5 Local Gardens to Visit this Spring & Summer

Rutgers Gardens Bamboo Forest

The spring weather is here and makes us want to take walks outside and enjoy all that nature has to offers us. Enjoy 5 public gardens local to Princeton that are open and waiting for you to come to enjoy.

Sayen House & Gardens

155 Hughes Drive, Hamilton

Situated in historic Hamilton Square, Sayen House and Gardens provide a welcome sanctuary for nature lovers, garden enthusiasts and history buffs alike. They offer free admittance daily (open dawn to dusk). Dogs on a leash & bicyclists traveling with caution are both permitted. In addition to the beautiful flowers, Sayen Gardens is home to birds and wildlife that enjoy the park's tree-filled, wooded lands surrounding the many walking trails, rolling fields, streams and fish ponds.

Morven Museum & Garden

55 Stockton Street, Princeton

The grounds at Morven can be seen as a walk through history. Explore historic gardens from the 18th and 19th centuries, including a Colonial Revival Garden and our changing Demonstration Garden. They are open Wednesdays through Sundays, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There will not be regularly scheduled docent led tours indoors at this time. Cost is $10 for admission (with seniors aged 60+, students and youth $8).

The Prospect House

Washington Street, Princeton

The Prospect House is a landmark 19th century home at Princeton University with Italianate architecture and a scenic garden. The grounds surrounding the house are an array of trees, bushes, plants and flowers. Eight thousand flowers are planted in the garden every year in May, after the tulip bulbs are removed.

Grounds for Sculpture

80 Sculptures Way, Hamilton
Grounds for Sculpture features 300 contemporary sculptures across 42 landscaped acres. The site hosts hands-on workshops, tours, concerts & performances, normally, throughout the year. Events currently include Wellness Walks, Member Mornings, Tai Chi, Garden Stories, Meditation & Mindfulness, Bird Basics & much more.

Advanced timed tickets and member reservations are currently required to visit.

Rutgers Gardens

112 Log Cabin Road, North Brunswick Township

Rutgers does not charge an admission fee & is open 365 days a year. The garden include a variety of areas like All-American Selections Garden, Art Rudolph Sun & Shade Garden, Asian Hillside Garden, Bamboo Grove, Cook’s Market Green Roof, Donald B. Lacey Display Garden, Ella Quimby Water Conservation Terrace Garden, Frank C. Helyar Wood and much more.

The public areas of Rutgers Gardens are open Saturdays-Thursday 8AM-7PM. The gardens are closed on Fridays and are only open to ticket holders for the Spring Plant Sale May 1-2, 6-9 and 13-16.

Save the date for some great upcoming events focusing on gardens and gardening, including:

• May 03 Growing Vegetables and Herbs in Containers, The Jewish Center
• May 08 Gardening with Rain Barrels, The Watershed
• May 15 Historical Society of Princeton Virtual House Tour
• June 26 History in Bloom Annual Garden Tour, Bordentown Historical Society