Horticultural Programming
Join us for hands-on programs, events, and celebrations. There’s something for everyone! Fees, locations, and necessary materials are listed in the descriptions. Some programs require pre-registration. Click on the “Online Registration” bar on the left, or call if you have any questions.
Art and Photography Exhibit - LJB
February 20th- March 15th Monday- Friday 10:00am - 4:00pm
Saturday March 9th 12:00pm-4:00pm
This exhibit will feature photographs, paintings, and drawings showcasing the four seasons at Leonard J. Buck Garden. See the garden’s many faces through the works of talented artists and photographers. This exhibit will be held at the Leonard J. Buck Garden Visitor Center.
Suggested Donation
Pruning Workshop - LJB
Friday March 22nd 10:00am - 11:30am
Is that shrub in your backyard getting too big? Do you want to prune it yourself, but need some guidance? Then join the Buck Garden staff to learn basic pruning techniques used in the Garden. Proper pruning tools will be discussed. There will be an outdoor presentation, weather permitting. Please dress appropriately for outdoor activities. Pre-registration required.
Fee: $25
Terrific Trees - a Celebration of Arbor Day - Colonial Park Arboretum
Saturday, April 27 9am - 12pm
Visit our arboretum to pick up a free native tree seedling (one tree per household while supplies last). Stay for tree-themed craft activities, read some poet-tree, join a guided tour of the Arboretum, or volunteer for a tree mulching project. For all ages, with adult supervision. No registration necessary. Free event.
Spring Plant Sale - LJB
Saturday, April 27th 10am - 5pm
Sunday, April, 28th 12pm - 5pm
Enhance your garden with some spectacular new plant treasures and help us celebrate the arrival of spring. The plant sale will feature many choice selections of perennials, ferns, woody plants, and hypertufa planting troughs. There will also be guided tours of this magnificent naturalistic rock garden each day at 1pm. This event is co-sponsored with the Watnong Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society.
Woodland Walks - LJB
Sunday afternoons in April and May 1pm (except holiday weekends)
Brighten your spring with a captivating and informative tour of the Leonard J. Buck Garden. Enjoy the magnificent drifts of native wildflowers and spring perennials blooming throughout the garden, as well as azaleas, dogwoods, and many colorful flowering shrubs and trees. Discover the great variety of plants growing among the rock formations and woodlands, and immerse yourself in the natural beauty that surrounds you. Tours will be held Sundays April 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th- & May 5th, 19th & October 27th 1 pm.
Fee: $7 per person
For organized groups and garden clubs, please call 908-722-1200 x 5621 to schedule a private tour.
Rose Garden Tours - CPG
Sundays, June 2nd and June 9th 10am
Thursdays, June 6th and June 13th 6pm
Join a guided tour with our friendly and knowledgeable Rosarian to learn about America’s national flower, the history of the 50-year-old, award-winning Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden, how we take care of our plants, and so much more.
Fee: $10 per adult
For organized groups and garden clubs, please call 908-722-1200 x 5721 to schedule a private tour.
Make Upcycled Art! - CPG
Sunday, June 2nd 10am - 12pm
Local artist Mariya Kovalyov will lead kids in a hands-on, process driven workshop, utilizing recycled cardboard, gathered materials, and paint to create unique and imaginative 3D assemblage sculpture. Materials will be provided. Ages 8-12.
Fee: $15 per child
Annual Rose Day Festival - CPG
Saturday, June 8th 11am - 5pm
Celebrate peak bloom in the Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden with live music, picnicking on the rose garden lawn, artisan craft vendors, rose sales, and fun kids’ activities. BYO lunch or try out one of the visiting food trucks. For all ages. Note that pets are not permitted in the Rose Garden. No registration necessary.
Free event.
Soothing Your Senses - CPG
Sunday, July 28th 8am - 9:30am (Rain Date: Sunday, August 4th)
Experience the early morning peace and serenity of the Fragrance and Sensory Garden with gentle yoga postures and deeply relaxing Yoga Nidra led by instructor Adrianne Rowe. Wear comfortable clothing and bring a yoga mat, blanket, towel, and pillow. No experience necessary. For adults.
Fee: $20 per person
The Magical Mysterious Monarch - LJB
Thursday, August 22nd 10am - 11:30am
For years, scientists wondered about the wanderings of monarch butterflies. Large numbers of monarchs are seen during the summer and early fall in the northern regions of the United States, and then great swarms are seen flying south. But until the 1970s, no one knew where they went during the winter. Join Cynthia Hedin, Somerset County Master Gardener, to learn about the discovery of the monarch’s winter destination, and about the magical life cycle of the monarch.
Fee: $15 per person
Watercolors in the Garden - LJB
Friday, September 13th 10am - 3pm (Rain Date: Friday September 20th)
Artist Donna Souren will lead a one-day class at Leonard J. Buck Garden to capture the garden’s beauty in watercolor. Students will be guided in choosing a location when painting outdoors, paint application, mixing colors, composition, and how to create a finished watercolor painting. Basic drawing skills are recommended. Call for art supply list and bring your lunch. Ms. Souren attended the Maryland Institute College of Fine Arts, and keeps busy with classes at the Center for Contemporary Art. Donna has received a vast number of accomplishments, credits and awards for her work.
Pre-registration; space is limited
Fee: $40
Mixed-Media Magical Garden Mushrooms - CPG
Sundays September 15th & 22nd 10am - 12pm
Join artist Mariya Kovalyov for this enchanting two-day workshop, designed for teens and adults. Day one is sculpting and building with polymer clay, and day two is painting and decorating with natural and found materials. No art experience necessary. Materials will be provided. For ages 12 and above.
Fee: $40 per person
Drumming in the Garden - CPG
Saturday, June 22nd 7pm - 8pm (Rain date: Saturday, June 29th) - CP Rose Garden
Sunday, September 22nd 3pm-4pm (Rain date Sunday, September 29 th) - CP Arboretum
Join instructor Dana McCurdy in a guided, hands-on, and interactive drumming circle in one of our inspiring gardens. Experience a therapeutic, meditative, and fun hour of connection and community. No musical experience is necessary and percussion instruments will be provided. For all ages, with adult supervision.
Fee: $10 per person
Gardens of the Garden State Gardens Consortium- LJB
Friday, July 19th 10am - 12:15pm
Join us for a one hour long power point presentation, filled with beautiful imagery, that takes you on a virtual tour of the almost 30 New Jersey public gardens that are members of the Garden State Gardens Consortium. It includes the history and unique characteristics of each garden. Discover more about your favorites and those you have yet to visit! Please join us after the presentation for a tour of the Leonard J. Buck Garden! Suggested Donation.
Make a Hypertufa Mini-Trough - LJB
Friday, October 4th 10am - 11:30am
Hypertufa is a handmade material which resembles “tufa,” a rugged volcanic rock used to make planting troughs. These containers are especially suited for small rock garden plants. You will learn how to make your own hypertufa mini-trough and receive instructions for curing it at home. Wear work clothes as the process can be messy. Workshop fee includes the cost of supplies. Pre-registration is required. Enrollment is limited to 10 participants.
Fee: $50
Make-your-Own Scarecrow - CPG
Saturday, October 5th 2pm - 4pm (Rain date Sunday, October 6th)
Join us for this festive and family-friendly activity. Materials will be provided. There will also be fall-themed face painting and seasonal refreshments. For all ages, with adult supervision.
Fee: $20 per scarecrow
Thankful Lights - Floating Luminaries - LJB
Friday, November 1st 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Floating a candle on water is thought to awaken the spirit of nature within us all. You will create your own lantern and decorate it with a personalized message, attach it to your illuminated float, and release it on Buck Garden’s Lower Pond. Come see and experience how magical the floating lights are as they drift on the water into the night. Materials will be supplied. Pre-registration is required.
Fee: $20 per person
Make-Your-Own Evergreen Swag - North Branch Park
Saturday, December 7th 10am - 12pm
Welcome winter and the coming holidays with a festive decoration for your door, made from fresh and fragrant evergreens, natural materials, and handmade bows. Materials will be provided.
Fee: $65 per person
If you have individualized needs due to a disability, please call 908 526-5650 after you register for the program and we will be happy to arrange reasonable modifications. Three weeks notice is required to ensure that appropriate modifications can be provided