Clark Botanic Gardens — Attraction in Town of North Hempstead

Clark Botanic Gardens is truly a treasure, and I’m grateful to live nearby so I can visit often. I’ve come here in spring, summer, and fall, and each season brings a completely different yet equally beautiful experience. The garden is always clean, well-maintained, and filled with fragrant blooms and scenic spots that make you want to slow down and simply enjoy the moment. I especially appreciate the thoughtful touches—like the nameplates with plant names in both Latin and English, and the dedications on benches and sculptures honoring donors or loved ones. It adds a personal, heartfelt element to the garden. It’s a perfect place for a lunch break, a relaxing stroll after a long week, or a peaceful photo session. In fact, on my most recent visit, I met two wonderful photography enthusiasts, Mike and Flor, and we ended up having a lovely conversation about photography, culture, and life in general. It reminded me that this garden isn’t just a place to enjoy nature—it’s a place to connect with others. The wildlife here adds even more charm—squirrels, rabbits, birds, turtles, and fish in the pond make it feel alive and vibrant. I also love seeing new additions each time I come, whether it’s a new bridge, bench, or stream. If I had one small suggestion, it would be to add more garbage bins near the benches. Still, I understand the “carry in, carry out” philosophy. The picnic tables are a nice touch, and I’d love to see a couple of water fountains in the future—maybe they’re just not on yet for the season. And best of all—it’s free. You don’t have to pay a thing to enjoy all this beauty. So if you’re looking for a peaceful, refreshing place to relax, take photos, or meet like-minded nature lovers, come to Clark Botanic Gardens. You won’t be...

Very nice little "oasis" nestled between the LIRR tracks, a commercial district, and a residential neighborhood.

First off - the place was teaming with wildlife! It's not huge (maybe 7 acres, give or take) and it only took about 90 minutes to walk around the entire place, but in those 90 minutes we saw birds, fish, frogs, tadpoles, turtles, rabbits (adults and babies), chipmunks (at least 50), and bees (they have a small apiary on-site).

There are two lakes ('pond' may be more accurate; they were not huge) and several small streams. The streams provide that wonderful, soothing, relaxing sound that helps you get your Zen on! :-)

There was a very cool 'maze' carved out of topiary plants (not exactly sure what they were, they looked like large boxwoods).

The ponds were filled with turtles and tadpoles. Literally hundreds of tadpoles.

The baby bunnies were as cute as can be!

There were chipmunks running every which way. Crossing the paths. Scurrying around, collecting seeds and nuts. One ran right under the bench I was sitting on.

They have a beautiful rose garden. It's a bit small (as the entire place is a bit small) but it was very nice nevertheless.

They also had a gorgeous display of bearded iris!

We were able to find it without a problem. Parking was free. Admission was free. Picnic tables and restrooms are available. There are numerous benches where you can sit and just take it all in.

While I doesn't come close to a place like Bayard Cutting, it is a great place to visit when you don't have a lot of time but do want to take a walk...

Clark Botanical Garden is an oasis tucked away in Long Island. It's easy to miss, but once you're there you'll wished you had visited sooner.

I've visited the garden a handful of times now, and each time I'm left feeling refreshed and inspired. There are various spaces throughout the garden depending on what you want to do. You could contemplate philosophies at the rock garden. You could smell fragrant flowers at the rose garden. You could even have a snack near the Clark House and purchase some really cool, vintage books about gardening and horticulture at their gift shop. There really is something for everyone here, and the fact that it is open to the public makes it even more of a gem.

It's just an overall great place that you can tell is maintained very well. The flower displays are also gorgeous with their vibrant colors and textures. You can tell a lot of people put a lot of care into the property, into maintaining and preserving it. There are also a lot of adorable rabbits roaming free on property which is an added bonus cause they're adorable!

I highly recommend you visit when you need some fresh air, or a good place to...