Stoneleigh garden expands to 52 acres after surviving eminent-domain threat

The expansion is an unusual second chapter for Stoneleigh, which was converted to a free public garden in 2016 when the family that owned the estate gifted it to Natural Lands.Two pieces of a historic Pennsylvania landscape were separated by a fence and a property line for more than a century. That division will soon be gone. Stoneleigh: a natural garden, a former private estate is growing from 42 acres to 52 after acquiring most of the adjoining Oakwell property. The addition reconnects landscapes that were split nearly 100 years ago, providing a larger space for gardens, education and public enjoyment, states the Natural Lands website. The expansion is an unusual second chapter for Stoneleigh, which was converted to a free public garden in 2016 when the family that owned the estate gifte