New Jersey Botanical Gardens

The New Jersey State Botanical Garden is part of Ringwood State Park.  The Garden has the Skylands Castle that is often used for weddings and other major events.  The gardens cover dozens of acres and there is access to the nearby trails to go deep into the woods.  Many of the woods roads are in good enough shape to allow road vehicles access to deep sections of the woods.  

The Castle and the grounds adjacent to it are a spectacular place to film old-money scenes.  The purposely-designed landscape started with a patio out the back, to a reception lawn to a koi pond and down into more gardens.  Because this is used today for many weddings a large events, the area is well maintained and there is staff for any occasion.  During the winter, volunteers dress the outside and inside with Victorian Christmas decorations, making this ideal for a charming Christmas production.

Having served multiple roles in its history, there are a number of abandoned buildings offering a contrast to the well-maintained grounds and castle.  These are usually found at least a few hundred yards from the gardens and can be reached via maintained woods roads.

In addition to the buildings and manicured lawns, there are also multiple gardens representing ecosystems found in the Northeast.  From a winter garden featuring pines to swampy trails teaming with wildflowers; you will find almost any garden scene to fit your needs.