Greenwood Gardens Is Restoring Its Historic Fountain (See Details)

MILLBURN-SHORT HILLS, NJ — Greenwood Gardens, a historic 28-acre public garden located in Short Hills, has announced it is restoring its majestic Cascade fountain: a seven-tier water feature built in 1916.

Expected to be completed this fall, the project will evolve over the course of the season – which begins on May 2 – and will provide visitors with a firsthand view of how the century-old structure is being brought back to life, administrators said.

“At a total cost of $2.7 million, Greenwood has so far quietly raised a total of $2,043,714 from generous donors, and we expect to raise the remaining funds in the coming months,” executive director Abby O’Neill said.

The garden will be open to the public for the duration of the project.

Greenwood Gardens released the following details about the restoration plan:

“After two years of rigorous study, investigation, and testing, Robinson Anderson Summers Landscape Architects, project architects, and Hobbs, Inc., project engineers, determined that much of the fountain’s existing structure could be preserved. Apart from the structural repairs, modern plumbing will be installed to reestablish the cascading water, historic Rookwood tiles will be restored and mounted in their original locations, and new ornamental horticulture displays will decorate the three planting areas that border the fountain.”

Greenwood Gardens administrators continued:

“Originally commissioned by the Day family, this unique fountain represents an era when form and function combined to create a one-of-a-kind structure. The Cascade design was loosely adapted from one designed in the 1620s by a renowned Baroque architect of the time, Carlo Maderno, for a villa in Frascati, Italy. Once the restoration of the Cascade is complete, visitors will be able to experience the revitalizing effect of the sight and sound of water flowing down this monumental structure engineered over a century ago.”

“The restoration of this iconic symbol of Greenwood’s rich history will transform the visitor experience,” board of trustees chair Louise Moos said.

“Its complex design and location beneath the East Terrace will provide onlookers with a breathtaking view down its length — and beyond — to the adjacent protected 1,200 acres of South Mountain Reservation,” Moos added.

Located at 274 Old Short Hills Road in Short Hills, Greenwood Gardens will be open to the public this season on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from May 2 through Nov. 9 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

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