{"id":2,"date":"2013-02-16T19:32:41","date_gmt":"2013-02-16T19:32:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/joeparksgarden.org\/?page_id=2"},"modified":"2026-04-12T16:14:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T16:14:08","slug":"home-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.joeparksgarden.org\/","title":{"rendered":"Welcome to the Joe B. Parks Riverwalk Public Gardens"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” content_placement=”bottom” css=”.vc_custom_1773599824473{padding-bottom: 60px !important;padding-left: 60px !important;background-image: url(https:\/\/www.joeparksgarden.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Summer-Garden-Narrower-2.5.jpg?id=1991) !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}” min_height=”100vh”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

A garden grown from love and community<\/h1>\n

Wildflowers, rare rhododendrons, and mountain laurels thriving where a neglected riverbank once stood. Dover, New Hampshire.<\/p>\n

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100+<\/p>\n

VOLUNTEER BUILDERS<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

NEWS<\/p>\n

FIND US ON FACEBOOK \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n

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2008<\/p>\n

YEAR DEDICATED<\/p>\n

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THE GARDEN<\/p>\n

Where a neglected riverbank became something beautiful<\/h2>\n

Situated along the banks of the Cocheco River, the Riverwalk Garden forms a series of connected spaces filled with wildflowers, unique rhododendrons, mountain laurels, hostas, daylilies, and countless other plants \u2014 many relocated from Joe’s own gardens.<\/p>\n

Planned by Dover horticulturalist Joe B. Parks, built by more than a hundred volunteers, and dedicated in June 2008, every inch of this garden was made and continues to be maintained by people who love it.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_section full_width=”stretch_row” css=”.vc_custom_1771692524344{padding-top: 60px !important;background-color: #FAF8F3 !important;}”][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”1799″ img_size=”full” css=””][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

JOE’S STORY<\/p>\n

Afflicted early with a disease called gardening<\/h2>\n

Joe Parks spent decades working with plants \u2014 studying, propagating, and hybridizing them. He developed and registered more than 20 new azaleas and rhododendrons, and loved nothing more than sharing his gardens and knowledge with anyone who would listen.<\/p>\n

During his years in Dover, Joe taught gardening classes, partnered with the Rotary Club<\/a> to revitalize public gardens across the city, and wrote a gardening column for Foster’s Daily Democrat. He served as President of the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society<\/a> and was a founding member of the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden<\/a>.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_section full_width=”stretch_row” css=”.vc_custom_1771692530450{padding-top: 60px !important;background-color: #2A3D2E !important;}”][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row”][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

GET INVOLVED<\/p>\n

This garden belongs to all of us<\/h2>\n

Joe believed gardens were for sharing. The Riverwalk Garden is kept alive entirely through the care of people like you. There are a few simple ways to help it thrive for generations to come.<\/p>\n

\n

\u2192 Adopt a Tree<\/a> \u2014 Dedicate a planting in someone’s honor<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2192 Volunteer to Tend a Bed<\/a> \u2014 Help maintain the garden through the seasons<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2192 Connect on Facebook<\/a> \u2014 Friends of Joe B. Parks Riverwalk Garden<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

ngg_shortcode_0_placeholder[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_section full_width=”stretch_row” css=”.vc_custom_1772398714102{padding-top: 80px !important;padding-bottom: 80px !important;background-color: #3D5C40 !important;}”][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

LOCATION<\/p>\n

400 Central Avenue
\nDover, New Hampshire
\nAlong the Cocheco River<\/p>\n

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HOURS<\/p>\n

Open daily
\nDawn to dusk
\nFree admission, always<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

ACCESS<\/p>\n

Enter at 400 Central Ave
\nor the Orchard Street
\nParking Lot off Chestnut St<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” content_placement=”bottom” css=”.vc_custom_1773599824473{padding-bottom: 60px !important;padding-left: 60px !important;background-image: url(https:\/\/www.joeparksgarden.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Summer-Garden-Narrower-2.5.jpg?id=1991) !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}” min_height=”100vh”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””] A garden grown from love and community Wildflowers, rare rhododendrons, and mountain laurels thriving where a neglected riverbank once stood. Dover, New Hampshire. [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_section full_width=”stretch_row”][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” css=”.vc_custom_1771677468289{background-color: #2A3D2E !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text css=””] 100+ VOLUNTEER BUILDERS [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text css=””] […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"plain-container","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P9ImMI-2","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":125,"url":"https:\/\/www.joeparksgarden.org\/index.php\/our-volunteers-caregivers\/","url_meta":{"origin":2,"position":0},"title":"Help Care for the Garden","author":"Beth Fischer","date":"March 3, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"[vc_section full_width=\"stretch_row\" css=\".vc_custom_1773599227606{padding-top: 80px !important;background-color: #FAF8F3 !important;}\"][vc_row][vc_column width=\"1\/2\"][vc_column_text css=\"\"] VOLUNTEER Help care for the garden Pick your preferred garden bed and visit weekly to tend it through the season. Tools are available on site. Common Area Tenders are also needed for weekly sweeping, trash pickup, and weeding \u2014 no gardening\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1912,"url":"https:\/\/www.joeparksgarden.org\/index.php\/joe-b-parks\/","url_meta":{"origin":2,"position":1},"title":"Joe B. Parks","author":"Beth Fischer","date":"March 1, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"[vc_section full_width=\"stretch_row\" css=\".vc_custom_1772399538977{padding-top: 80px !important;padding-bottom: 80px !important;background-color: #FAF8F3 !important;}\"][vc_row][vc_column width=\"1\/3\"][vc_single_image image=\"26\" img_size=\"large\" css=\"\"][\/vc_column][vc_column width=\"2\/3\"][vc_column_text css=\"\"] JOE B. PARKS December 17, 1915 \u2013 March 31, 2010 Inventor, sculptor, horticulturalist, computer pioneer, soldier, legislator, train buff, consultant, teacher, preacher's kid, philanthropist, entrepreneur, woodworker, bibliophile, real estate investor, Arctic traveler, class president, husband,\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.joeparksgarden.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.joeparksgarden.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.joeparksgarden.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.joeparksgarden.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.joeparksgarden.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2"}],"version-history":[{"count":145,"href":"https:\/\/www.joeparksgarden.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2023,"href":"https:\/\/www.joeparksgarden.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2\/revisions\/2023"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.joeparksgarden.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}