On January 14, 2007, Moore celebrated his 100th birthday at the Visalia Convention Center. He received awards from the Royal Rose Society and the American Rose Society. He was also presented with a flag that was raised in his honor at the U.S. Capitol on January 8, 2007. On September 14, 2009, Ralph Moore died of old age in Visalia at the age of 102.
On April 30, 2008, his retail rose business, Sequoia Nursery, closed. Moore donated his plants and seeds, as well as 80 rose patents, to the Department of Horticultural Science at Texas A&M University. In his honor, a metal sculpture of roses climbing an arbor has been installed near the Horticultural and Forest Science Building. Some of his most popular miniatures were sent to a rose collection maintained by the University of California, Davis. Burling Leone, of her nursery south of Farmersville, owns many of the original rootstocks and can source new stock as needed.
The Ralph Moore Memorial Rose Garden was established in 2003 and dedicated to Ralph Moore on May 29, 2003. The garden features more than 300 varieties of his roses, including climbing roses, shrub roses, shrubs and climbing roses. When you come to the rose garden, take your time to smell the roses and note their names.
Since he was the one who developed the roses, he had the privilege of naming them. They are named after his wife, daughter, friends and people he admires. “Anne Moore”, named after his wife, is one of his award-winning roses.
Rose lovers around the world know the name and work of Ralph Moore. To rose lovers, Ralph Moore is the man who put Visalia on the map. We Viselians are honoring his work by creating this garden. Norm Phillips, a local teacher and Master Gardener, played a key role in creating this garden in Visalia. The garden is managed by the City of Visalia Parks and Recreation Department and the Tulare/Kings County Master Gardeners. As Master Gardeners, we use the garden to learn, demonstrate, and share our gardening knowledge with the public.
