Wave Hill Celebrates 50 Years

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- For a half-century, Wave Hill in the Bronx has provided a serene oasis for people who need a break from the hustle and bustle of city life.

The public garden and cultural center has a lot of special events planned to celebrate its golden anniversary.

The festivities kicked off Friday night and last into May.

"When you're celebrating 50 years, you want to go big, and that's what we've done this year," Claudia Bonn, Wave Hill's executive director, told CBS2's Andrea Grymes. "We've created a showcase to really highlight what's special about Wave Hill, which is the intersection of art and horticulture."

As part of "Night Lights," Wave Hill commissioned Brooklyn artist Chris Doyle to create a "jewel-like experience" in the aquatic garden, Bonn said. The installation uses a group of sculptures that radiate animation, light and sound into the garden's formal structure.

There is also a celebration of Wave Hill's trees, a cooking demonstrations and more. For more information, visit WaveHill.org.

Bonn said Wave Hill is one of the city's greatest treasures.

"I think for the first-time visitor, it's a really transformational experience," she said. "You enter the property, and you immediately feel this connection with nature. You look out. You see the Hudson River. You see the Palisades. You're surrounded by magnificent trees, amazing, beautiful gardens. You really have a sense of serenity and solace surrounded by this incredible urban oasis, all in New York City.

"It is a vista beyond compare, I think."