The Reeves-Reed Arboretum (13.5 acres (5.5 ha)) is a nonprofit
arboretum
An arboretum (plural: arboreta) in a general sense is a botanical collection composed exclusively of trees of a variety of species. Originally mostly created as a section in a larger garden or park for specimens of mostly non-local species, man ...
and garden located at 165 Hobart Avenue in
Summit
A summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. The topography, topographic terms acme, apex, peak (mountain peak), and zenith are synonymous.
The term (mountain top) is generally used ...
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
, United States. It is the only arboretum in Union County. A popular wedding spot, the arboretum grounds are open daily from dawn till dusk, free of charge.
History & landscape architecture
The property was originally traversed by
Lenni Lenape
The Lenape (, , or Lenape , del, Lënapeyok) also called the Leni Lenape, Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. Their historical territory inclu ...
Native Americans on their route from the coast near Elizabeth to the highlands near
Schooley's Mountain
Schooley's or, officially, Schooleys Mountain is a mountain ridge in northern New Jersey that stretches from Lake Hopatcong in the north to Hampton in the south. It is centrally located within the southern Highlands, positioned almost equidistantl ...
. During the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
, it was farmed, and was adjacent to the site of the Old Sow cannon and the signal beacon atop Beacon Hill on the
Second Watchung Mountain
The Watchung Mountains (once called the Blue Hills) are a group of three long low ridges of volcanic origin, between high, lying parallel to each other in northern New Jersey in the United States. The name is derived from the American Native Lena ...
.
In 1889, John Hornor Wisner, a merchant in the China trade, purchased the property for a country estate—some 12 acres from the Swain farm. John and Isabelle Wisner, whose three children had been born in China, hired New York architects Babb, Cook and Willard to build a Colonial Revival house, sited facing south with extensive views over the rolling hills. The Wisners moved to their stylish new home and called it "The Clearing." Working with noted landscape architect
Calvert Vaux
Calvert Vaux (; December 20, 1824 – November 19, 1895) was an English-American architect and landscape designer, best known as the co-designer, along with his protégé and junior partner Frederick Law Olmsted, of what would become New York Ci ...
, they planted specimen trees and created flower beds and a meandering path around the property. In 1916, new owners, Richard and Susie Reeves, purchased the estate. Susie Reeves expanded the gardens, guided by prominent landscape architects
Ellen Biddle Shipman
Ellen Biddle Shipman (November 5, 1869 – March 27, 1950) was an American landscape architect known for her formal gardens and lush planting style. Along with Beatrix Farrand and Marian Cruger Coffin, she dictated the style of the time and stro ...
rose
A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be ...
garden in 1925. The Charles L. Reed family became the last private owners in 1968, adding an
herb
In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...
garden. In 1974, the estate was preserved as a public arboretum by the City of Summit.
Specialty gardens
The gardens are a beautifully maintained example of early 20th century landscape architecture, also known as the Country Place Era. Italianate in character, the garden layout is symmetrical and axial, creating formal garden rooms off a main axis from the house.
The Gretchen Keller Azalea Garden (designed by Shipman and Pilat) and Rock Garden contain about 850 shrubs and 25 trees. Its peak bloom is in May, with the
dogwoods
''Cornus'' is a genus of about 30–60 species of woody plants in the family Cornaceae, commonly known as dogwoods, which can generally be distinguished by their blossoms, berries, and distinctive bark. Most are deciduous trees or shrub ...
,
azalea
Azaleas are flowering shrubs in the genus ''Rhododendron'', particularly the former sections ''Tsutsusi'' (evergreen) and '' Pentanthera'' (deciduous). Azaleas bloom in the spring (April and May in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, and Octob ...
s,
lilacs
The Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (in Portuguese), acronym LILACS, and previously called Latin American Index Medicus,Piegas MH, Nowinski A. Index Medicus Latino-Americano: exemplo de cooperação técnica entre pa ...
,
deutzia
''Deutzia'' ( or ) is a genus of about 60 species of flowering plants in the family Hydrangeaceae, native to eastern and central Asia (from the Himalayas east to Japan and the Philippines), and Central America and also Europe. By far the highest ...
and
crabapples
''Malus'' ( or ) is a genus of about 30–55 species of small deciduous trees or shrubs in the family Rosaceae, including the domesticated orchard apple, crab apples, wild apples, and rainberries.
The genus is native to the temperate zone of th ...
.
The Susie Graham Reeves Rose Garden contains 286
rose
A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be ...
bushes, representing over 150 varieties of roses, including floribundas and hybrid teas laid out in a traditional circle-in-a-square design. The central feature of the rose garden is a cherub fountain from the Reeves period. Old fashioned roses flank the formal garden, and climbing roses are trained on posts and chains.
Features: Wesson Nature Grove, Lilac Garden, Herb Garden, Vernal Pool, Woodland Trails (hiking paths), and tours.
Programs & events
Daffodil Day Over 30,000 daffodils bloom in a glacial bowl in front of Wisner House each April. The Arboretum hosts its annual Daffodil Day event to celebrate. The original flowers were planted by Susie Graham Reeves in the 1920s. Since 2014, the Arboretum has used a small herd of Nubian goats to remove excess vegetation and weeds.
Celebrate Fall Annually, the Arboretum hosts a celebration of autumn with events such as , seasonal cooking demonstrations and pumpkin carving.
Other events at the garden have included a Maple Sugar Fest, Great American Backyard Campout, Holiday House Tour, and Sounds of a Summer Night.
Features: Wesson Nature Grove, Lilac Garden, Herb Garden, Vernal Pool, Woodland Trails (hiking paths), and tours.
Square Foot Gardening A pilot program started in 2018 is designed to provide children with a connection to nature through organic vegetable gardening.
Educational Programs Children in school groups visit the Arboretum for field trips on science topics, and scout groups earn badges from special programs. In summer, kids attend a wide variety of weekly nature-themed camps, organized by age. Adults visit for sessions such as Gardening 101 and Backyard Bird Feeding tips, as well as related special collaborations with arts organizations.