Sister Mary Grace Burns Arboretum is on the campus of Georgian Court University in Lakewood Township, New Jersey. Originally, it was the landscaped park for the winter home of George Jay Gould, son of railroad tycoon, Jay Gould.
In 1896 architect, Bruce Price, was hired to create a replica of an English estate from the Georgian period. Since the New Jersey soil isn't great for planting native English plants, 5,000 cartloads of soil were brought in. Four major gardens were created: the Italian Garden, Sunken Garden, Formal Garden, and Japanese Garden.
In 1924, the Sisters of Mercy of New Jersey bought the estate and it became the campus of what is currently Georgian Court University. An additional Wellness Garden was added by students in 2008. The place is a National Historic Landmark.
The garden is open daily from dawn to dusk. Admission is free.
Can you imagine bringing all that soil over back in that day and age?
ReplyDeleteThat' would've been a big challenge!
Delete"If your life is a leaf that the seasons tear off and condemn
ReplyDeleteThey will bind you with love that is graceful and green as a stem."
That's from Leonard Cohen's Sisters of Mercy. How fitting!
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Yes, very fitting!
DeleteI'm struck by how green it is - looks lovely.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sherry.
Have a great Friday and weekend.
The formal garden is really pretty!
Deletewow. I hope students there raise their heads from their phones and look around the grounds. How lovely.
ReplyDeleteI know. Such a pretty campus. I hope they appreciate it.
DeleteI love sunken gardens. The one at Butchart Gardens was massive and so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteYes, the one at Butchart is gorgeous!
DeleteThat's such a peaceful looking place, I truly love it!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a good place to study. Very restful!
DeleteHi Sherry - bucket loads of soil ... amazing - but at least they seem to be keeping the gardens up, and introducing the new Wellness one .. fascinating to see - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteI can't even imagine how tedious it was to import all the soil!
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