The Summit Garden Club Preserves a Legacy
The Garden Club of America Collection of the Smithsonian Archives of American Gardens Adds a New Garden in Summit, NJ.
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December 04, 2024
By: Lina Di Blasio
Gardens can serve as living legacies. In June 2024, the Summit Garden Club (SGC) documented the Reeves Memorial Garden for the GCA Collection of the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Gardens. The combination of greenery and white flowers creates a timeless, contemplative, and serene space maintained by dedicated volunteers.
The garden, established in 1960 with funds donated by former SGC president Mrs. Ernest Early, is located in the courtyard of the United Methodist Church of Summit and dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Early's late husband, Richard E. Reeves.
In 1983, the Reeves family funded a restoration that included a flagstone terrace and a stone wall displaying a plaque engraved with the names of those interred. In 1984, the garden was officially recognized as the Reeves Memorial Garden.
In 2020, with the support of church and community volunteers, SGC spearheaded and donated funds to another restoration project to repair sprinklers, address drainage issues, and purchase perennials that provide fresh blooms throughout the season.
SGC’s connection to the Reeves legacy continues through the near-by Reeves-Reed Arboretum (RRA), founded in 1974. The property known as “The Clearing” was once home to three families: the Wisners, Mrs. Ernest Early and her first husband, Richard E. Reeves, and the Reeds. SGC maintains the herb garden and makes annual donations to support RRA’s seasonal gardener and its Hands-to-Nature program, which provides nature-inspired education for Newark students.
The Smithsonian’s Archives of American Gardens (AAG) collects and preserves images and records documenting the history of American gardens. In partnership with The Garden Club of America (GCA), nearly 5,000 gardens have been documented by GCA member clubs for The Garden Club of America Collection at AAG.
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(Photos SG-NJ681017, SG-NJ681016, SG-NJ681014 by Elizabeth Gump). Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America Collection
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