HARTFORD

Behind the 1782 period home you will find restored Victorian era ornamental gardens, first designed in 1865.

The Center offers educational exhibits for kids, including over 165 hands-on activities. Also on-site are a state of the art 3D digital theatre and changing daily programs and events. See the new Butterfly Encounter and visit the rooftop garden, a portion of which was donated by the FGCCT.

Elizabeth Park is the oldest municipal rose garden in the US, with over 100 acres of park land which includes 15000 plants, 800 varieties and a 2.5 acre rose garden. In addition to its heritage rose garden, an annual garden, perennial garden, rock garden, iris garden, herb garden as well as the University of St. Joseph Pharmacy garden accompany a large collection of trees and shrubs. The Garden is open dawn to dusk 365 days per year and is free and open to the public. The Friends of Elizabeth Park help maintain this park.

An enthusiastic flower gardener, Harriet Beecher Stowe planted material typical of the Victorian era. Eight gardens highlight a variety of plantings including woodland and wildflower gardens, an antique rose garden and a Victorian texture garden. The property is also home to the state’s largest magnolia tree and grafts from a pink dogwood tree believed to have been planted during Stowe’s gardening days.