Elizabeth Park LbNA #5940
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Jun 21, 2002 |
| Location: | |
| City: | West Hartford |
| County: | Hartford |
| State: | Connecticut |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Planted by: | rtrw  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | Wolfy |
| Last found: | Jun 24, 2005 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFFFFFaFFFa |
| Last edited: | Jun 21, 2002 |
***MIA*** 11/8/04
Let's be honest, it was a terrible location. The fact that it survived as long as it did is surprising. I may plant another box there at somepoint, but not quite yet. rtrw
The Bird Stamper (who knows many things), sweetly pointed out to me that although the rose garden is maintained by the city of Hartford, it actually lies on land belonging to West Hartford. So on October 5, 2003, I corrected the town. Sorry, people, not a new box, just a new town.
planted in the oldest municipally operated rose garden in the country
Distance - no clue, maybe ¼ mile
Time – maybe 20 minutes, more if you are stopping to smell the roses. OK, that was lame.
Difficulty - Easy, I think
Elizabeth Park is located at the corner of Prospect Avenue and Asylum Avenue on the Hartford / West Hartford line. Take exit 44 (Prospect Avenue) off I- 84 and head North on Prospect Avenue. The entrance
to the gardens is about 3/4 of a mile on your left. If you hit Asylum Avenue, turn left at that light and another entrance will be obvious on your left. Park near the Pond House Restaurant (or as close as you can) because this is where your search begins.
An historical note before we begin.
The area which is now known as Elizabeth Park was once owned by Charles H. Pond. Mr. Pond was
a wealthy industrialist and statesman whose career included the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, Hartford National Bank, and Treasurer of the State of Connecticut. When Mr. Pond passed away, he willed his estate to the City of Hartford with the stipulations that it be used as a horticultural park and that it be named for his wife, Elizabeth, who had died a few years earlier. In Mr. Pond's time, the Hartford/West Hartford border was located about a quarter mile west of where it is today. When the boundary was moved to its present location, it resulted in the unusual situation of one of Hartford's larger parks being situated mostly within the Town of West Hartford. Some 15,000 bushes are the center piece of Elizabeth Park and is known throughout the world. Today the park encompasses 102 acres and boasts many garden areas, pathways, greenhouses, lawns, a picnic grove, a pond and recreation areas. For more info before you head out, check out http://www.elizabethpark.org/
On to the clues.
Find the pond house. From the southwest side, follow either asphalt path past the “Sedna” sculpture. From one side I thought it looked a bit like a dolphin kissing it’s own tail, but the other side yielded a surprise. Apologies to the artist for the dolphin comment.
Stay on the path and cross the pretty stone bridge.
After the bridge you will find a small grouping of benches on the left. Take the asphalt path to the right over the more rugged rock bridge. This will be your first opportunity to turn right on asphalt.
Continue on until you reach the clearing. Go to the arborish gazebo. Don’t worry, you’ll see it no matter what season you visit the park. Go to the middle. For those etymologists out there, I made up the word arborish.
With your back to the center pole head off at 110 degrees for 44 paces. For me a pace is made up of two steps, one with each foot.
When you reach the red path, stop there for a change of direction. Head 20 paces at 70 degrees to the thin red tree.
Please be careful here. This last step needs to be executed carefully so as to not trample vegetation. Go 4 paces at 180 degrees to a really tall tree. Be careful, as there is a little bit of Poison ivy on the front. Your prize is tucked away at the back.
This is a terrific park, so enjoy some of the other gardens before you head out.
Let's be honest, it was a terrible location. The fact that it survived as long as it did is surprising. I may plant another box there at somepoint, but not quite yet. rtrw
The Bird Stamper (who knows many things), sweetly pointed out to me that although the rose garden is maintained by the city of Hartford, it actually lies on land belonging to West Hartford. So on October 5, 2003, I corrected the town. Sorry, people, not a new box, just a new town.
planted in the oldest municipally operated rose garden in the country
Distance - no clue, maybe ¼ mile
Time – maybe 20 minutes, more if you are stopping to smell the roses. OK, that was lame.
Difficulty - Easy, I think
Elizabeth Park is located at the corner of Prospect Avenue and Asylum Avenue on the Hartford / West Hartford line. Take exit 44 (Prospect Avenue) off I- 84 and head North on Prospect Avenue. The entrance
to the gardens is about 3/4 of a mile on your left. If you hit Asylum Avenue, turn left at that light and another entrance will be obvious on your left. Park near the Pond House Restaurant (or as close as you can) because this is where your search begins.
An historical note before we begin.
The area which is now known as Elizabeth Park was once owned by Charles H. Pond. Mr. Pond was
a wealthy industrialist and statesman whose career included the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, Hartford National Bank, and Treasurer of the State of Connecticut. When Mr. Pond passed away, he willed his estate to the City of Hartford with the stipulations that it be used as a horticultural park and that it be named for his wife, Elizabeth, who had died a few years earlier. In Mr. Pond's time, the Hartford/West Hartford border was located about a quarter mile west of where it is today. When the boundary was moved to its present location, it resulted in the unusual situation of one of Hartford's larger parks being situated mostly within the Town of West Hartford. Some 15,000 bushes are the center piece of Elizabeth Park and is known throughout the world. Today the park encompasses 102 acres and boasts many garden areas, pathways, greenhouses, lawns, a picnic grove, a pond and recreation areas. For more info before you head out, check out http://www.elizabethpark.org/
On to the clues.
Find the pond house. From the southwest side, follow either asphalt path past the “Sedna” sculpture. From one side I thought it looked a bit like a dolphin kissing it’s own tail, but the other side yielded a surprise. Apologies to the artist for the dolphin comment.
Stay on the path and cross the pretty stone bridge.
After the bridge you will find a small grouping of benches on the left. Take the asphalt path to the right over the more rugged rock bridge. This will be your first opportunity to turn right on asphalt.
Continue on until you reach the clearing. Go to the arborish gazebo. Don’t worry, you’ll see it no matter what season you visit the park. Go to the middle. For those etymologists out there, I made up the word arborish.
With your back to the center pole head off at 110 degrees for 44 paces. For me a pace is made up of two steps, one with each foot.
When you reach the red path, stop there for a change of direction. Head 20 paces at 70 degrees to the thin red tree.
Please be careful here. This last step needs to be executed carefully so as to not trample vegetation. Go 4 paces at 180 degrees to a really tall tree. Be careful, as there is a little bit of Poison ivy on the front. Your prize is tucked away at the back.
This is a terrific park, so enjoy some of the other gardens before you head out.