Spring is only a few months away. When you’re ready to take a pleasant walk and get outdoors, enjoy the artistically vibrant colors of spring, spend a few hours at this breathtaking rock garden at Elizabeth Park in Hartford.

Located in Elizabeth Park since 1914, the Julian and Edith Eddy Rock Garden aka the Shade Garden attracts hundreds of visitors every year who enjoy its peaceful ambiance.

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This beautiful garden was originally designed under the Park Superintendent, George Parker, in 1911, and later fully refurbished in 2016. After showing signs of disrepair during the 1970s and 80s the Conservancy gardens were rearranged. During the following decades, stone walls, gravel pathways, and new plants were added.

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Part of the charm of the Shade Garden is the sunken setting as you descend down the stairs from the Perennial Garden through an entryway guarded by large Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar trees. You will feel like you have descended into your own personal oasis.

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Take time to stroll the garden or take a rest. Let your senses soak in the array of colors and quiet your mind. Enjoy the variety of ornamental grasses, shrubs, perennials, herbs, small evergreens, and deciduous trees.

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The garden is regularly maintained from Mid-March through September by contractors and volunteers. By summer, the rock garden has become a refuge to visitors who want a few hours to rest, read, or just meditate.

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Elizabeth Park is a nature photographer’s paradise. No filters needed!

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During your visit, enjoy hundreds of acres of wildflower trails, visit America’s oldest rose garden, featuring 800 varieties of roses, have a picnic by the pond, or stop in at Pond House Cafe

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Visit the Shade Garden at Elizabeth Park 365 days a year. Admission is Free.  Visit here for park rules and regulations.  Elizabeth Park Conservancy is located at 1561 Asylum Avenue, West Hartford, CT

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Address: Elizabeth Park Conservancy, 1561 Asylum Ave, West Hartford, CT 06117, USA