It was 50 years ago that I worked on the grounds crew at Jasna Polana, the J. Seward Johnson estate in Princeton, New Jersey. At that time the main house was still under construction, Polish stonemasons and ironworkers were finishing the perimeter fence, and construction crews were tearing apart the stately magnolia walk to install drainage and save the trees. Much of the estate was wooded, with walking trails, and fenced-in sheep meadows gave the place a farm-like feel.

For years I wondered what it would be like to walk the estate grounds where I’d worked as a young man. Johnson’s widow leased the property to Tournament Players Club (TPC), and it was transformed into a world-class golf course. The big house became the clubhouse, and an event venue for parties and weddings. Under the domed solarium, the saltwater pool was replaced with a ballroom floor. The walled rose garden got a roof and became the Pro Shop.

On a recent trip east I arranged for a media tour, and the TPC management graciously agreed. Marjorie and I got VIP treatment, and my first opportunity to explore the mansion’s interior spaces. You can see much of what we saw at this link: https://www.weddingwire.com/biz/tpc-jasna-polana-princeton/1131096f5778a030.html#gallery.

I was particularly interested in the gardens surrounding the house, where I’d once worked. What we saw there was an estate garden in decline, but with some spectacular trees. Most of the gardens I’d cared for were being invaded by weeds and vines. The kitchen herb garden looked abandoned. Some of the impressive stonework has settled and cracked. There were gaps in the plantings where shrubs and perennials had died and not been replaced.

I vividly remember the huge boxwoods surrounding the formal gardens and reflecting pool, transplanted from a southern plantation at great expense. There’s no trace of them today; chances are they weren’t protected from snow and ice loads and were crushed. Velvety bentgrass no longer carpets the former bocce ball court, just a poorly maintained lawn. As a landscape professional specializing in “makeovers” of troubled landscapes, I know the signs of a landscape death spiral, and I saw them everywhere I looked. Clearly there was no tender loving care by a real gardener.

This makes perfect sense in today’s world. Fancy show gardens like the Biltmore estate, Longwood Gardens and Winterthur are very labor-intensive and costly to maintain. They need to have a business purpose; a steady stream of revenue from visitors who pay to enjoy them. They’re often subsidized by huge endowments, and staffed by eager interns and volunteers. Golfers and wedding parties aren’t a sufficient source of funds to maintain large estate gardens.

Still, Jasna Polana is beautiful and impressive. You can take a breathtaking video tour of the house and grounds at this link: https://vimeo.com/849562750. Take a minute to enjoy this short film!

Steve Boehme is a landscape designer/installer specializing in landscape “makeovers.” “Let’s Grow” is published weekly; column archives are online at www.goodseedfarm.com. For more information, call GoodSeed Farm Landscapes at (937) 587-7021.