Somerset County Parks, Gardens Available for Outdoor Weddings

Looking for the perfect local outdoor wedding location? The Horticulture Department of the Somerset County Park Commission is accepting reservations for wedding ceremonies and pictures at several beautiful outdoor locations around Somerset County.

Outdoor locations include the Colonial Park Gardens, namely the Arboretum, the Perennial Garden, and the Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden.

The one-acre Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden is a display garden, comprising one acre of plantings with more than 3,000 roses in more than 325 varieties. The garden is at its peak of color and fragrance from late spring into autumn.

The Perennial Garden is a beautiful five-acre garden with a gazebo that provides year-round interest and color from its collection of flowering shrubs, bulbs, perennials, and annuals.

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The 144-acre Arboretum provides displays of flowering trees, evergreens, shade trees, dwarf conifers, and flowering shrubs. This includes the three-acre Shrub Collection which showcases plants that grow well in central NJ and are designed to give year-round interest by using flowering shrubs; trees; perennials; and ornamental grasses; and the areas surrounding the Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden and the Perennial Garden.

The Leonard J. Buck Garden, located at 11 Layton Road in Far Hills, is a unique naturalistic garden of great beauty. Well-known for its numerous wildflowers, shrubs, and beautiful shade trees, this woodland rock garden is the perfect setting for spectacular wedding photos. This 13-acre rock garden is set within a 29-acre natural woodland area and features a rustic gazebo and bridges, sparkling pond, flowing stream, and winding paths leading to your memorable wedding photo site.

The Leonard J. Buck Garden is accepting reservations for wedding photography permits only. The fee for each garden is $95 per hour. The Colonial Park Gardens are located in Colonial Park, Somerset, (Franklin Township), New Jersey.

Reservations and Additional Information

Reservations may be made by calling 732 873-2459 ext. 21 for the Colonial Park Gardens and 908 234-2677 ext. 21 for the Leonard J. Buck Garden at least two weeks prior to the wedding date. Individuals with a hearing or speech impairment may use the NJ Relay Service at 711. The reservation line for Colonial Park Gardens is available from Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 3:00pm and the Leonard J. Buck Garden from 9:00am to 4:00pm (except for holidays). Click here for more information on Somerset County Park Commission activities.

Pictured: The new gazebo at Leonard J. Buck Garden, 11 Layton Road, Far Hills, New Jersey.

Information and photo courtesy of Rich Reitman

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