The New Jersey Botanical Garden

What better way to initiate a photo blog of the Garden State than shots from the New Jersey Botanical Garden? The NJBG is located off the beat and path, covering over 96 acres in Ringwood. The property also includes the Skylands Manor, a Tudor revival mansion built in the 1920's.

The Garden is not the show stopper of other nearby gardens like the New York Botanical Gardens and Wave Hill Estate, both in the urban wasteland of the Bronx. New Jersey's Botanical garden receives no funding from the state, as the state budget is otherwise burdened with obligations to pay unused sick days and pensions for the public sector, versus supporting cultural and historical facilities. The gift shop is underwhelming, and a lost opportunity. Certainly there are residents willing to support such a shop if only there was something worth buying.

You will find the Garden peaceful however, and still worth your visit.

The Carriage House

Statue in the Annual Garden

 The Skylands Manor

 

 Crab Apple Allée