From Pleasant Days to Greenwood: A Century of Change in the Garden

Presented by Executive Director, Abby O’Neill

Over the course of a century starting in the early 1900s, two families, the Days and the Blanchards, invested major effort to turn Greenwood Gardens, the 28-acre public garden on Old Short Hills Road, into an enchanted hideaway, graced with winding paths, terraced gardens, woodlands, grottoes, fountains, and Arts and Crafts follies. In 2003, Peter P. Blanchard III and his wife Sofia set out to fulfill the wishes of Peter’s late father by turning the former private estate into a public garden, in the process, conserving it for posterity. Using archival and recent photos in her presentation, Abby O’Neill, Executive Director of Greenwood, illustrates how the Day and Blanchard families’ varied interests and styles made their mark on the property, particularly in the Main Axis, the core portion of the garden. Today, set against a backdrop of startling beauty and artifacts of the families’ unique history, their legacy lives on in Greenwood Gardens, a peaceful haven in which the visiting public can connect with nature and the past.

Abby O’Neill was named Executive Director of Greenwood Gardens in September of 2017 and is responsible for directing the efforts of a twelve-person staff to fulfill the organization’s mission of connecting people with nature and the arts in a historic garden oasis. Located in Short Hills, New Jersey, Greenwood is a 28-acre former private estate that opened to the public in 2013 and welcomes thousands of visitors each year between May and November. Greenwood offers visitors an exceptional experience through engaging tours, programs, and special events. NJ Family magazine voted Greenwood “the Prettiest Garden in New Jersey” in 2022.

Prior to joining Greenwood, Abby’s career encompassed roles in the corporate and non-profit sectors. She built and led Bank of America’s corporate social responsibility efforts for the state of New Jersey, served as an independent consultant to philanthropies and non-profits, and was a public relations executive at Drexel Burnham, Christie’s Auction House, and Burson-Marsteller.

Abby has been an active social sector volunteer and currently serves as a Trustee of the Union Foundation. A fellow of the Class of 2001 of Leadership New Jersey, she holds a B.A. from Vassar College. Abby is a resident of Tewksbury Township in Hunterdon County.