Near Valparaiso in Porter County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Karl Bapst Memorial Rose Garden
Photographed by Daniel Barriball, February 21, 2026
1. Karl Bapst Memorial Rose Garden Marker
"Stop and smell the roses and don't sweat the small stuff" - Karl Bapst
Karl Bapst "Rosenut" was a master rosarian, advanced master gardener, Duneland Rose Society member, master composter, and Taltree volunteer. He had a collection of over 500 roses at his home and made an impact nationwide through his Web site and online rose forums. In 2002, a major stroke left Karl paralyzed on his left side. He adopted the philosophy, "I think maybe it's time to stop and smell the roses before I'm pushing them up". With his spirit intact, he continued to be a leader in the rose community and designed his own special tools, strapped a bucket onto his scooter and continued to grow his roses while sharing his passion.
When he wasn't busy taking care of his roses, Karl was going to rose shows, training others how to grow roses and debunking the myth that roses are hard to grow. Attitude is everything and Karl rose to the challenge, sharing his knowledge and love of roses with anyone who would listen. Karl passed away in 2014 and donated all of his remaining roses to Taltree Arboretum & Gardens. Karl will be missed and with the gracious help of donors, his unflappable love of roses can be captured in his garden here at Taltree.
Erected by Taltree Arboretum
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Horticulture & Forestry • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 2002.
Location. 41° 26.634′ N, 87° 9.2′ W. Marker is near Valparaiso, Indiana, in Porter County. It can be reached from W 100 N west of Summerhill Drive, on the right when traveling east. This marker is located in Gabis Arboretum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 450 W 100 N, Valparaiso IN 46385, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Northern Indiana. It is also in the American Midwest, on the Great Lakes, and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Joseph E. Meyer Memorial Pavilion (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Prairie (approx. 0.2 miles away); Coal Mine (approx. 0.2 miles away); Building the Railroad (approx. 0.2 miles away); Civil War (approx. 0.2 miles away); Lincoln's Funeral Train (approx. 0.2 miles away); Logging (approx. Ό mile away); A Changing Land (approx. Ό mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Valparaiso.
More about this marker. Taltree Arboretum was renamed Gabis Arboretum after it was acquired by Purdue University Northwest in 2018.
Also see . . . Karl Bapst (aka The Rosenut). HelpMeFind.com Contains information on plants that
Photographed by Daniel Barriball, February 21, 2026
2. Karl Bapst Memorial Rose Garden Marker in context
Karl Bapst (aka The Rosenut) grows over 400 roses in his garden in Indiana (USDA Zone 5). Karl is an American Rose Society Master Rosarian and Purdue Master Gardener.(Submitted on February 23, 2026, by Daniel Barriball of Chesterton, Indiana.)
He custom roots and sells cuttings of the hardy roses he grows.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 26, 2026. It was originally submitted on February 22, 2026, by Daniel Barriball of Chesterton, Indiana. This page has been viewed 44 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 22, 2026, by Daniel Barriball of Chesterton, Indiana. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
