On a warm June morning, Norristown Garden Club members visited Wyck Historic House, Garden and Farm on Germantown Ave. in Philadelphia. It is a well-preserved living history treasure trove. The same family lived there for 9 generations — from 1690 to 1974. The mansion is open for tours and contains 10,000 curiosities including furniture from eras gone by. There is chair previously owned by Benjamin Franklin.
The Wyck Rose Garden dates to the 1820s and is the oldest rose garden in original plan in America. When experts assessed it, they found 2 kinds of roses that were believed to be extinct. Unlike modern roses, the roses bloom only once and the best time to see them is the end of May. NGC members were treated to a few late bloomers. There are many other flowers and trees and shrubs to see amidst historic outbuildings. Wyck’s farm is run as a collaborative community garden providing produce and flowers for local residents.
