Amidst the peace and serenity that envelop Prospect Garden, there is rarely an unoccupied moment in this distinctive space.
A focal point of the Princeton campus for decades, the Garden welcomes visitors strolling along the paths, prospective students tentatively glancing at the well-tended flower beds and newly married couples carefully positioning themselves for photos next to the fountain.
However, it is the students now sitting on the benches, reading on the grass and pausing on the paths that give John Wisniewski most pleasure. As Princeton's grounds supervisor, Wisniewski manages Prospect Garden. While he is appreciative of the many visitors and alumni who enjoy the Garden, "the students come first" for Wisniewski as he maintains this Princeton tradition each year.
Recently, Wisniewski and Jim Consolloy, grounds manager, agreed to spend a brisk fall morning with me in Prospect Garden. As we meandered along the paths, Wisniewski described his seasonal responsibilities in tending the Garden.
In addition to supervising the daily upkeep that the Garden requires, Wisniewski devotes much of his time to longterm planning. As he pointed to a tropical plant that has somehow thrived in New Jersey "It's an odd thing, but I love it," he added, smiling — he told me he has consulted trade magazines in search of other experimental plants.
Wisniewski maintains constant contact with the garden world outside of Princeton, giving advice to the groundskeepers of the Huntington Gardens of California, for instance.
Once a year, he travels to the Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania and often tours the Brooklyn Gardens and the New York Botanical Gardens, visiting his friends and fellow gardeners to exchange ideas and search for "something new." He also travels to other university campuses, including Cornell and Rutgers which have strong agricultural schools.
Wisniewski noted with pride that Princeton is one of the few campuses without an agriculture school that maintains acclaimed formal gardens. Prospect Garden is featured in the book "Gardens of New Jersey" and is frequently visited by horticultural societies.
As he gathers his ideas, Wisniewski gradually and meticulously formulates his plan for the year's plantings. The design of the Princeton crest-shaped Garden is intended to be viewed from Prospect House, requiring careful placement of each plant to ensure they can be enjoyed from Prospect's higher elevation. Along the Garden's paths, plants form three layers so that the tallest plants do not obstruct the view of the shortest.
Wisniewski occasionally pauses to recall the origins of a specific plant, remembering fondly the one that came from a particular faculty member's retirement party. Consolloy, meanwhile, points to the evergreens that encircle the Garden, many of which are planted after they adorn Prospect House's foyer during the Christmas season.
Wisniewski said he feels that the "high point" of the Garden is early spring. And preparation begins in late October. Few students realize, as they admire the dwindling fall foliage, that it will be replaced within a month by 10,000 tulip and daffodil bulbs strategically planted by color scheme.
However, by late May, the P-rades and reunions herald a drastic 10 people churns the soil and transplants the summer array of 8,000 starter plants — called "plugs" — from the greenhouse to the flowerbeds. Wisniewski refers to this season of working around the unpredictable weather and finishing before the crowds arrive as "the blitz."
As he describes his role in managing Prospect Garden, Wisniewski stressed that it is not "a one-man show," but rather involves the collective efforts of students, faculty and grounds staff. When the students are studying, reading or participating in precept discussions in the Garden, it is being "enjoyed by the people who are supposed to enjoy it."
Wisniewski said he appreciates the respect that students show towards the garden.
The only true threat to the wellbeing of the plants is probably the squirrels in search of tulip bulbs during the winter.
Wisniewski recalled the year when a horticulture club was founded on campus. He also laughed good-naturedly at those moments when visitors misidentify the names of plants to impress their fellow travelers with their supposed botanical knowledge.
As an Orange Key tour group passed nearby on the path, he paused our interview for a moment to listen. "Let's hear what stories they tell," he said.
Through learning the technical details of creating a formal garden, what stands out most about Wisniewski is his personal connection to the Garden.
"Each year it's personal and each year it changes," said Consolloy, nodding in Wisniewski's direction. "That's what I love about John's garden."
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