by Connor Iapoce | For Jersey's Best Wed., Sep. 16, 2020
Posted on September 16, 2020 by Hunter Hulbert - Family
This article has been updated to reflect the latest information for 2022.
The state’s best gardens live up to the name “the Garden State.” Keep in mind that state public health guidelines as well as garden-specific rules will need to be adhered to while visiting. Here are a few options to stroll through.
Beautiful Sargent’s weeping hemlock trees line a walkway in Middletown Township’s Deep Cut Gardens. Photo courtesy of Flickr
If horticulture is your game, Deep Cut Gardens in Middletown Township is home gardener bliss. With 54 acres of gardens and greenhouses, the gardens are a living catalog of cultivated and native plant material that can be observed through the seasons. The gardens include 52 varieties of roses with over 180 bushes. Visitors can discover new ways to improve their own home garden as they traverse the park with the ability to ask the staff questions related to horticulture.
The gardens open daily at 8 a.m., but will close at dusk, so plan accordingly. Parking and admission are free.
Address: 152 Red Hill Road, Middletown Township, N.J. 07748
The Great Falls at Duke Farms in Hillsborough. Photo by Peter Miller
If you’re looking for sheer size, Duke Farms in Hillsborough has a 2,740-acre property with over 1,000 acres open to the public for exploration. Once the residential estate of American Tobacco Co. President J.B. Duke, his daughter Doris Duke would guide the property to become a leader in environmental protection, and her vision was fulfilled when it opened to the public in 2012. The property consists of nine man-made lakes, 18 miles of roads for walking and biking and a year-round Orchid Range. While the Orchid Range is open, most buildings are closed, but the trails are open as well as a café for outdoor dining.
Admission is free, and the property is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday. Free entry passes are required from April to October. Passes will not be required for Saturday visits from November to March.
Address: 1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough Township, N.J. 08844
The reflecting pool terrace and flowering dogwoods at Greenwood Gardens in Short Hills. Photo courtesy of Greenwood Gardens
If you’re looking for vintage charm, the historic Greenwood Gardens in Short Hills reopened in 2020 after undergoing extensive renovations. With 28 acres to wander, the public garden is offering self-guided tours of the property that was once private before being transformed into a nonprofit conservation organization. This self-described “peaceful oasis” has terraced gardens, sculptures, grottoes, fountains, woodlands, paths, urns and early 20th century gates.
A visit is free to members and children under 3, $15 for adults ages 13 to 64, $10 for seniors and students with ID and $5 for children ages 3 to 12. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. when the gardens reopen May 1, 2022. Last entry is at 3:30 p.m.
Address: 274 Old Short Hills Road, Short Hills, N.J. 07078
‘Monet’s Bridge’ at Grounds For Sculpture in Hamilton Township showcases a beautiful marriage of art and nature. Photo by Hunter Hulbert
If you’re looking for a bit of kitsch in your life, Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) in Hamilton Township is a world-class sculpture garden and museum. Founded by J. Seward Johnson II in 1992, the park is a wonderland of nature and larger-than-life art, with nearly 300 sculptures on display within its 42 acres. A constantly changing landscape, there are lily ponds, bamboo groves, natural woodlands and over 2,000 trees from over 100 species planted on the grounds. Some plants have been collected from abandoned nurseries or salvaged from construction sites, according to GFS.
Timed entry tickets are available on the website, and masks are highly recommended when social distancing is not possible. Click here for the latest hours of operation. The sculpture garden also has a special, night-themed exhibit worth checking out through April 3, 2022.
Address: 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton Township, N.J. 08619
The Pump House is one of the many curious features of the New Jersey Botanical Garden in Ringwood. Photo by Kristine Paulus
If you’re looking to discover some state pride, the New Jersey Botanical Garden at Skylands in Ringwood is 96 acres of botanical gardens surrounded by 1,000 acres of woodlands ready to do just that. It is listed on both the State and National Register of Historical Places and features 13 specialty gardens, including such types as a lilac garden, perennial garden and wildflower garden. It is the perfect place to stroll and smell the flowers or get a guided tour and learn more about each type.
The Botanical Gardens are currently open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and parking costs $5 for New Jersey-registered vehicles and $7 for non-New Jersey-registered vehicles Memorial Day through Labor Day. After that, it’s free. (Admission to the grounds is always free.)
Address: 2 Morris Road, Ringwood, N.J. 07456
A kaleidoscope of color awaits at the Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden in Somerset’s Colonial Park. Photo by Mike Klein
If you’re looking for a bit of beauty, the Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden is a 1-acre garden with more than 3,000 roses of 325 varieties. It is an accredited All-America Rose Selections display garden, which may display award-winning roses before their release to the public. The garden has three sections, including the formal garden area, the central walk and the Dutch Garden. Visitors can learn about roses and view the beauty of the well-cultivated garden. Located in Colonial Park in Somerset, the garden is named for the first horticulturist with the Somerset County Park Commission who helped design and develop the garden.
The garden is open daily starting April 1, 2022, and a donation is suggested for visiting. Click here for the latest hours of operation.
Address: Colonial Park (Lot A) 156 Mettlers Road, Somerset, N.J. 08873
Stay safe, enjoy your visit to one of the Garden State’s best gardens and make sure to smell the flowers.
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Justin on How is Grounds for Sculpture kitschy?
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Hunter Hulbert on Many of the works by J. Seward Johnson (founder of Grounds For Sculpture) displayed in GFS have been labeled as “kitsch” even though they are highbrow.
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That girl on Really cool, must see for sure
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Alison Jones on There’s something kind of Disney about it. I never thought of the word “kitschy,” but that will work.
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Bridgette on Parts of it are on the kitschy side but the grounds are beautiful and there’s lots of great art, too. Something for everybody. The views of the bridge outside at Rats restaurant are lovely , too.
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Bob Weber on I agree. Poor choice of words here.
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Brenda on I object to that description as both a many years member and an active volunteer, specializing in being a Docent there…
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Chris on Those trees in the first picture are not bonsai
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John on Where does it say they are/
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rose on Love it
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Muneez on Are any wheelchair friendly?
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Hunter Hulbert on All of them are actually.
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Joe C-P on Deep Cut is only partially accessible, the grounds being very steep.
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Karen on Buck Gardens in Far Hills is truly a fairytale garden.
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Ces on I have been to Grounds for Sculptures, I loved it and yes, it is kitschy. Deep cut gardens have amazing and wonderful trees. The Sargent’s Weeping Hemlock are divine.
