Nature's Calling: Stop and Smell the Roses at The Gardens of Wyckoff

I must have driven past the  at least a hundred of times. This week, I decided to stop and check it out. The 12.8-acre nature sanctuary near the north intersection of Crescent and Godwin avenues in Wyckoff was deeded to the township in 1993 by resident Warner W. Brackett.

The rose garden, visible from the road this time of year, is filled with at least a dozen different varieties of roses, and smells overwhelmingly like a rose garden should, like high-end rose soaps. In another garden, peonies and purple irises are in bloom.

Not visible from the road: A lilypad-laced pond and fern-lined wooded walking trails that are home to a family of deer—a fawn dashed past us faster than I could grab my camera. My little boy and I had a fun pre-nap walk following the trail of hoof prints along the brook trail. (Note to self: Next time bring bug spray!) 

There is also a gazebo: A nice backdrop for couple photos or a cozy spot for a picnic lunch. The small gravel parking area is even is shaded in the early afternoon.

The entrance/exit is on the right hand side of Crescent Avenue, Wyckoff, as you are approaching the northern intersection with Godwin Avenue (or Wyckoff Avenue as it is called in Franklin Lakes)—not the intersection by the Brick House, the one closer to the Franklin Lakes border.