The English Cottage Style Gardens surrounding the Lighthouse were begun in 1986 on what had previously just been empty lots covered with beach sand. There are over 170 plant varieties and thousands of individual flowers spread over ˝ acre site. The grounds are divided up into many different garden areas such as the herb garden, shade garden etc. Flowers bloom from spring to late fall with the best time to visit being early June to mid-July.
The gardens have been featured in the books “New Jerseys Great Gardens”, “The Garden State in Bloom”, New Jersey Audubon Magazine, the Philadelphia Inquirer, The Courier Post, Action News and many other areas of the media.
The gardens and grounds were designed, planted and are maintained by Steve Murray, Superintendent of Parks for the City of North Wildwood. His book, Guide to the Hereford Lighthouse Gardens – with tips and observations for the Seashore Gardener, is available for sale at the Lighthouse.
The gardens have been featured in New Jersey Great Gardens, the Garden State Bloom, New Jersey Audubon Magazine, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Courier Post, Action News and many other areas of the media. The Gardens were awarded the “Suburban Greening Award” in 2002 by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.