One of the things I love about visiting cities is exploring and finding the unusual or the unexpected. What I find is that what “I” think is unusual is actually not and on our recent trip to Jersey City I discovered that there are many beautiful green spaces and parks that people can enjoy . It’s wonderful to see that it is not all just concrete and steel – even though that is beautiful in its own way — it is nice to see some green and colorful plants and flowers growing.

Chris and I discovered a cute park called Van Vorst Park in our meanderings. It was originally landscaped by a local florist and horticulturist Peter Henderson in 1851. The park was most recently renovated for $2 million in 1999 through the efforts of an association called the Friends of Van Vorst Park (FVVP). It is thought that this renovation was in complete accordance with the goals of benefactor Cornelius Van Vorst who envisioned a quiet oasis in the midst of a bustling, growing, vibrant area.

The park has several distinct areas for visitors to enjoy. A beautiful path winds through the park which includes open areas for lounging and sunbathing, a dog park, playground, water area, gazebo and even a Little Free Library that looks a lot like the one I am steward of.

The flowers and plants were just amazingly beautiful the day we visited and I loved seeing all of the vibrant colors and varieties of. plants.

Isn’t it wonderful to have such beauty all around? Let me know what you think and leave me a comment for our Comments for a Cause – American Macular Degeneration Foundation.