In 2016, a family donated its 42-acre Pennsylvania estate as a free public garden; after surviving an eminent-domain threat, Stoneleigh has now expanded by 10 acres to 52

The expansion is an unusual second chapter for Stoneleigh, which was converted to a free public garden in 2016 when the family that owned the estate gifted it to Natural Lands.

Two pieces of a historic Pennsylvania landscape were separated by a fence and a property line for more than a century. That division will soon be gone. Stoneleigh: a natural garden, a former private estate is growing from 42 acres to 52 after acquiring most of the adjoining Oakwell property. The addition reconnects landscapes that were split nearly 100 years ago, providing a larger space for gardens, education and public enjoyment, states the Natural Lands website. The expansion is an unusual second chapter for Stoneleigh, which was converted to a free public garden in 2016 when the family that owned the estate gifted it to Natural Lands. Scroll down to read the details of the transformation.

Bringing a historic landscape back together

The 10-acre addition is most of the 13-acre Oakwell property carved away from the original Stoneleigh estate in the 1920s and 1930s. The two properties are remarkably alike, yet they have been parted for generations. Visitors entering the northern garden path at Stoneleigh can glimpse soaring mature trees, historic architecture, and vestiges of previous garden designs that extend across the former property line. According to reports, the reunification will recapture a sense of the original scale of the landscape, while preserving the different histories that accrued on either side of the fence.

A school project takes a turn

The expansion was not an easy journey by any means. The Lower Merion School District bought the 13-acre Oakwell property from three private homeowners in 2018. The district had intended to use the land for athletic fields related to plans for a nearby middle school. Plans were later changed because of public concern about the possible loss of the property’s historic landscape and buildings. Five years after the purchase of Oakwell, the school district began to explore options with Natural Lands. Finally, the discussions resulted in a compromise which would save much of the property. Natural Lands will buy 10 acres to add to Stoneleigh and the remaining three acres will be passed to the Wyncote Foundation. This includes Oakwell Hall, which the foundation plans to restore and preserve.

The future – A larger garden

The new acreage will not be open to visitors right away. The added space will take several years of planning and restoration before it becomes part of Stoneleigh’s public experience. A new master plan offers a framework for integrating the two properties into a unified landscape. The expansion is expected to allow for more educational programming, enhanced visitor amenities, and new garden features while respecting the history of the area. The expanded garden will also contribute to Stoneleigh’s broader objective of highlighting the beauty and significance of the natural world and encouraging the cultivation of native plants.

From threatened landscape to national treasure

The story of Oakwell’s preservation is testimony to the strength of community engagement in saving historic landscapes. Rather than becoming school athletic fields, the property will remain mostly a free public garden, and the historic mansion will have a future devoted to preservation. For Stoneleigh, the leap from 42 to 52 acres is more than an expansion. It means the re-establishment of a link that was lost generations ago. When the new acreage is prepared, visitors will find a landscape that is less like two properties side by side and more like what it was once: a single historic estate, now becoming a public garden for generations to come.Images Courtesy: Natural Lands and istock