Leonard J. Buck Garden

About Us:

The Leonard J. Buck Garden is one of the premier rock gardens in the eastern United States. Begun in the late 1930's, the garden has reached a breathtaking point of maturity. It consists of a series of alpine and woodland gardens situated in a 33-acre wooded stream valley. Named for Mr. Leonard J. Buck, who developed the garden as part of his estate, it was donated to the Somerset County Park Commission by Mrs. Helen Buck in 1976.

Mr. Buck worked with Mr. Zenon Schreiber, a well-known landscape architect, to develop a naturalistic garden which incorporated several large rock outcroppings found on the property. Their aim was to create a garden that would be ecologically correct and not recognizable as being man-made. Each outcropping is slightly different, creating varying exposures and microclimates which enable different plant associations to thrive.