SHORT HILLS, NJ — A historic public garden in Essex County will reopen its iconic fountain this spring.
Greenwood Gardens – which spans 28-acres in Short Hills – will be reopening its century-old Italianate Baroque-style fountain after the winter thaw. When it does, water will flow down the seven tiers of the meticulously restored architectural structure for the first time since the early part of the 20th century.
A major renovation effort for the fountain was announced in 2025, but the idea has been in the works for years.
“This project was three years in the making and represents the completion of the last of the site’s major water features,” said Louise Moos, chair of the Board of Trustees.
“We are grateful to the members of our extended community for their generous support,” she added.
According to the nonprofit, a design team led by Allan Summers, principal of Robinson Anderson Summers Landscape Architects, and Hobbs Incorporated, general contractor, conducted two years of rigorous testing and determined that much of the fountain’s existing structure could be preserved.
Funding for the $2.7 million project was provided by the private support of donors.
Greenwood Gardens provided some background details about the fountain’s historical significance:
“The expansive Cascade was designed by William Whetten Renwick (1864 – 1933), for the property’s original owner, Joseph P. Day. William was the nephew of famed Gothic Revival architect James Renwick, Jr., designer of such notable New York City landmarks as St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Smithsonian Institution, and Grace Church. William Renwick was a man of many artistic gifts: an architect, sculptor, painter, and garden designer. He studied sculpture at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and was affiliated with the American Institute of Architects, the National Sculpture Society, and the Salmagundi Club. He eventually became partner in his uncle’s firm, and his family’s presence in Short Hills was deeply rooted.”
The nonprofit continues:
“William’s inspiration for the Cascade was a fountain created in the 1620s by renowned Baroque architect, Carlo Maderno, for a villa in Frascati, Italy. Maderno is remembered as one of the fathers of Baroque architecture. Maderno’s façades on Santa Susanna, St. Peter’s Basilica, and Sant’Andrea della Valle were part of the evolution of the Italian Baroque style. The symmetry and complexity of the Cascade were purposefully built on a grand scale. Its strong architectural concept was meant to demonstrate dramatic flair, complementary to the garden overall.”
“We believe our visitors will derive peace and relaxation from this stately structure,” executive director Abby O’Neill said.
O’Neill pointed out the fountain’s location – tucked into the hillside below the East Terrace – which offers scenic views of South Mountain Reservation. New plantings, accessible twin horseshoe staircases and Arts and Crafts era Rookwood ceramics in shell, leaf, and masque designs embellish the restored structure, she said.
Adding it all up, the fountain tells a story not just of water and stone – but of “grandeur revived.”
“It wasn’t just ornamental; this structure was deeply personal for the Day family and the subsequent owners of the property, the Blanchard family — who in 2003, acted on their dream to create a public garden for all to enjoy,” the nonprofit said.
Greenwood Gardens will open for the 2026 season from May 1 through Nov. 8. Learn more here.
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