Community Corner
Llewellyn Park Volunteers To Plant Trees at Historic Community
Residents plan to beautify area for future generations
Llewellyn Park in West Orange has always been known for its majestic, towering trees. Some were planted 150 years ago as specimen trees and are reaching the end of their lives.
A group of residents plan to celebrate Arbor Day on April 21 by planting new trees at the historic private community. As part of an ambitious reforestation plan, they will plant 400 trees and shrubs native to New Jersey: Red Maple, Redbud, Elderberry and Black Chokeberry.
The planting is sponsored by the Llewellyn Park Preservation Foundation and volunteers will show up with their tools and plant seedlings at specific designated spots.
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“To establish new growth so that 150 years from now, it still looks wonderful,” said Bill Westheimer, resident and spokesperson for the Llewellyn community. “This is for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren.”
Llewellyn Park is one of the oldest planned communities in America and an example of an architect-designed romantic landscape, said Westheimer. It was conceived by pharmaceutical entrepreneur Llewellyn S. Haskell in the 1850s.
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Located 14 miles from New York City, Llewellyn Park is an enclave of 173 homes and estates situated among 425 acres. The landscaping, designed by renowned 19th century architect Andrew Jackson Davis, is in the romantic style of New York City’s Central Park and features winding paths, rare ornamental trees, shrubs and flowers.
The community also is the location of Glenmont, the home of Thomas Edison, now a national park museum open to the public.
“Davis designed it in the spirit of the romantic landscape. That’s also how you would describe Central Park in New York City,” he said. “It was designed and built at the same time, but with a different architect.”
Unusual trees were planted at the time, including a bald cypress tree, which is usually a southern tree, said Westheimer, who said the gigantic tree is probably 75 to 100 feet tall. The Llewellyn location is said to be its most northern location, he said.
“Many of our trees are that big. We have specimen trees and others. Really, now is the time to start rejuvenating this beautiful wooded landscape,” Westheimer said.
For more information on Llewellyn Park's Arbor Day Celebration, contact Julie Song at (917) 287-1987. Visit llewelynpark.com
