By: Richard Stevens
The 90-acre Walnut Hill Park (located in New Britain, Connecticut) was created by the famous landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted shortly after the Civil War (see above). The Park is listed on the ‘National Register of Historic Places’. There is a scenic, 0.9-mile walking trail at the Park’s base that takes approximately twenty minutes to complete. There also are tennis courts, pickleball courts, a baseball park, and an amphitheater. However, the site is most famous for its spectacular elliptical Rose Garden at the top of the Park’s central hill with its fountain and 90-foot-tall limestone obelisk. The latter memorial was crafted in 1930 by the renowned architect H. van Buren McGonigle to honor the city’s 123 residents who died in World War I.
In 2010, >200 volunteers planted >800 rose bushes there. Seventy-five different types of roses (only some of which are shown here) were selected to represent the city’s diversity. The theme of the newly created Rose Garden was ‘New Britain Comes Together’.
Michelle Malinowski designed the Garden’s layout. Details concerning the types of roses in the Garden and their arrangements are available for those interested in more information (see https://www.friendsoftherosegarden.com/garden-details/).
The Garden’s roses began to bloom on Memorial Day, which is fitting for the Park’s honoring of those who died in WWI. The Roses are now at their peak.
I’ve visited >50 countries and have lived in London, UK, for two years and Sydney, Australia, for three years. In all of my travels, there is no Rose Garden that outshines the one in New Britain. I, therefore, encourage those who appreciate nature’s beauty to visit this unique Park that’s free to the public. Bring your camera and sit on one of its numerous granite benches to view and smell the beauty around you. It’s a perfect place to meditate.
I congratulate the city’s Park and Recreation Department and the Park’s many volunteers for maintaining this special place.
Considering the current polarized political situation in the United States, maybe it’s time to create similar ‘Coming-together Rose Gardens’ throughout the country to acknowledge that our unique diversity at so many different levels is what makes the United States the greatest country in the world.
The ‘New Britain Rose Garden Festival’ will be held at Walnut Hill Park on June 15, 2024, from 5:00 to 10:00 pm to celebrate the beginning of summer. The event features food and music.
Finally, the Park’s ‘Summer Music Series’ offers free performances on Monday and Wednesday evenings from July 1 to August 28, 2024. The performances are from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. See the city’s website for more information (https://visitnbct.com/events/).
