Durand Park Memorial Arboretum

225 Randolph Drive, East Freehold, Freehold Township, Monmouth County, NJ

Directions:

Take Garden State Parkway south to Exit 109; turn right onto Newman Springs Road; before getting to Brookdale Community College and Thompson park, turn left onto Swimming River Road. Head south and turn right onto Route 537 (County Road/Colts Neck Road). Shortly after passing the intersection with Route 18, turn right onto Randolph Road; drive 0.5 of a mile and turn left into the park entrance.

History:

Helen Herrmann and Elizabeth Durand gave their Freehold Farms, the Baysholm Conservation Area and the Durand Tract, to Monmouth County.

Trails:

March 27, 2004. This is a widely open area with quite a few planted trees. The compacted dirt road into the place is a yellowish orange color. On the right is an attractive black obelisk marking the park dedication in the year 2001.

We parked near the Red Oak Dedication. This area holds a memorial to the victims of 9/11/2001 (the destruction of the World Trade Center). It is surrounded by planted Carolina silverbell. Nearby is dammed Durand Pond (with attendant fishermen). Its overflow makes up Yellow Brook that heads down and through the Wooded Ravine.

Passing over the dam one comes to the Butterfly Meadow. This is an interesting place because the kiosk tells the types of grass and wildflower species planted in the various sections of the butterfly meadows. There is also information on the butterfly species to be found here.

Also in the park, there is a plaque with the following saying:

"The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago; the second best time is now."

PLANT LIST:

Dr. Patrick L. Cooney

In the Butterfly Meadow:

Trees:

Acer saccharum (sugar maple)

Juniperus virginiana (red cedar)

Quercus rubra (red oak)

Quercus (shingle oak)

Herbs:

baby’s breath

black-eyed Susan

California poppy

catchfly

chicory

common evening primrose

corn poppy

goldenrod

Indian blanket

Joe Pye weed

lance-leaved coreopsis

Lewis flax

New England aster

ox-eye daisy

purple cone flower

scarlet flax

yarrow

Grasses:

azure blue fescue grass

big bluestem grass

blue fescue

blue grama

Indian grass

little blue stem

side oats grama

switch grass

Other plants in the arboretum:

Trees:

black locust

sassafras

tulip tree

Shrubs:

multiflora rose

Vines:

Asiatic bittersweet

Herbs:

clover

dogbane

field garlic

garlic mustard

mugwort

swamp cabbage

thistle

white avens