Greenwood Gardens
A Garden of Eden
The story of Greenwood Gardens in Short Hills
WRITTEN BY JO VARNISH PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNE-MARIE CARUSO
I
t is a suburban sanctuary.
Everywhere you look there
are sugar maples, tulip trees,
dogwoods, oaks and hickory
trees. Depending on the sea-
son, there are peonies, tulips
and magnolia blooming here, and
azaleas blooming there. Ducks paddle
around ponds, and stone and bronze
sculpture of dogs, frogs, children
and chess pieces sit peacefully along
shaded walkways.
56
MAY 2017 MILLBURN & SHORT HILLS MAGAZINE
VISIT ON
MOTHER’S DAY
(MAY 14)
Where is this idyllic
arranging and
A steel drum band
place? Right here in
horticulture classes
will be playing, and
town. Have you visited
on the calendar.
flowers to plant as gifts
will be on sale.
Greenwood Gardens, a
Once the private
28-acre estate, defined by
childhood home of Peter P.
gardens and walking paths,
Blanchard III, Greenwood
surrounded by 2,100 acres of the
Gardens has been open to the public
South Mountain reservation, and set
since 2013, following a decade of
back from Old Short Hills Road?
rehabilitation. Peter and his wife Sofia
If you haven’t gone, now is the time.
worked closely with director of
Greenwood Gardens reopened May 4.
operations, Rich Murphy, and his wife
There are bird-walking tours, flower
Stephanie, who manages development,