Roses (traditional flowering shrubs, used extensively in cemeteries) were planted along the main driveway, giving the site its name.

In 1961, the City of Belfast Crematorium, the first of its kind in Northern Ireland, opened its doors, with the first cremation taking place in July 1961.

The surface area has been estimated at a little less than 300 acres, which would make it the largest municipal cemetery in the United Kingdom.

The cemetery contains the remains of an ancient ráth or ringfort, which is believed to be from the Iron Age or early Christian period.

The site contains graves connected to the Troubles, including those of police and prison officers, soldiers and victims of the Abercorn Restaurant, Oxford Street and La Mon House Hotel bombings.