20th century
Development of Brookside Gardens began in 1965 on land formerly owned by Stadler Nursery. [2] Inspired by Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, [3] [4] Commission landscape architect Hans Hanses provided the original design of Brookside Gardens, with the goal of dividing the landscape into discrete "rooms" showcasing plants that were readily available to local gardeners. [2] Hanses later remarked that "the main idea for the garden was to supply the average homeowner with ideas for his own use. Everything you see here is not exotic, but something which grows well in the metropolitan area and which one can buy in any garden center." [5]
After four years of development, Brookside Gardens opened to the public on July 13, 1969. [2] The original grounds, covering 25 acres (10 ha), included three formal gardens leading to a wedding gazebo, an azalea walk, and a conservatory. [2] Because the Commission lacked the funds to hire an architect, Carl Schoening, then Chief of Horticulture for Montgomery Parks, designed the conservatory himself. [3] In its first year, Brookside Gardens hosted 35,000 visitors. [2]
Beginning in 1972, new gardens were added to the property, initially including the Fragrance Garden, the Rose Garden, and the Gude Garden. [2] The Japanese-inspired Gude Garden, which incorporates a large wooden tea house, was donated by Congressman Gilbert Gude to his father and nurseryman Adolph Gude. [6] Later additions to Brookside Gardens included the Trial Garden for testing new annuals [7] and the Aquatic Garden. [2]
A donation from Elizabeth Turner made possible the construction of a multi-use Visitors Center, which opened in June 1998, and includes a gift shop, information desk, horticultural library, adult and children’s classrooms, auditorium, and offices classroom and meeting space. [2]
21st century
In 2004, the Commission dedicated a monument and terrace to the victims of the 2002 sniper shootings in Montgomery County. [2] [8] In 2006, staff and volunteers added a labyrinth to the Gude Garden, and in 2007, the Commission replaced the Rock Garden near the Conservatory entrance with a Rain Garden. [2]
Brookside Gardens currently covers 54 acres (22 ha), with 32 acres of cultivated gardens. [2] In 2024, approximately 414,150 people visited the gardens. [2]
