The garden is managed by the Penn State Extension. Open to the public dawn to dusk. There are interpretive signs throughout the garden as well as plant identification signs.
" Penn State Master Gardeners worked with the Kings Gap staff to create a beautiful educational display garden at Kings Gap, an environmental education and training center on South Mountain that is owned and operated by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Bureau of State Parks.
On the top of South Mountain, at the end of a scenic four mile drive, you will find the beautiful Mansion Garden. The very winding road was designed so that horses pulling carriages full of guests would maintain a constant gait.
The serenity of its peaceful setting and the vibrance of its colorful blooms create a garden to be experienced and enjoyed in all seasons. The garden is open 365 days a year from the flowers of spring to the grasses dancing in the winter winds.
Surrounded by the original garden's stone wall, the Mansion Garden is located between the Cameron-Masland Mansion and the Kings Gap Environmental Education Center.
The garden was first formed from the wagonloads of soil brought up the mountain from miles away in order to provide fresh produce for the mansion's original owners. The white currant bushes from the original garden still remain to this day.
Today's garden was started in 1992 as a collaborative educational project of the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks and the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners in Cumberland County. This outdoor classroom inspires, teaches, and demonstrates sustainable gardening practices that can be used in home landscapes.
Enclosed within the stone walls of the original garden are herb garden beds, native shade and woodland gardens, a pond, and a compost demonstration area which provide education and beauty year round.
The Herb Garden features four garden beds displaying a wide variety of culinary, medicinal, fragrance, and dye herbs, including a variety of unusual and native species.
The Native Habitat features plants native to the eastern United States. Here is a place to see the beauty and benefit of native plants with flowers, foliage, and fruits that provide food, shelter, and nesting areas for wildlife, birds, and insects. The garden is pollinator-friendly and showcases plants which residents can use in their own gardens.
The Woodland Area provides shade on a hot summer day as it presents a diverse display of plants which thrive with very few hours of sunlight.
The Pond is teeming with life from dragonflies and salamanders to tadpoles maturing to frogs and toads that sing to delight and entertain guests of all ages.
The Compost Demonstration Area showcases best practices and sustainable composting methods for county residents and home gardeners.
There are numerous Kings Gap events which feature interaction with the Mansion Garden. Music on the Mountain always includes a children's activity near the garden gate. Garden tours are offered in celebration of Heritage Day. Demonstrations in the garden are offered during the Native Plant Sale, and educational information booths and activities are featured during Garden Harvest Day.
Each year, the Master Gardeners improve and expand the plantings, perform regular plant maintenance, and conduct programs and tours to educate visitors about plants and gardening. The Kings Gap Mansion Garden is an opportunity waiting to be experienced!
Courtesy of June Morgan, Penn State Master Gardener in Cumberland County"
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