Ringwood In 1966, the State of New Jersey purchased the 1,117 acres of Skylands, a former country estate and the state’s first acquisition under the “Green Acres” preservation program. Governor Thomas Kean designated the central 96 acres surrounding the manor house as the State’s official botanical garden in 1984. Since 1976, the New Jersey Botanical Garden/Skylands Association, an incorporated, member-supported non-profit organization of volunteers, has worked with the State to preserve and protect Skylands and its historic structures, sponsoring programs, concerts and events at the Botanical Garden. Throughout the year, docents from the New Jersey Botanical Garden/Skylands Association offer guided group tours at the New Jersey State Botanical Garden. These weekday tours of the Garden, the Manor House or both are by reservation and may be arranged for groups of 15 and up. The first wildflowers of spring will be here before we know it. From then on, every day, new flowers will emerge. Each week, the Garden’s ninety-six landscaped acres will come alive with new growth as warm breezes and birdsongs replace the winter chill. Come experience the splendor of spring on daffodil hill in April or the beauty of two hundred fragrant lilacs in May. By June, all the Gardens will be in bloom and continue to surround us with brilliance throughout the summer months. When the splendor of autumn color explodes, a visit to the Garden continues to be a delightful choice. Weekday group tours are arranged to suit the season and the visiting group, and are partially handicapped accessible. Garden Tours are $5; Manor Tours are $5; combined tours are $8. Proceeds benefit work in the Botanical Garden. The New Jersey State Botanical Garden at Skylands, which appears on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places, is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day of the year. Admission to the Garden is always free. NJBG/Skylands is located off Morris Road in Ringwood, New Jersey. For an event schedule, membership brochure, directions or more information, please call 973-962-9534 or visit www.njbg.org. Call Group Tour Coordinator Anne Thornton at 973-962-9534 for more information or to schedule your a weekday tour of the manor or the gardens.