Frelinghuysen Arboretum facts for kids
The George Griswold Frelinghuysen Arboretum is a super cool park and garden in Morris Township, New Jersey. It's huge, covering 127 acres, and you can visit it every day for free! It's also where the main office for the Morris County Parks Commission is located.
This arboretum is like a living museum of plants! You'll find different areas with special collections. There are ornamental grasses, which are pretty and decorative, and lots of shrubs and flowers that bloom in spring and summer. In the fall, the trees show off their amazing colors and fruits. There's even a "promising plants garden" where you can see new and interesting plants that nurseries are trying out.
Right in front of the big main house, there's a giant, gently sloped grassy area called the Great Lawn. It looks like something from an old English country estate. In the warmer months, people gather here for outdoor concerts.
The arboretum also has many trails for walking, exploring nature, and even horseback riding. One really special trail is the Braille Nature Trail. It's in a small wooded area and is designed for people to explore with their hands, making it great for those who are blind or have low vision.
Kids aged 5 to 13 can join a fun program called the Kathryn A. Porter "Branching Out!" Garden. They learn about growing vegetables, herbs, and flowers. They even get to take home what they grow and learn about cooking and crafts!
The arboretum is also connected to the Patriots' Path. This is a big network of trails for hiking, biking, and riding horses. It links to other parks and green spaces all over New Jersey.
The Arboretum's Story
The arboretum is built around a beautiful old mansion and its formal gardens. You can explore nature trails with many trees and shrubs that are labeled so you can learn what they are.
This special place used to be a farm called Whippany Farm. It was owned by George Griswold Frelinghuysen (1851-1936) and his wife, Sara Ballantine. George was a smart businessman from New York City. Sara loved gardening, and in 1920, she planted many roses. She even designed the rose beds with a cool brick wall pattern.
Later, in 1964, their daughter, Matilda Frelinghuysen (1887-1969), had a wonderful idea. She started making plans to turn their family estate into an arboretum. She wanted it to be a place where everyone could enjoy nature and learn about plants. The Frelinghuysen Arboretum officially opened to the public in 1971, thanks to her vision!
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You'll see many evergreen trees all over the large property.
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In the summer, this gazebo sits over a small pond, a nice spot to relax.
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The arboretum has many different kinds of trees, plants, and gardens. Sometimes, young trees are protected by fences to keep deer from eating their leaves.
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Matilda E. Frelinghuysen left this beautiful 127-acre estate to Morris County in 1969. She helped plan to make it an arboretum for everyone to visit.
Images for kids
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The main entrance to the arboretum is on East Hanover Avenue.
