Welcome to The Demonstration Gardens at Penn State Cooperative Extension in Bucks County!

The Bucks County Master Gardeners welcome visitors to our Demonstration Gardens at the Neshaminy Manor Center, 1282 Almshouse Road in Doylestown, PA. These gardens have been a multi-year project beginning in 1999. The gardens are planned, planted and maintained by the Master Gardener volunteers. Costs for the plants and materials are covered solely by the fundraising efforts of the Master Gardener program, including our annual plant sale and donations to the program. We extend an open invitation to visit and enjoy our labor of love. The gardens are open every day from dawn to dusk.

Purpose of The Demonstration Gardens:

These gardens have been developed to teach the public about different aspects of gardening and plants suitable for different conditions. These gardens are continually evolving with new plants and materials introduced every year. We currently have 6 demonstration gardens on the grounds. While the gardens are at their best spring through fall, they are open to the public throughout the year. Garden brochures are available at each garden to provide a list of the plants included and information about the garden theme (during winter, inquire inside the Extension Office for brochures).

The Butterfly Habitat/Pollinator Garden is in full sun. The garden uses annuals, perennials and small shrubs to provide habitat for butterflies, bees and other pollinators. By using plants that support both the larval and adult insect stages, we hope to attract and keep pollinators in our garden over an extended period of time. We are supporting bees by providing both food and shelter.

The Dry Shade Garden has developed beneath the shade of a large magnolia tree. As the tree and its root system have grown, the area beneath the tree canopy has become progressively shadier and drier, hence the development of the dry shade garden. This garden contains perennials, annuals and shrubs that adapt well to dry, shady conditions.

And last but not least, the Almshouse Arboretum was initiated by the Master Gardeners in 2006 to provide the public with a variety of great trees suitable for many different conditions in the home landscape. The Arboretum will be used to demonstrate correct tree planting practices and proper care including pruning techniques. Since 2006, the Master Gardeners have added 35 trees to the existing inventory of mature trees at Neshaminy Manor Center, and will continue to add trees and shrub collections each year. The Master Gardeners have developed a walking tour of the Arboretum with a ringed binder for the public to use onsite. We are in the process of permanently labeling all the trees.

Scott Guiser, Extension Educator
Susan Schneck, Master Gardener Coordinator

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