Skylands Manor tours resume

at New Jersey Botanical Garden Ringwood - Guided tours of the ground floor of historic Skylands Manor at the New Jersey State Botanical Garden are now available to the public throughout the upcoming year. The next tour is April 5. Sponsored by the New Jersey Botanical Garden/Skylands Association, the 45-minute guided tours run from noon to 4 p.m. and are conducted by volunteer tour guides, or docents. Tours will take place on the first Sunday afternoon of each month through November, except July and September, when tours will be on the second Sunday. Tour dates are April 5, May 3, June 7, July 12, Aug. 2, Sept. 13, Oct. 4, and Nov. 1. Skylands Manor, a Tudor Revival mansion, was constructed in the early 20 century for Clarence Mc- Kenzie Lewis by renowned architect John Russell Pope. Pope also designed many outstanding private buildings, including the Jefferson Memorial and National Gallery of Art, both in Washington, D.C. Among Skylands Manor’s many attractions are a remarkable collection of antique stained glass medallions set in leaded windows, including pieces from 16th century German, Bavarian and Swiss sites. The lanterns, electrical fixtures, lamps, spiral staircase rail and gate were fashioned by Samuel Yellin, who led the American revival of the use of iron as decorative art. The suggested donations for Manor House tours are $5 for adults and $3 for seniors, $1 for children/students aged 6-18. Children under 6 are free. Since 1976, The New Jersey Botanical Garden/Skylands Association, an incorporated, member-supported non-profit organization of volunteers, has worked with the state to preserve and protect NJBG/Skylands and its historic structures. The New Jersey State Botanical Garden at Skylands, which appears on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places, is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day of the year. Admission to the garden is always free. Parking is free in the winter, spring and fall. In the summer, parking is free on weekdays, and $5 per car on summer weekends and holidays only. NJBG/Skylands is located off Morris Road in Ringwood. For more information, call 973-962-9534 or visit www.njbg.org.