A walk in a Garden - The Gardens At Wyckoff !

On the corner of Godwin Avenue and Crescent Avenue, Wyckoff, NJ is a very quiet and very beautiful place known as the Wyckoff Gardens.

If you have never been there you do need to visit.

 Now not being a “park person” I have to say that the Wyckoff Gardens is one of the most beautiful places in Town. The new Rose Garden will totally astound you. The ponds, the wildlife, and just the peace of Nature is felt all about you.

The Gardens grew up from the donation of the property by the Brackett Family to Wyckoff. It was  very kind on their part and the Township has created a place of peace there.

I did a bit of walking around while a very courteous young man from the Wyckoff DPW was cutting the grass. A special note here, The Wyckoff DPW, in conjunction with many volunteers maintain the Gardens. The DPW, alone, has done some major work there and it is stupendious. We should be thankful the Town has such dedicated and creative people working there.

Back to the narrative. I took a short stroll over to the pond. A very maintain path leads you over a small bridge with the pond starting you your right. As soon as I stepped onto the bridge I was “attacked” by a frog who immedialty was in the water looking back at me for disturbing his breakfast I suppose. You do not think of these things, much, in our busy days, but there he was. Walking on a bit further you come to an area bounded by the balance of the pond. Off to one side you will find nesting boxes which I believe are for wood ducks as they are above the water line and rectangles. In the pond were two pairs of swans just going about there day. And it was QUIET. I should have brought a bottle of water and a book. I could have spent hours there just reading and relaxing. But my sojourn was in some hsaste thus I left this quiet retreat and walked back to the Rose Garden.

When you walk to the gates, you are free to enter. When I first approached them I was unsure thiking that there might be set times, however the young man I met told me no, I was free to walked about all I wished. Just, please, close the gate behind you. Thus began a small adventure in the hear of Wyckoff.

As you walked the path you are brought around group after group of well maintain, no, cared for, plantings. Further up towards Crescent Avenue You begin to approach the roses You start out with a brief sent in the air and some very handsome flowers. As you go deeper you are surrounding by so many rose varities I lost count. All the plantings are well placed and expose you to each flower. You cannot be anything but astounded by the riot of colors, shapes and sizes. The colors alone are wonderful to see.

Another great feature is a central “courtyard” with portcullis above. ( a note again – I am not conversant in the ways of park design thus proper names might be in error ).  Again surrounded by the roses. Here you have many sitting areas, benches and chairs. Again, on both sides of a broad walkway you are embraced by more very well placed gardens.

I know I shall be spending many hours reading in this oasis within the Town. Why not join me ?

As the unofficial booster of Wyckoff I urge all of my neighbors to visit The Gardens at Wyckoff. You will be very surprised and very happy you did. And please bring the “kids”. It is a great place for them to see so many varities of plants, flowers and creatures of the ponds. When my grandson was small I know I would have brought him here. He would have loved it. I know he would have explored everything, as young children often do. I am sure your own children and grand children will have a grand time visiting the Gardens.

And we do owe a debt to our Township Committee, the DPW, the Parks and Recreation Department, most likely the Shade Tree Commission and all the great volunteers who created and maintain Wyckoff’s own Rose Garden. I will bet we can rival the White House now. On another note, the costs are minimal and the maintenance outstanding.

And one final word. Please carry out what you bring in. We must all work to keep our recreation and parks areas clean for all our neighbors and visitors.