Park Commission Accepting Wedding Photo & Ceremony Reservations

The Horticulture Department of the Somerset County
Park Commission is accepting reservations for wedding ceremonies and photos
at the following locations: Colonial Park Gardens, namely the Arboretum (for
ceremonies and photos), the Perennial Garden, and the Rudolf W. van der Goot
Rose Garden (for photos only). The Leonard J. Buck Garden is accepting
reservations for wedding photography only. The fee for each garden is $150.00
per hour.

The Colonial Park Gardens are located in Colonial Park, Somerset, (Franklin
Township), New Jersey.

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. The garden will be undergoing renovations in 2018.
Different parts of the garden will be under construction throughout the growing
season and we cannot accommodate wedding ceremonies, but will allow
wedding photography by permit.

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.

Reservations, at least two weeks prior to the wedding date, may be made by
calling 908 722-1200 ext. 5721 for the Colonial Park Gardens and ext. 5621 for
the Leonard J. Buck Garden. Individuals with a hearing/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).