Discover Wave Hill, New York City’s Enchanting Garden Escape Worth the Detour
You can take the girl out of the Bronx, but you can’t take the Bronx out of the girl. Within a few minutes, strangers guess I’m from “New Yawk,” and, when asked for additional info, I proudly declare that the Bronx is my home borough, the only one located on the mainland.
It’s where you’ll find the love ‘em or hate ‘em New York Yankees, the “real” Little Italy, Arthur Avenue, and the New York Botanical Garden, a 250-acre National Historic Landmark, home to one million living plants. That’s million, with an “m.” It’s a must-see.
But, I’m suggesting that if you only have time to tour one Bronx garden, you head to the borough’s northern border to visit Wave Hill, a 28-acre wonderland overlooking the Hudson River. It’s worth a visit just to do a year’s worth of gift shopping at the garden store.
What You’ll Discover at Wave Hill
The intimate size of Wave Hill makes it ideal for day visitors. It’s especially engaging for home gardeners. You leave inspired with a can-do attitude. Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ thrives in Wave Hill’s shade border; under similar conditions, I should be able to grow it too, since I share the garden’s USDA climate zone.
I go multiple times throughout the year to see the highlights. The garden makes it easy for you, providing revised seasonal copies of the campus map.
Wave Hill is comprised of the following garden spaces:
- The Pergola
- Flower Garden
- Herb and Dry Gardens
- T.H. Everett Alpine House
- Wild Garden
- Marco Polo Stufano Conservatory
- Paisley Bed
- Herbert & Hyonja Abrons Woodland
- Kate French Terrace
- Aquatic & Monocot Gardens
Pro Tip: The Conservatory closes daily between 12 and 1 pm. Plan your visit accordingly.
Two Houses, One Garden
Most historic estate gardens feature one mansion. Wave Hill has two. George W. Perkins, a successful financier, acquired the estate in 1903. He and his family resided in Glyndor, the home on the south end of the property, and rented Wave Hill to a series of notables including Mark Twain, conductor Arturo Toscanini and a young Theodore Roosevelt.
Perkins was later appointed to serve as the first President of the Palisades Interstate Parks Commission by President Teddy Roosevelt. Under Perkins, the Commission successfully blocked quarrying of the New Jersey Palisades, preserving the view that Wave Hill visitors can enjoy today.
Wave Hill Highlights
After checking in at the Visitor’s Center, take the right-hand path, purposefully designed to veil the garden from view. A short walk leads to one of Wave Hill’s major moments.
The Pergola
The Pergola, erected to support a grand wisteria, frames the New Jersey Palisades and Hudson River. It’s a view that wows year-round. I watched a young dancer pirouette and plié her way across the lawn in front of The Pergola. It was a lovely sight on a glorious spring day.
Pro Tip: Although the lawn feels perfect for picnics and frisbee, dining is restricted to certain areas of the property and toys should be left at home to protect the plants.
Paisley Bed, Flower Garden and Marco Polo Stufano Conservatory
This trio of garden spaces is the heart of Wave Hill. Enter the traditional English cottage garden, framed by a timbered cedar fence, crafted by Walpole Outdoors. It probably costs more than my home.
The Marco Polo Stufano Conservatory is named after Wave Hill’s founding Director of Horticulture. The petite glasshouse features three garden rooms: The Palm House, Tropical House and Cactus and Succulent House. I adore the look of burgundy Aeoniums like ‘Black Rose’ but have had no luck growing them as a houseplant. After seeing Wave Hill’s collection, I might give them another try.
Exiting the Conservatory, take a moment to appreciate the teardrop-shaped Paisley Bed. It’s refreshed frequently with seasonally appropriate bedding plants. Tulips reigned during my April visit.
T.H. Everett Alpine House
Small alpine plants are having a resurgence thanks to the growing popularity of fairy gardens and terrariums. Wave Hill’s collection is displayed in the T.H. Everett Alpine House. You don’t enter the building. Instead, you walk by a series of windows, pausing to admire these tiny but tough garden delights.
The Wild Garden
It looks effortless, but three gardeners were tackling Wave Hill’s Wild Garden during my visit, striving to keep the native species looking their best. A gravel path winds through the gently terraced beds and leads to another of the garden’s shaded overlooks.
Beyond the Plants
Guests who pack their own food can eat at one of the two picnic area on property. The Café, located in Wave Hill House, features a variety of sandwiches, salads and bowls. Order at the counter, take a number and take a table inside or on the Kate French Terrace.
Bring your shopping list to Wave Hill and prepare to drop some bucks. You can go small and purchase a few packets of seeds or some pretty propagating glasses or scalloped terracotta planters. Or go big with a botanically-inspired statement necklace or one of the $500 Wave Hill chairs, a 1918 design by Dutch architect Gerrit Rietveld.
Pro Tip: Consider membership for Café, gift shop and parking discounts plus year-round free admission. Wave Hill members enjoy reciprocal privileges at over 400 participating American Horticultural Society gardens.
Getting Here
Wave Hill is located in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, near the Yonkers border. Visitors arriving by car can park, for a fee, in the garden lot. Several public transportation options are available including subway and several bus routes. You can also take the Metro-North Hudson Line train from Grand Central Station to Riverdale.
The garden operates a complimentary shuttle service Thursday – Sunday from several locations.
Wave Hill is open year-round, Tuesday-Sunday from 10 am – 5:30 pm. Guided garden walks are conducted on Sundays at 1 pm.
Pro Tip: The paid parking lot is tiny. Consider free parking at Riverdale Park and take the garden shuttle.