Deep Cut Gardens

Deep Cut Gardens is a 54-acre garden and greenhouse park dedicated to the home gardener. It is also a horticultural display garden with many different displays and demonstrations.

There are several paved walking paths throughout the park which are popular with walkers and joggers. There is a children’s playground and picnic area as well. Read on to know more.

What to Expect

For those who love to garden, Deep Cut Gardens is the perfect place. This 54-acre park in Middletown Township, Monmouth County is dedicated to the home gardener and features a horticultural library.

There are lots of flowers, trees, ponds, and other things to see. It is a beautiful and relaxing place to walk around. We loved the koi pond with its brightly colored fish.

The park’s main building is the horticultural center which was once Wihtol’s family cottage. It now offers programs for all ages. It also houses one of the largest libraries of gardening literature in the state. There are also demonstration gardens that offer a living catalog of native and cultivated plant materials throughout the year.

The Rock Garden

While the mobster-owned property boasts a variety of idyllic flowers, this park’s most unique feature is its rocky garden. It closely resembles Naples and is a wonderful place to spend your time during the upcoming spring months.

It also houses a koi pond with brightly colored fish, a waterfall, and pretty tiered gardens. It’s a beautiful area for wedding photos and has plenty of seating.

The rock garden is also home to a rose parterre, an impressive combination of more than 180 rose bushes. During peak blooming season, the rose parterre is a beautiful sight to behold. It’s best to visit this part of the park in the early morning or evening to avoid heat and sunlight. Learn more about Wall Township, NJ here.

The Orchid Garden

The Orchid Garden features thousands of orchid blooms arranged in captivating displays. Discover exotic orchids found on every continent except Antarctica, and learn about their diverse habitats, colors, scents, and more.

During the summer, roses, cardinal flowers, alliums, and peonies bloom in the gardens alongside flagstone paths. In fall, asters, clematis, and hydrangeas thrive alongside the gardens.

The rocky gardens were originally built by mobster Vito Genovese to resemble Naples, Italy. This portion of the park is a great place to take photos and enjoy a relaxing stroll. It is best visited in the morning or evening to avoid the heat and sun.

The Bonsai Garden

The Bonsai Garden is a beautiful section of the gardens that features many different varieties. It is best to visit this part of the garden in the morning, to avoid the sun and heat.

Next is the greenhouse where colorful orchids and succulents thrive. During peak orchid flowering, the greenhouse is a sight to see.

Bonsai is a Japanese word that means “tray planting.” It refers to the art of growing small woody trees or shrubs in containers.

This 54-acre park was envisioned by mobster Vito Genovese to be a remembrance of his Italian homeland, with peanut stone walls and a mansion that burned down in an unexplained fire in 1937. The park now hosts a variety of educational and horticultural programs.

The Japanese Garden

While exploring Deep Cut Gardens, take a moment to visit the Japanese Garden. This serene, peaceful area features torii gates, fences, a dry gravel sea, stones, koi-filled ponds, and the authentic ceremonial teahouse Seifu-an.

This is the perfect place to learn more about the 500-year-old art of Ikebana flower arranging. In this art, flowers are used to convey the beauty of nature and the beauty within.

The gardens also feature a home composting demonstration garden. During your stay, be sure to stop by the park’s horticultural center to ask staff horticultural questions and research plants at the extensive library. This is the main hub for Deep Cut Gardens and is open daily.

The Greenhouse

When you walk through the gardens at Deep Cut, every kid’s dream comes to life: a gorgeous pond full of colorful Koi fish. If you dip your finger in the water, a small welcoming committee swims over to say hi.

Originally owned by mobster Vito Genovese, the property was transformed into a rocky garden so similar to Naples that visitors still feel they are in Italy. After Genovese’s sudden departure in 1937 (he was fleeing a murder rap), the gardens were sold to Karl and Marjorie Wihtol.

The couple rebuilt the mansion and built greenhouses that are now part of the Monmouth County Park System. The 54-acre gardens are now a living catalog of both native and cultivated plants that change with the seasons. Click here for more interesting articles.

Driving directions from Clearview Washing to Deep Cut Gardens

Driving directions from Deep Cut Gardens to Monmouth Museum