Last summer, I photographed perhaps the most lush and species-rich gardens I've ever experienced. Wave Hill is a 28-acre public garden and cultural center perched in the Bronx overlooking the Hudson River, just north of Manhattan.
I visited on a sunny mid-August day when summer was just showing signs of age. Bees feasted on allium, Golden Lace, and other plants and flowers. Winding dirt and stone-paved paths led past wooden benches and a roof-clad gazebo.
The plantings seemed endlessly varied, and yellow lilies were among the flowers and plants floating peacefully on a pond in the Aquatic Garden. Nearby, a topiary shared a bed with tropical and shade-loving plants, while American elm and weeping conifers offered a retreat from the sun. The flowerbeds were dressed up in Helenium, Black-Eyed Susan, orange daylily, zinnia, and Garden Phlox, creating a burst of vivid late-summer colors. Visitors were also treated to unusual specimens, Easter Lily Cactus, Castor Bean, Campfire Coleus, and White Queen Caladium.
A flora-covered pergola looked out onto the Hudson, and the rocky Palisades cliffs rose dramatically across the water. The property was anchored by two large homes, Glyndor House and Wave Hill House. The grounds also feature a greenhouse and Ecology Building, reflecting the garden's dedication to both cultivation and education.
When researching the estate's history, I discovered attorney William Lewis Morris built Wave Hill as a private retreat in 1843. Through subsequent decades, it passed to several other owners, and guests included Mark Twain and a young Theodore Roosevelt. In 1960, the Perkins-Freeman family donated the property to New York City, and it was formally established as a nonprofit cultural center in 1965.
