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Deep Cut Gardens is a haven for garden lovers
By Eileen Koutnik  | | Deep Cut Gardens in Middletown is devoted to the education and enjoyment of gardeners. |
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Monmouth County has many beautiful parks to visit. One of those parks is Deep Cut Gardens, located at 352 Red Hill Road in Middletown. It is part of the Monmouth County Park System. The garden encompasses 54 acres and offers visitors a rockery, perennial gardens, greenhouses filled with spectacular orchids, an orchard, walking paths and an aquatic garden.
Many gardeners call Deep Cut Gardens their second home. Gardeners can find ways to improve their home gardens by identifying the specimens in the park, questioning the trained horticultural staff, or looking through the books and magazines in the Elvin McDonald Horticultural Library. The library collection offers more than 4,000 gardening and garden-related books and more than 50 videos.
The history of Deep Cut Gardens is just as rich and bountiful as its gardens. The property was originally owned by the Taylor and Osborn families. In 1928, Edward and Teresa Dangler bought the property and constructed a large two-story Colonial revival mansion on the hilltop. In 1935, the reputed crime boss Vito Genovese purchased the property and had the grounds renovated to replicate Naples, Italy.
The result of the gardeners' efforts to create Genovese's vision was a design comprised of both English and Italian styles. Features included a pseudo-Italian rock garden on the steep slope below the house, terraced gardens at the foot of the hill, a large recessed rectangular garden area surrounded by a low stone wall, and a masonry pergola. The project was never finished because in 1937 Genovese fled to Europe to avoid prosecution for his actions as a crime boss. In that same year, a fire destroyed the mansion.
In 1948 the property was sold to Dominic Caruso. In December 1953, Karl and Marjorie Wihtol purchased the property and built the existing house to replace the one that burned down. They also renovated the greenhouse and worked on the gardens. Karl Wihtol died in 1970, and Marjorie Wihtol lived in the main house until 1977. In her last will and testament, she donated half of the property to the Monmouth County Park System, "to be used for park and horticultural purposes only."
The Park System was able to purchase the remaining half of the property with the New Jersey Green Acres Fund. The park was dedicated on Sept. 14, 1978, as a facility devoted to the education and enjoyment of the home gardener.
For more information about Deep Cut Gardens, call the Monmouth County Park System at (732) 842-4000 or visit the Web site at www.monmouthcountyparks.com.
 | | A window in the Environmental Center looks out on the scenic Manasquan Reservoir, Howell. |
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