Sports Complex at Aabpara and the Pakistan-China Friendship Centre, a few minutes' drive from Aabpara market.
Is there an entry fee for Rose and Jasmine Garden?
The garden is a public city park and open year-round; check current signage or with the CDA for any charge, since this can change.
How many rose and jasmine varieties does the garden have?
Around 250 varieties of roses and about 150 varieties of jasmine, spread across a garden of just over 20 hectares.