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 Show
Leonard J. Buck Garden
February 21 – March 17 10:00am – 4:00pm Monday – Friday
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
Leonard J. Buck Garden
Friday, March 24 10:00am - 11:30am
Is that shrub in your backyard getting too big? Do you want to prune it yourself, but need some guidance? 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
Spring Plant Sale and Earth Day Celebration
Leonard J. Buck Garden
Saturday April 22 10:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday April 23 12:00pm – 5:00pm
Enhance your garden with some spectacular new plant treasures and help us celebrate Earth Day. Weekend highlights include a plant sale featuring many choice selections of perennials, ferns, and woody plants, and hypertufa planting troughs. There will be inspiring garden lectures, and guided tours of this magnificent naturalistic rock garden. This event is co-sponsored with the Watnong Chapter North American Rock Garden Society.
Suggested Donation
Woodland Walks
Leonard J. Buck Garden
Sundays May 7, 14, and 21 1:00pm
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. Please no organized groups.
Fee: $7 per person
Drumming Among the Trees
Colonial Park Gardens
Sundays May 28th, July 9th, and September 10th 3pm
Please Join Dana McCurdy in the Arboretum as he facilitates a beautiful, interactive experience for all those participating. Mr. McCurdy will guide the group in the drum circle, sure to be a therapeutic, meditative and recreational hour that initiates a deep human connection between rhythm, community and nature. Children welcome if accompanied by an adult. Program is free to the public. Space is limited.
Pre-registration is required. All materials supplied
Storytime in the Rose Garden Cancelled
Colonial Park Gardens
Saturday May 2Oth, Saturday September 9th 1pm
Please join children’s librarian Carol Simon Levin in the Rudolf van der Goot Rose Garden as she presents interactive stories and songs celebrating the season and nature. Designed for families with children aged three and up (though younger children are welcome to attend.) Please bring a blanket to sit on.
Fee: $10 per child (must be accompanied by an adult)
Guided Tours of the Rose Garden
Colonial Park Gardens
Thursday June 1 6pm
Sunday June 4 2pm
The public is invited to tour the internationally recognized Somerset County Park Commission Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden. The Rose Garden is in full spring beauty in May and June when thousands of varieties of roses of both modern and historic significance are in peak bloom. Tours for individuals and families will be led by the Colonial Park Gardens Rosarian or designated staff. Please no organized groups. Meet at the entrance of the Rose Garden. Pre-registration is not required
Fee: $10 per person
Rose Day Festival
Colonial Park Gardens
Saturday, June 10 10 am to 5pm (rain or shine)
Colonial Park Gardens annual Rose Day celebrates one of the first signs of summer… Roses in Bloom! In the heart of the park, the Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden displays thousands of varieties, both modern and of historic significance. Visitors are invited to celebrate and revel in the day by strolling through the gardens, enjoying music and live entertainment, meeting local artisans, and indulging in some great food. Rose bushes will be available for sale. Fun for everyone!
Donations are appreciated
Make a Hypertufa Mini-Trough
Leonard J. Buck Garden
Friday, June 9 and Friday, October 6 10:00am - 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
Art in the Garden
Colonial Park Gardens
Saturday, May 13th 9am-2pm Rain date: Saturday, May 20th
Saturday, October 7th 9am-2pm Rain date: Saturday October 14th
Accomplished Artist Donna Souren will lead classes at Leonard J. Buck Garden and Colonial Park Gardens to capture natural 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. Pre-registration is required, and space is limited. Please contact the garden office for an art supply list and bring your lunch.
Leonard J. Buck Garden
Friday, Sept. 15th 10am – 3pm Rain date: Friday, September 22nd
Accomplished Artist Donna Souren will lead classes at Leonard J. Buck Garden and Colonial Park Gardens to capture natural 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. Preregistration is required, and space is limited. Please contact the garden office for an art supply list and bring your lunch.
Fee: $40.00
Build Your Own Scarecrow
Colonial Park Gardens
Saturday, October 7th 10am-12pm
Big or small, frightening or friendly, silly or serious – build your own kind of scarecrow with Colonial Park Gardens’ staff this autumn. Bring your own favorite scarecrow clothes, your creativity, and we will provide the rest. Some scarecrow attire will be available on a first come first served basis. Please meet at the Colonial Park Gardens Stone Cottage. This event promises to be fun for friends and family members of all ages!
Fee: $20 per family (Pre-registration is required.)
Thankful Lights - Floating Luminaries
Leonard J. Buck Garden
Friday, November 3 5:00pm - 6:30pm
Borrowed from a traditional Japanese ceremony, 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. See and experience how magical the floating lights are as they drift on the water into the night. Materials will be supplied.
Fee: $20 per person (Pre-registration is required.)
Thanksgiving Floral Centerpiece Workshop
North Branch Park
Sunday, November 19 10-12 pm
Before the family arrives and the cooking begins, have a little fun and create a centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table. We will create stunning arrangements using long lasting seasonal flowers for your festive table or to bring your host for theirs. Floral design knowledge or experience is not necessary. All materials and supplies will be provided. Please meet at the reception area. Pre-registration is required.
Fee: $65 per person (limit: 12 people)
Holiday Kissing Ball Workshop
North Branch Park
Saturday, December 9 10-12 pm
Go beyond a wreath and garland this season and join the Colonial Park Gardens’ staff for a special holiday workshop. Here we will share holiday styling tips and demonstrate how to create a beautiful holiday kissing ball using fresh floral and evergreen materials. All materials will be provided. Please meet at the reception area. Pre-registration is required.
Fee: $65 per person (limit: 12 people)
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