Wickham Park

Wickham Park opened to the public in 1961, featuring a design by the Olmsted Associates, Inc. of Brookline, MA, which accentuates a breathtaking overlook of the Hartford city skyline and the surrounding Connecticut River Valley. As well as picnic, event, educational and recreational facilities, the park features themed gardens, such as an Oriental, Italian Shrine, Scottish, Irish, English, Log Cabin, Lotus Pond, Rhododendron, Native Wetland Walk and Sensory gardens. Located near the park entrance, the park’s Pinetum features nearly 100 conifer taxa from five continents in a systematic arrangement, with groupings of closely related genera. Elsewhere in the park, there are many rare exotic trees such as the Caucasian wingnut, Chihuahuan spruce, and Golden-larch, as well as impressively large, native oak trees, including White, Swamp white, Chestnut, Red, Pin, and Black oaks. Tree labels follow the original Olmsted Associates format, which includes common name, Latin (scientific) name, and native geographic range. The park strives to add new varieties to its collection each year. Guided Tree Tours are offered each spring and a self-guided Tree Tour map is available at the front gate and Nature Center.