Today Duke Farms is a 2,700 acre environmental center in Hillsborough, New Jersey. However, it was originally the estate of James Buchanan Duke and his duaghter Doris Duke. Following Doris' death in 1993, she left the estate to the Doris Duke Foundation with limited instructions and a goal of preservation.
The mansion in which Doris Duke lived until her death was demolished in 2016, but the nearby "Japanese Garden" remains intact. The Foundation did not consider the garden to be authentically a Japanese garden and has since renamed the garden "The Mediation Garden."
Website: https://www.dukefarms.org/plan-your-visit/
I accessed the garden via the Arboretum Way via bicycle, and then walked across a bridge over Frog Lake to the area where the Meditation Garden is located.
Although there is a well defined path, the area is overgrown. The first sign that you are in the garden is the appearance of bamboo and a large guardian statue (one of two) located near a Japanese style tea house.
The structure is in need of some maintenance and restoration. In fact, the entire garden suffers from neglect.
There are several lanterns within, with some showing signs of damage.
The bridge is a nice feature, and I suspect the primary means by which Doris Day visited the garden from the mansion that originally resided on the opposite side of the Frog and Heron Lakes which the bridge traverses. However, the bridge is showing serious signs of structural decay when viewed up close.
The Acer maples within the garden are well established and have unique features given the age and growth.
Overall, the garden was interesting. Based on its origins I think its safe to say it falls under the category of a early 20th century "orientalist" style of gardening. Doris Duke referred to it as a "Japanese Garden" and it does have some elements found in a Japanese style garden. However, many other aspects of it lack authenticity.
As an extension of the mansion grounds (now the Arboretum), the garden makes senes given the history of the estate. Unfortunately, the Doris Duke Foundation has raised controversy by its demolition of the mansion and its unwillingness to emphasize the impact of the Duke family on the property. As a result, the garden is left out of context. The family, their mansion, and the history in which the garden was inspired and designed are now lost to visitors, and with it a true understanding of the garden's significance. Given the $2 billion endowment of the Doris Duke Foundation, that is a sad outcome.
