I was fortunate enough to visit the house and the gardens all of the greenhouses and I can only say it was absolutely magnificent. That all of this beauty was allowed to be dismantled, auctioned off, and ultimately demolished is criminal and heartbreaking whoever is responsible should be ashamed of themselves.
Don't you think someone should make a really professional documentary about this atrocity and what happens when a Board of Trustees cannot be trusted to preserve the Legacy they were hired to preserve
Yes I'm waiting for somebody to make a documentary about the Doris Duke foundation and how they were derelict in protecting her Legacy . There is a video here called Doris Duke birthday party at Duke Island and they discuss a lot of this . But it just would make more sense if somebody put together an award-winning style documentary . Looks like they tried to replace the conservatory Gardens .... it's nowhere near as beautiful and magical as it was before with the Chinese gardens and Japanese gardens . A lot of it just looks like a garden center where you would go to buy plants regretfully
I worked there first in the Orchid Range then to the Display Gardens I was in charge of the Italian Garden, Edwardian Garden and the Semi-tropical Garden, we kept the gardens spotless, I also led tours and trained guides. Some of my fondest memories are the whole estate as I was born and raised there too. When she died and the foundation took over many of us were asked to write our memories which I did and so did my mother we were never acknowledged. Some of the things that are published are not true
I would have loved to have seen what those green houses looked like before the Foundation destroyed the place . I believe you and I saw the video here called Doris Duke birthday party at Duke Island . I listened to what was said by people who genuinely loved Doris Duke and her property there . It sounds like the Doris Duke Foundation has some people you should never have been given the title trustee as they were obviously untrustworthy I did not protect Doris' legacy . I really wish somebody would make a very professional style documentary about how they violated her Trust and I wish they would show footage of how beautiful it used to be there . I hear they also tore down the mansion .
The foundation doesn't seem to have a care about it...it all! However, I'm sure they appreciate the funding she yet provides for the proper care to be given to it! Shameful.
@henisland Thank you for speaking up. I was heart broken when I saw what happened to the beautiful indoor gardens. They were a national treasure and should have been preserved.....not treated like junk in a landfill.
She was the most excellent woman I had ever met. She and I hit it off when I was a young 17-year-old girl. Ms. Duke always called my mom and asked if she'd mind if she could see me. My mom loved her so much, and they even spoke about humanitarian aid. Ms. Duke helped my mom, who devoted her life to humanitarian aid worldwide. My grandfather made pearls for her, one of a kind. It was shocking when she asked my mother about a set of pearls she was wearing. That's when we learned of that, as my grandfather was the man who made one-of-a-kind design jewelry introducing pearls to the Japanese and making so many different styles for many. He also was the one if you're wearing an Eternity band made the first in the world. I'm thrilled I have the first he made. Ms. Duke became an essential part of my life, and confident decisions, I'd ask her advice. It breaks my heart what the state of New Jersey has been endlessly doing to her estate, the grounds that she loved so dearly, the fantastic trees she had flown in from Africa and planted so perfectly. I'll often go quietly and sit and remember those beautiful moments of having the pleasure of knowing the real woman behind certain people's beliefs. There are so many things people aren't aware of that she deserves credit for, and the state has some nerve-damaging what could have been a fantastic historical history lesson and more. I miss her dearly. Was she close to her family? I'll never speak regarding that. She lived very down-to-earth often; she'd even randomly leave her house and enjoy the people who came to visit her beautiful greenhouses. I remember the first time I saw her do it and the faces of shock and amazement on people's faces. She wasn't what people assumed she was in any sense or did she care much for having to be privately protected 247. I remember a real woman human being. Money is nice, but there are many things it can't buy; it can't bring joy and happiness. She often said sure thing's like that to me. I am grateful for certain parts of the 80s, and when she suddenly passed away, I was on the road. I also thank her for the advice she gave me on that one. She'd always wear wonderfully dressed, always Ms. Duke looked even in her long flowing dresses she'd wear relaxing, and her lovely sportswear. She brought me my frist amazing Ralph Lauren sweater. I cherish every moment, good or sad, when around her. Ms. Duke would be rolling in her grave if she saw what they did to her amazing gardens and property :(
You can hear them talk about how screwed up the trustees are at the Doris Duke Foundation and a video here called the Doris Duke birthday party at Duke Island . I wish somebody would make a really good documentary about this whole thing. I also looked at more recent videos and it looks like they tried to replace it but as the saying goes it is only a shadow of the original Gardens... lot of the magic is gone and much of it just looks like a garden center where you would go to buy plants . You can see the difference various videos when you look for Duke Gardens.. most of the magic is gone and I guess they try to replace it because too many people complained but you can definitely see the difference... look at the video of what it used to look like.... that one is only about 2 minutes long or less and it's a shame it doesn't have more detail.
This made me cry. I can't believe they would take something so beautiful and rip it apart and for what. It's a shame I never made it there when I lived in the borough.
@lilypondlane I agree with you. I had seen the gardens before they were destroyed by the very people that were bound to protect them. It was such a shock to see the greenhouses in such a state....fortunately I had my camera with me to document what was done. I wish had been able to video the way the beautiful gardens had looked in their prime.
I'm sure the park is beautiful, but the greenhouses were amazing, and it's so sad to see them in ruins. I toured them maybe 5 times in the 70's and 80's, and they were an oasis of beauty in the cold, dull winter months. It's something that can never be re-captured.
To see the gardens turned into this disaster is tough to take. I can Imagine what Doris Duke's reaction would be as well....I'm sorry that I didn't capture images of when it was beautiful. Now, it's only a memory.
Without the worst example of a very wealthy woman, who wanted to share her beauty for others to experience. By worst I refer to the "board members" who destroyed one woman love for art and gardening. May they suffer greatly for the destruction of Doris Duke's extraordinary landmark and the history that was destroyed. Whether it was in NJ or elsewhere it was worthy of being loved as Doris Duke had done during her lifetime.
The trustees of the Doris Duke Foundation were anything but trustworthy... I would love to be able to find footage of what the gardens in there looked like before they were destroyed . Go to vid called the Doris Duke birthday party at Duke Island and you will hear them talk about how the board of Trustees did not honor her wishes
I took a school field trip here in the eighties,Beautiful place. I can't believe it got destroyed and the board squandered all the money the family had.SOOO sad
This makes me so sad.. I cried though the whole video.. My mom Mel and brother Eric both worked there . Mom for close to 20 yrs and Eric maybe 5 or so . It was beautiful, the flowers and plants. The smell of the roses and the orange trees were my favorites. I am truly sadden by the recklessness of those left in charge!!!!!! There was cause for this...I
I am sure this could of been prevented. Miss Duke work long and hard to create this beautiful place..I am also sure there are other people like me ,who would of volunteered there time to keep this from happening....it just makes me ill and sick to my stomach to see the ruins that it is now!!!!! I am a believer in karma , and those that did this will be dealt with harshly .. I am so glad I have photos I took when I went there and lots of postcards they used to sell... Thank you so much Wanda fo
@wworldp I wonder what excuse/reasoning the foundation presented to uphold its decision to withdraw support and maintenance? Rather than abandon the premises, couldn't funds from the government or private donors have helped to defray costs? It takes years to build a treasure like this, but apparently a very short time to bring the whole thing down. A tragedy indeed. Thanks for bringing this situation to the attention of many.
Someone said they complain about the cost of heating the place ...if you can believe that. Ridiculous absolutely ridiculous. As if they never heard of solar heating and windmill power . It was as if they cut the heart out of that estate . It's like a criminal act that they did not honor Doris Duke's Legacy and if she saw it today she would feel absolutely gutted
Yes, it would be. Unfortunately I didn't take the opportunity when it was available. It is easy to make the mistake of thinking that because something is so beautiful and remarkable that it will continue to exist. On a return visit I was horrified by the distruction of the gardens; the video captures what I saw there for the first time. I had been expecting to see the gardens in the same condition as in my previous visit.
This saddens me. As a teenager in the late '70's, I was fortunate enough to take several tours through the gardens. While I didn't really appreciate the significance at the time, I did love how the gardens were presented....one after another, all different. You'd go into a desert then a formal setting, then into the tropics. After moving out of Hillsborough 20 years ago, I've always missed driving on Duke Farm Rds from Somerville to Hillsborough. She had herds of deer, too.
I know these gardens didn't fit the current vision of "environmentally friendly," but still, they were pretty phenomenal. The new Orchid Range display is very nice, but not much compared to the old greenhouses. Kinda hard to believe they spent $45 million to re-open that property to the public, but couldn't find a vision that included Doris Duke's very own conservatories.
What happened was downright evil . I wish so much somebody would make a professional documentary about this atrocity and what happens when a Board of Trustees are anything but trustworthy . For Doris Duke.... they cut the heart out of her estate
@muse425 I found the destruction in March 2009. It was quite a shock because I expected to see the property as is was on a previous visit a couple of years earlier. After looking into the situation, I found that people living in the area tried to prevent this. They demonstrated, went to meetings, contacted newspapers, etc. Unfortunately, the destroyers had their way.
@TrvlAgt I know how you feel. To have seen the gardens the way they were and then be confronted with such senseless destruction is almost on the level of unbelievable. One would think that it would even be criminal. Some time after making the video I met the Chairperson of the Foundation Board that was responsible for this decision. We were in a social setting so I had to contain myself but I almost thought I would EXPLODE!!
There are some photos on flickr. Some are like your video before and after. I hope to go back some day soon and see what has become of these once beautiful gardens... Thanks Arlene
Yes I totally agree with you... this is why I wish some body would make a really professional style documentary about this atrocity to bring attention to what happens when something goes really wrong with a Board of Trustees . If Doris Duke saw it , she would die all over again of a heart attack
I wish I could find footage of what the gardens used to look like . This whole thing makes me very angry about that rotten Board of Trustees at the Doris Duke Foundation .
I worked for Miss Duke for 13 years. I did work at the Farm, in Hawaii, In New York and in Newport RI. I truly believe that She would be angry over what has become of Her Heritage. Peter Kent, Florida
I believe Doris Duke would be more than angry... I believe she would have bought criminal charges against them. .. it's as if they deliberately tried to cut the heart out of that place by destroying beautiful living Gardens
@lilypondlane Although Doris Duke left money to maintain Duke Farm, Board members (many of whom "earn" annual compensation for their "service" on the Board that is equivalent to the income of two public school teachers) claimed that the greenhouses cost too much to heat! Visitors were charged a fee to tour the greenhouses but the Board made it difficult to visit because appointments were required weeks ahead of time AND hours for viewing were very limited. The Duke house was always off limits.
I guess the morons at the Board of Trustees never heard of solar power and windmill power... I would love to have seen footage of what the gardens looked like . We have the right to have pictures of the faces of these rotten people put on the internet for letting world class Gardens die
Wanda Kaluza...Thank you for the update. This is what happens when foundation members line their personal pockets versus keeping the wishes of the deceased.
That is why I wish somebody would make a very professional style documentary about this atrocity and what happens when trustees cannot be trusted Legacy of the person who made the mistake of putting their faith in them. it's like they cut the heart out of that estate
The Doris Duke Foundation did not bother to protect her Legacy.... this was her favorite property and where she spent most of her time . There is a video here on RUclips called the Doris Duke birthday party at Duke Island and in it they talk about how the Doris Duke Foundation did not honor her wishes . I heard the Mansion is gone also
The indoor gardens were wonderful; I saw them only once. This is what the gardens looked like during what I expected to be my second visit. It just goes to show that you can not count on anything lasting. Something can be terrific, beautiful and so enjoyable that you think it should exist forever but evil driven people (members of the Board in this case) put it to an end.
Shame on the trustees! Why didn't lawyers replace these trustees with people who wanted this magnificent piece of history continue on with the millions Doris Duke left. The properties should have been open 4 to 5 days a week with regular hours, Spring thru late fall. Money from tourists would have helped. Run it like a business. There would be plenty people happy with a teachers salary! This property still could be saved. Why wasn't the home open for regular tours with the wonderful antiques and furnishings? WHERE THE HELL IS THE MONEY TODAY? WHAT IS IT BEING USED FOR? WHY AREN'T THESE TRUSTEES ANSWERING TO SOMEONE? With no income from tourism, the taxes will just eat up the monies along with trustees.
Unfortunately I didn't take photos the one time I was there to see the terrific indoor gardens. By my second visit, they were destroyed. I was so shocked by the changed condition of the greenhouses! Fortunately I had my camera with me to document the destruction. Even in this condition, one has hints of its former glory.
It is a horror story thanks to the rotten Doris Duke Foundation who did not honor her wishes. There is an interesting video here called the Doris Duke birthday party at Duke Island . In it they talk about this problem
(4:00) I can't help but feel sad for the beautiful trees that died from lack of water. They were planted in a gilded cage, if not tended to they would certainly die. You can see how this carried into the life of the heiress Doris...Much like Barbara Hutton. It's proof that extreme money brings sorrow, heartache, and death.
This makes me so sad. We recently lose a large cluster of 200 year old live oaks here in our own yard. My husband ani ate in mourning over them. Oak wilt killed them. Just imagine how awful this documentary makes me feel.
Yes...I have been to the garden at Duke University and it is as you say - very well kept and beautiful. The indoor gardens at Duke Farms in NJ were also very special - it should have been kept that way.
The foundation that was to take care of the property didn't do its job. Letting the mansion run down in such a state is their fault. Of course they had no reason to spend the money for upkeep when by doing nothing they can put it into their pockets. I would say look at the costs to rehab the mansion and the value of the mansion after the rehab. If the mansion value is less than the rehab, then rehab the building. If the costs is greater than the value of the mansion then tear it down. In either case the rest of the property should be maintained.
Wanda Kaluza Oh wow Wanda.....please keep us in the loop. So sad. www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/somerset-county/2015/07/14/square-foot-duke-mansion-may-torn/30149119/
+Elizabeth Faraone Would if I could but they have always kept visitors away from the mansion site. Even when the greenhouse gardens were opened to the public, staff would escort guests and keep an eye on them so they couldn't break away and go where they were not wanted. Now that more of estate is open to visitors it is a bit of a secret as to where the mansion is located. I have never seen it. The people in charge would rather have it that way even though there are at least two other Duke mansions that have been open to the public for years. I have been to the one in Newport, RI. It is a shame that her NJ home has been allowed to be destroyed. By neglecting the home "they" now have an excuse for tearing it down - just as they always planned to do. The board of trustees are a bunch of cultural destroyers - nothing better than barbarians.
So tragic and heartbreaking. See how the gardens originally appeared in the video "A Tour of Duke Gardens." Something this glorious should never have been touched. They were the artistic creation of Doris Duke. I am sorry those managing your foundation couldn't appreciate the beauty of the gardens or their historic value out of respect for you. Rest in peace, Doris.
So sad to watch something so beautiful one time be destroyed. Why no auction to sell it to the lowest or in this case highest bidder. Those statues would be beautiful in some mansion estate.😥😣
Just there last week. Orchid house is small, but original. Looking through windows at the other remaining conservatory, but told o get away as the building was closed to the public. Must have been wonderful before '08. Then read about the mansion being torn down just this spring. Very sad. Everything now looks natural. The formality and structure of gardens can only be imagined.
Duke Farms has turned into a collection of ruins now offering only hints of what once was a grand estate thanks to the barbarians on the Board of "Trustees" who without shame make ridiculous decisions and line their pockets with huge sums of money to boot.
what a waste, that beautiful greenhouse...what a pity. the white house used to have a greenhouse like that in the late 1800's. the trustees who handled her estate are to blame for this neglect. why not donate, or sell these properties, to someone who will appreciate them and take care of them. i was astonished that BILTMORE, or was it MAR-A-LAGO, was actually left to the US government to use as a white house retreat of sorts, and the government did not want it, cause upkeep was too expensive. WHAT!? that is why these beautiful estates are left to rot. the US mentality does not look at old as being worth a whole lot, not to invest into keeping up, but new is the next thing to admire. that is a shame.
+bduhe219 Doris Duke left plenty of money to keep up the estate and greenhouse gardens with the intension of allowing public access. The trustees decided to use the money to pay themselves many times more than was justified and built a huge environmental welcome center which is of no value. Go figure - the entire estate has turned into one ruin after another and now they want to demolish the Duke mansion after they intentionally 1. failed to maintain it and 2. kept it from public view. The Board of Trustees are a bunch of Barbarians!!!
Wanda Kaluza it is so sad. if her will was honored as she intended, it would have been a beautiful addition to gardening tours and recrciational centers. too bad no one sees that as a valuable asset to a community. just think of KEW GARDENS as a centerpiece of LONDON beauty, and look how so many wonderful older estates are left to wither away. there really needs to be a federal department of antiquities, as many older nations have. protection of the jewels that are the american estates. i am really, and i can say this in confidence, appalled that we only have the WHITE HOUSE as an example of our highest representative lives and entertains. not because it is not beautiful, but that we have taken no example of the federal palaces, or the royal palaces around the world, where gardens, surroundings, livings, are representative of the excellence our nation strives for. it is a shame we put so much money into the building of weapons, we fail to see the beauty of good life, good living and beautiful surroundings. that is culture of a society, and we are lacking in really giving a damn. so sad.
The Board seems to have been a bunch of idiots, as well as being Philistines. Amazing. Boards generally cannot be trusted in post WW2 America. One of Duke's mistakes... Actually, if you will, even America herself cannot generally be trusted in the post WW2 world.
This is why I wish somebody would make a really professional style documentary about this Horror Story and explain how this board of directors violated Doris Duke's wishes.... somebody said their excuse was that it was too expensive to heat the place ... what ? As if they never heard of solar power and windmill power.... they could have done it .
I was talking to someone at work last week about Dukes Gardens and they said that it was completely done over.They said it is even better then it was before. Is this dukes garden in Hillsborough, N.J.? I went there there Green House and Land scrape was beautiful. At that time we pay $5.00 dollars to get in. I can't believe that it got that bad.WOW!!
Incredible and ironic that a State calling itself the Garden State would be a witness to this....? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It seems that all Greenhouses were at one point filled...? Also looks as if much interior destruction had taken place at the time of your filming. The Gardens were still strong, in circa 2005...? Perhaps the federal government has eyes on the land. (...) With the Barnes art there were a lot of 'Shakespearean dealings' as you know. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Fed. Ex. Branch cannot be trusted anymore, Wanda. They are slowly controlling and strangling the States, and usurping power wherever it exists. Not sure if they had a hand in the destruction of D.D.'s pretty Gardens, but who knows. Could a Board been that selfish and stupid, w/o some sort of hidden agenda?
The greenhouses were there for many years, and were gorgeous. Each one was laid out in a different style, with the appropriate plants for the style/region: Italian, Colonial, English, Indo/Persian, French, Japanese, Chinese, American Desert, Rain Forest, and a couple others I can't remember. I went there about 4 or 5 times in my lifetime; they had guided tours. It's so sad that the Foundation didn't think them worth keeping. I found a few photos online of the gardens, and there's a video here on RUclips that shows you what they looked like.
Can you please tell me what the name of that video is about Doris Duke Gardens showing what it used to look like ? I very much would love to see it and can't find it . Yes something very short-sighted and Evil about this Board of Trustees . It was like they try to cut out the heart of that estate... they gutted it . And what a terrible thing to do , both to Doris Duke and the people who would have cherished the place .
Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! How profoundly sad. Thank you for documenting this, Wanda. See my youtube video from 2011 on the glories of the garden as it was, ruclips.net/video/s41_slG1wY8/видео.html from my visit in 2006 which I will never forget. This is like destroying an art masterpiece. I feel devastated watching "what became of"... but am grateful to Wanda for the documentation. And I agree wholeheartedly with your comments. Carol (youtube channel: caroleenallc) - 84 videos
Wanda Kaluza Thanks for the update as the article didn't clarify. What a terrible shame; obviously Doris wouldn't have wanted the gardens to be destroyed after she spent so much time constructing them. A definite hidden agenda of the ones in charge. Even someone as myself who knows little of gardening knows what was destroyed was priceless. I was fortunate to see it in its glory and told others of it. It came to mind today as my daughter had just been at Longwood Gardens and I wanted to remind her of the Duke Garens only to find this posting. Unreal that they would let it go like that. Hell, if they had opened it to the public -- there are probably those who would have gone there and volunteered their time to help preserve them -- as many do with community gardens. Now it's too late and even with gobs of money, it would take an enormous amount of time to get it back.
Wanda Kaluza Unfortunately, if the change had not been made, I doubt they would have the money to keep sustaining the gardens as they were. I'm happy I got to see them when I was a kid, I'll never forget the asian inspired room and the one with the fountain.
Nice music. Interesting pictures. But I don't know that this tells the full story. There are some fine folks involved running Duke Farms. I can't imagine there was anything deliberately evil going on. Plants get old and die. They grow too large for the space they are in and have to be replaced with new growth. The judgement expressed here may be a bit harsh.
Are you kidding??? This isn't a case of plants getting old; the gardens were destroyed against Doris Duke's wishes. Am sure that there are some fine people associated with Duke Farms....but that does not include members of the Board. They are more evil than not....and I am not in the slightest bit harsh. That is just the way it is. Anyone with a sense of what is right and legal would not destroy a national treasure and think it ok to violate a will....Board members pay themselves extremely well especially for acting in a way that is amoral and irresponsible!!
ARE YOU JOKING ? What in the world is wrong with your brain... have you never heard of Longwood Gardens ? What happened here was an atrocity that could have been avoided very easily
If the trustees of DDCF and their families were brutally murdered, I would sleep much better at night. They have preyed on Dorris Duke since the minute she died, and all they care about is the money that they have stolen. I was only to Duke Gardens once, and it had such a huge impact on me. I have been hoping for a very long time that it would be put back the way it was, but it's obvious that will never happen.
Downright evil .. I keep saying I wish that somebody would make a very professional documentary about how this board of trustees violated what they were supposed to be doing... they were supposed to protect our sticks Legacy and did the exact opposite .
Beautiful presentation and lovely choice of music, as well...most fitting for a place that was once so lovely! Thank you
These videos about Doris Duke are wonderful! What an amazing life she lived.
I was fortunate enough to visit the house and the gardens all of the greenhouses and I can only say it was absolutely magnificent. That all of this beauty was allowed to be dismantled, auctioned off, and ultimately demolished is criminal and heartbreaking whoever is responsible should be ashamed of themselves.
Don't you think someone should make a really professional documentary about this atrocity and what happens when a Board of Trustees cannot be trusted to preserve the Legacy they were hired to preserve
Truly heartbreaking for any of us who love gardens. Such greenhouses can never be replaced, never mind the plants and flowers. This is criminal.
Yes I'm waiting for somebody to make a documentary about the Doris Duke foundation and how they were derelict in protecting her Legacy .
There is a video here called Doris Duke birthday party at Duke Island and they discuss a lot of this .
But it just would make more sense if somebody put together an award-winning style documentary .
Looks like they tried to replace the conservatory Gardens .... it's nowhere near as beautiful and magical as it was before with the Chinese gardens and Japanese gardens . A lot of it just looks like a garden center where you would go to buy plants regretfully
I worked there first in the Orchid Range then to the Display Gardens I was in charge of the Italian Garden, Edwardian Garden and the Semi-tropical Garden, we kept the gardens spotless, I also led tours and trained guides. Some of my fondest memories are the whole estate as I was born and raised there too. When she died and the foundation took over many of us were asked to write our memories which I did and so did my mother we were never acknowledged. Some of the things that are published are not true
I would have loved to have seen what those green houses looked like before the Foundation destroyed the place .
I believe you and I saw the video here called Doris Duke birthday party at Duke Island . I listened to what was said by people who genuinely loved Doris Duke and her property there . It sounds like the Doris Duke Foundation has some people you should never have been given the title trustee as they were obviously untrustworthy I did not protect Doris' legacy . I really wish somebody would make a very professional style documentary about how they violated her Trust and I wish they would show footage of how beautiful it used to be there . I hear they also tore down the mansion .
Also I am wondering if you could tell us what are some of the things they published that were not true . I believe you
gardensofthegods u
Respect to you.
The foundation doesn't seem to have a care about it...it all! However, I'm sure they appreciate the funding she yet provides for the proper care to be given to it! Shameful.
@henisland Thank you for speaking up. I was heart broken when I saw what happened to the beautiful indoor gardens. They were a national treasure and should have been preserved.....not treated like junk in a landfill.
Well-put . Untrustworthy board of directors who let down Doris Duke .
She was the most excellent woman I had ever met. She and I hit it off when I was a young 17-year-old girl. Ms. Duke always called my mom and asked if she'd mind if she could see me. My mom loved her so much, and they even spoke about humanitarian aid. Ms. Duke helped my mom, who devoted her life to humanitarian aid worldwide. My grandfather made pearls for her, one of a kind. It was shocking when she asked my mother about a set of pearls she was wearing. That's when we learned of that, as my grandfather was the man who made one-of-a-kind design jewelry introducing pearls to the Japanese and making so many different styles for many. He also was the one if you're wearing an Eternity band made the first in the world. I'm thrilled I have the first he made. Ms. Duke became an essential part of my life, and confident decisions, I'd ask her advice. It breaks my heart what the state of New Jersey has been endlessly doing to her estate, the grounds that she loved so dearly, the fantastic trees she had flown in from Africa and planted so perfectly. I'll often go quietly and sit and remember those beautiful moments of having the pleasure of knowing the real woman behind certain people's beliefs. There are so many things people aren't aware of that she deserves credit for, and the state has some nerve-damaging what could have been a fantastic historical history lesson and more. I miss her dearly. Was she close to her family? I'll never speak regarding that. She lived very down-to-earth often; she'd even randomly leave her house and enjoy the people who came to visit her beautiful greenhouses. I remember the first time I saw her do it and the faces of shock and amazement on people's faces. She wasn't what people assumed she was in any sense or did she care much for having to be privately protected 247. I remember a real woman human being. Money is nice, but there are many things it can't buy; it can't bring joy and happiness. She often said sure thing's like that to me. I am grateful for certain parts of the 80s, and when she suddenly passed away, I was on the road. I also thank her for the advice she gave me on that one. She'd always wear wonderfully dressed, always Ms. Duke looked even in her long flowing dresses she'd wear relaxing, and her lovely sportswear. She brought me my frist amazing Ralph Lauren sweater. I cherish every moment, good or sad, when around her. Ms. Duke would be rolling in her grave if she saw what they did to her amazing gardens and property :(
I was just there today. The building and the fountain looked beautiful. Now I wish I had gotten closer to take a look inside.
What's the matter with this board? Why would you destroy (or allow to fall apart) something this beautiful. Seems irresponsible.
You can hear them talk about how screwed up the trustees are at the Doris Duke Foundation and a video here called the Doris Duke birthday party at Duke Island . I wish somebody would make a really good documentary about this whole thing.
I also looked at more recent videos and it looks like they tried to replace it but as the saying goes it is only a shadow of the original Gardens... lot of the magic is gone and much of it just looks like a garden center where you would go to buy plants . You can see the difference various videos when you look for Duke Gardens.. most of the magic is gone and I guess they try to replace it because too many people complained but you can definitely see the difference... look at the video of what it used to look like.... that one is only about 2 minutes long or less and it's a shame it doesn't have more detail.
After the economic collapse money was probably tight.
@@Patricia-zt8ub yeah..don't doubt the board screwed things up. If they had her vision, that operation would monetise well and sustain itself
This made me cry. I can't believe they would take something so beautiful and rip it apart and for what. It's a shame I never made it there when I lived in the borough.
@lilypondlane I agree with you. I had seen the gardens before they were destroyed by the very people that were bound to protect them. It was such a shock to see the greenhouses in such a state....fortunately I had my camera with me to document what was done. I wish had been able to video the way the beautiful gardens had looked in their prime.
This was once truly a national treasure. Now it exists only in photographs and memories. Incredibly sad.
I'm sure the park is beautiful, but the greenhouses were amazing, and it's so sad to see them in ruins. I toured them maybe 5 times in the 70's and 80's, and they were an oasis of beauty in the cold, dull winter months. It's something that can never be re-captured.
Hmm, i would not dare doubt you from what i see in this video.
To see the gardens turned into this disaster is tough to take. I can Imagine what Doris Duke's reaction would be as well....I'm sorry that I didn't capture images of when it was beautiful. Now, it's only a memory.
Without the worst example of a very wealthy woman, who wanted to share her beauty for others to experience. By worst I refer to the "board members" who destroyed one woman love for art and gardening. May they suffer greatly for the destruction of Doris Duke's extraordinary landmark and the history that was destroyed. Whether it was in NJ or elsewhere it was worthy of being loved as Doris Duke had done during her lifetime.
The trustees of the Doris Duke Foundation were anything but trustworthy... I would love to be able to find footage of what the gardens in there looked like before they were destroyed . Go to vid called the Doris Duke birthday party at Duke Island and you will hear them talk about how the board of Trustees did not honor her wishes
I took a school field trip here in the eighties,Beautiful place. I can't believe it got destroyed and the board squandered all the money the family had.SOOO sad
This makes me so sad.. I cried though the whole video.. My mom Mel and brother Eric both worked there . Mom for close to 20 yrs and Eric maybe 5 or so . It was beautiful, the flowers and plants. The smell of the roses and the orange trees were my favorites. I am truly sadden by the recklessness of those left in charge!!!!!! There was cause for this...I
Yes so heartbreaking and they did not honor Doris Duke's wishes
I am sure this could of been prevented. Miss Duke work long and hard to create this beautiful place..I am also sure there are other people like me ,who would of volunteered there time to keep this from happening....it just makes me ill and sick to my stomach to see the ruins that it is now!!!!! I am a believer in karma , and those that did this will be dealt with harshly .. I am so glad I have photos I took when I went there and lots of postcards they used to sell... Thank you so much Wanda fo
I wish you would put those photos here on RUclips for us to see the gardens
@wworldp
I wonder what excuse/reasoning the foundation presented to uphold its decision to withdraw support and maintenance? Rather than abandon the premises, couldn't funds from the government or private donors have helped to defray costs? It takes years to build a treasure like this, but apparently a very short time to bring the whole thing down. A tragedy indeed. Thanks for bringing this situation to the attention of many.
Someone said they complain about the cost of heating the place ...if you can believe that. Ridiculous absolutely ridiculous. As if they never heard of solar heating and windmill power . It was as if they cut the heart out of that estate . It's like a criminal act that they did not honor Doris Duke's Legacy and if she saw it today she would feel absolutely gutted
It would be nice if you compared past and present so people can see how beautiful they were and how they were destroyed
Yes, it would be. Unfortunately I didn't take the opportunity when it was available. It is easy to make the mistake of thinking that because something is so beautiful and remarkable that it will continue to exist. On a return visit I was horrified by the distruction of the gardens; the video captures what I saw there for the first time. I had been expecting to see the gardens in the same condition as in my previous visit.
This saddens me.
As a teenager in the late '70's, I was fortunate enough to take several tours through the gardens. While I didn't really appreciate the significance at the time, I did love how the gardens were presented....one after another, all different. You'd go into a desert then a formal setting, then into the tropics.
After moving out of Hillsborough 20 years ago, I've always missed driving on Duke Farm Rds from Somerville to Hillsborough. She had herds of deer, too.
I know these gardens didn't fit the current vision of "environmentally friendly," but still, they were pretty phenomenal. The new Orchid Range display is very nice, but not much compared to the old greenhouses. Kinda hard to believe they spent $45 million to re-open that property to the public, but couldn't find a vision that included Doris Duke's very own conservatories.
What happened was downright evil . I wish so much somebody would make a professional documentary about this atrocity and what happens when a Board of Trustees are anything but trustworthy . For Doris Duke.... they cut the heart out of her estate
@muse425 I found the destruction in March 2009. It was quite a shock because I expected to see the property as is was on a previous visit a couple of years earlier. After looking into the situation, I found that people living in the area tried to prevent this. They demonstrated, went to meetings, contacted newspapers, etc. Unfortunately, the destroyers had their way.
@TrvlAgt I know how you feel. To have seen the gardens the way they were and then be confronted with such senseless destruction is almost on the level of unbelievable. One would think that it would even be criminal. Some time after making the video I met the Chairperson of the Foundation Board that was responsible for this decision. We were in a social setting so I had to contain myself but I almost thought I would EXPLODE!!
It is like a criminal act what day did .
There are some photos on flickr. Some are like your video before and after. I hope to go back some day soon and see what has become of these once beautiful gardens... Thanks Arlene
I wish they would put that on RUclips for everybody to see
She would be soo sad... God Bless Doris Duke!!
The people responsible for this should be prosecuted.
This is as bad as an out-of-control act of vandalism.
Yes I totally agree with you... this is why I wish some body would make a really professional style documentary about this atrocity to bring attention to what happens when something goes really wrong with a Board of Trustees . If Doris Duke saw it , she would die all over again of a heart attack
A damn shame,i was lucky to have visited,the greenhouses where amazing ..
I wish I could find footage of what the gardens used to look like .
This whole thing makes me very angry about that rotten Board of Trustees at the Doris Duke Foundation .
I worked for Miss Duke for 13 years. I did work at the Farm, in Hawaii, In New York and in Newport RI. I truly believe that She would be angry over what has become of Her Heritage. Peter Kent, Florida
I believe Doris Duke would be more than angry... I believe she would have bought criminal charges against them. .. it's as if they deliberately tried to cut the heart out of that place by destroying beautiful living Gardens
@lilypondlane Although Doris Duke left money to maintain Duke Farm, Board members (many of whom "earn" annual compensation for their "service" on the Board that is equivalent to the income of two public school teachers) claimed that the greenhouses cost too much to heat! Visitors were charged a fee to tour the greenhouses but the Board made it difficult to visit because appointments were required weeks ahead of time AND hours for viewing were very limited. The Duke house was always off limits.
I guess the morons at the Board of Trustees never heard of solar power and windmill power... I would love to have seen footage of what the gardens looked like .
We have the right to have pictures of the faces of these rotten people put on the internet for letting world class Gardens die
Just goes to show, riches truly do buy nothing in the end.
Wanda Kaluza...Thank you for the update. This is what happens when foundation members line their personal pockets versus keeping the wishes of the deceased.
for real That is what I was thinking.
That is why I wish somebody would make a very professional style documentary about this atrocity and what happens when trustees cannot be trusted Legacy of the person who made the mistake of putting their faith in them. it's like they cut the heart out of that estate
This could have been another Longwood Gardens type of public space making money for the Trust.
The Doris Duke Foundation did not bother to protect her Legacy.... this was her favorite property and where she spent most of her time . There is a video here on RUclips called the Doris Duke birthday party at Duke Island and in it they talk about how the Doris Duke Foundation did not honor her wishes . I heard the Mansion is gone also
Wish I had the chance to see them. From other pictures I've seen the place looked amazing. Sad.
The indoor gardens were wonderful; I saw them only once. This is what the gardens looked like during what I expected to be my second visit. It just goes to show that you can not count on anything lasting. Something can be terrific, beautiful and so enjoyable that you think it should exist forever but evil driven people (members of the Board in this case) put it to an end.
We are shocking to see the vid.Doris Duke memory has been insulted.All people loving nature and beauty must react and save this crystal palace.
amazed you managed photos at all.
Shame on the trustees! Why didn't lawyers replace these trustees with people who wanted this magnificent piece of history continue on with the millions Doris Duke left. The properties should have been open 4 to 5 days a week with regular hours, Spring thru late fall. Money from tourists would have helped. Run it like a business. There would be plenty people happy with a teachers salary! This property still could be saved. Why wasn't the home open for regular tours with the wonderful antiques and furnishings? WHERE THE HELL IS THE MONEY TODAY? WHAT IS IT BEING USED FOR? WHY AREN'T THESE TRUSTEES ANSWERING TO SOMEONE? With no income from tourism, the taxes will just eat up the monies along with trustees.
Unfortunately I didn't take photos the one time I was there to see the terrific indoor gardens. By my second visit, they were destroyed. I was so shocked by the changed condition of the greenhouses! Fortunately I had my camera with me to document the destruction. Even in this condition, one has hints of its former glory.
This is like watching a horror story.
It is a horror story thanks to the rotten Doris Duke Foundation who did not honor her wishes. There is an interesting video here called the Doris Duke birthday party at Duke Island . In it they talk about this problem
(4:00) I can't help but feel sad for the beautiful trees that died from lack of water. They were planted in a gilded cage, if not tended to they would certainly die. You can see how this carried into the life of the heiress Doris...Much like Barbara Hutton.
It's proof that extreme money brings sorrow, heartache, and death.
so sad this place is gone.
The indoor gardens. Sadly you will never know. I really don't think there is another place like it.
I guess you could try Longwood Gardens about 30 miles Southwest of Philadelphia
What a shame the gardens have been reduced to the current condition.
This makes me so sad. We recently lose a large cluster of 200 year old live oaks here in our own yard. My husband ani ate in mourning over them. Oak wilt killed them. Just imagine how awful this documentary makes me feel.
So sad to see the Duke Farm Gardens in ruins. The Sarah P Duke Gardens at Duke University in Durham NC are stunningly beautiful.
Yes...I have been to the garden at Duke University and it is as you say - very well kept and beautiful. The indoor gardens at Duke Farms in NJ were also very special - it should have been kept that way.
The foundation that was to take care of the property didn't do its job. Letting the mansion run down in such a state is their fault. Of course they had no reason to spend the money for upkeep when by doing nothing they can put it into their pockets.
I would say look at the costs to rehab the mansion and the value of the mansion after the rehab. If the mansion value is less than the rehab, then rehab the building. If the costs is greater than the value of the mansion then tear it down. In either case the rest of the property should be maintained.
the lawyers cleaned it up financially and left the ruins for the rest.
E. Floyd Ellingburg Apparently there will be an addition to the Duke Farms "ruins" collection since they are planning on leveling the Duke mansion.
Wanda Kaluza Oh wow Wanda.....please keep us in the loop. So sad. www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/somerset-county/2015/07/14/square-foot-duke-mansion-may-torn/30149119/
+Wanda Kaluza Can you take pictures of the mansion through windows?
+Elizabeth Faraone Would if I could but they have always kept visitors away from the mansion site. Even when the greenhouse gardens were opened to the public, staff would escort guests and keep an eye on them so they couldn't break away and go where they were not wanted. Now that more of estate is open to visitors it is a bit of a secret as to where the mansion is located. I have never seen it. The people in charge would rather have it that way even though there are at least two other Duke mansions that have been open to the public for years. I have been to the one in Newport, RI. It is a shame that her NJ home has been allowed to be destroyed. By neglecting the home "they" now have an excuse for tearing it down - just as they always planned to do. The board of trustees are a bunch of cultural destroyers - nothing better than barbarians.
Wanda Kaluza agreed
So tragic and heartbreaking. See how the gardens originally appeared in the video "A Tour of Duke Gardens." Something this glorious should never have been touched. They were the artistic creation of Doris Duke. I am sorry those managing your foundation couldn't appreciate the beauty of the gardens or their historic value out of respect for you. Rest in peace, Doris.
Thank you I will look for it
How sad!..an incompetent board..a blatant disregard for patrimony and heritage..
It's downright sickening... sounds more like a criminal act .Evil ... they were very untrustworthy
So sad to watch something so beautiful one time be destroyed. Why no auction to sell it to the lowest or in this case highest bidder. Those statues would be beautiful in some mansion estate.😥😣
Just there last week. Orchid house is small, but original. Looking through windows at the other remaining conservatory, but told o get away as the building was closed to the public. Must have been wonderful before '08. Then read about the mansion being torn down just this spring. Very sad. Everything now looks natural. The formality and structure of gardens can only be imagined.
Duke Farms has turned into a collection of ruins now offering only hints of what once was a grand estate thanks to the barbarians on the Board of "Trustees" who without shame make ridiculous decisions and line their pockets with huge sums of money to boot.
I couldn't have said it better myself!! I am sure this was at one time a very opulent place! Greed is an ugly thing!!
Everyone calm down! I was just there yesterday, totally renovated the whole park and its beautiful! Open to the public and free. Go see for yourself.
@wworldp Thanks for the information. Very sad indeed.
Rest in Peace Doris
The International Gardens were not restored - that was the estate jewel.
Send the garden clubs of America in to save this national treasure!!!
what a waste, that beautiful greenhouse...what a pity. the white house used to have a greenhouse like that in the late 1800's. the trustees who handled her estate are to blame for this neglect. why not donate, or sell these properties, to someone who will appreciate them and take care of them. i was astonished that BILTMORE, or was it MAR-A-LAGO, was actually left to the US government to use as a white house retreat of sorts, and the government did not want it, cause upkeep was too expensive. WHAT!?
that is why these beautiful estates are left to rot. the US mentality does not look at old as being worth a whole lot, not to invest into keeping up, but new is the next thing to admire. that is a shame.
+bduhe219 Doris Duke left plenty of money to keep up the estate and greenhouse gardens with the intension of allowing public access. The trustees decided to use the money to pay themselves many times more than was justified and built a huge environmental welcome center which is of no value. Go figure - the entire estate has turned into one ruin after another and now they want to demolish the Duke mansion after they intentionally 1. failed to maintain it and 2. kept it from public view. The Board of Trustees are a bunch of Barbarians!!!
Wanda Kaluza it is so sad. if her will was honored as she intended, it would have been a beautiful addition to gardening tours and recrciational centers. too bad no one sees that as a valuable asset to a community. just think of KEW GARDENS as a centerpiece of LONDON beauty, and look how so many wonderful older estates are left to wither away. there really needs to be a federal department of antiquities, as many older nations have. protection of the jewels that are the american estates. i am really, and i can say this in confidence, appalled that we only have the WHITE HOUSE as an example of our highest representative lives and entertains. not because it is not beautiful, but that we have taken no example of the federal palaces, or the royal palaces around the world, where gardens, surroundings, livings, are representative of the excellence our nation strives for. it is a shame we put so much money into the building of weapons, we fail to see the beauty of good life, good living and beautiful surroundings. that is culture of a society, and we are lacking in really giving a damn. so sad.
+bduhe219 I am very much in agreement with you.....
The Board seems to have been a bunch of idiots, as well as being Philistines. Amazing. Boards generally cannot be trusted in post WW2 America. One of Duke's mistakes... Actually, if you will, even America herself cannot generally be trusted in the post WW2 world.
This is why I wish somebody would make a really professional style documentary about this Horror Story and explain how this board of directors violated Doris Duke's wishes.... somebody said their excuse was that it was too expensive to heat the place ... what ? As if they never heard of solar power and windmill power.... they could have done it .
I was talking to someone at work last week about Dukes Gardens and they said that it was completely done over.They said it is even better then it was before. Is this dukes garden in Hillsborough, N.J.? I went there there Green House and Land scrape was beautiful. At that time we pay $5.00 dollars to get in. I can't believe that it got that bad.WOW!!
Incredible and ironic that a State calling itself the Garden State would be a witness to this....?
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It seems that all Greenhouses were at one point filled...? Also looks as if much interior destruction had taken place at the time of your filming. The Gardens were still strong, in circa 2005...? Perhaps the federal government has eyes on the land. (...) With the Barnes art there were a lot of 'Shakespearean dealings' as you know.
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The Fed. Ex. Branch cannot be trusted anymore, Wanda. They are slowly controlling and strangling the States, and usurping power wherever it exists. Not sure if they had a hand in the destruction of D.D.'s pretty Gardens, but who knows. Could a Board been that selfish and stupid, w/o some sort of hidden agenda?
The greenhouses were there for many years, and were gorgeous. Each one was laid out in a different style, with the appropriate plants for the style/region: Italian, Colonial, English, Indo/Persian, French, Japanese, Chinese, American Desert, Rain Forest, and a couple others I can't remember. I went there about 4 or 5 times in my lifetime; they had guided tours. It's so sad that the Foundation didn't think them worth keeping. I found a few photos online of the gardens, and there's a video here on RUclips that shows you what they looked like.
Can you please tell me what the name of that video is about Doris Duke Gardens showing what it used to look like ? I very much would love to see it and can't find it . Yes something very short-sighted and Evil about this Board of Trustees . It was like they try to cut out the heart of that estate... they gutted it . And what a terrible thing to do , both to Doris Duke and the people who would have cherished the place .
Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! How profoundly sad. Thank you for documenting this, Wanda. See my youtube video from 2011 on the glories of the garden as it was,
ruclips.net/video/s41_slG1wY8/видео.html
from my visit in 2006 which I will never forget. This is like destroying an art masterpiece. I feel devastated watching "what became of"...
but am grateful to Wanda for the documentation. And I agree wholeheartedly with your comments. Carol (youtube channel: caroleenallc) - 84 videos
How disgusting. Greed. Those gardens must have been so gorgeous. A shame I’ll never get to see them 😟
Apparently it was rehabed and re-opened in May 2012 - search on "An Oasis, Once Gilded, Now Greened"
It isn't the same. The gardens that were destroyed were the estate crown jewel.
Wanda Kaluza Thanks for the update as the article didn't clarify. What a terrible shame; obviously Doris wouldn't have wanted the gardens to be destroyed after she spent so much time constructing them. A definite hidden agenda of the ones in charge. Even someone as myself who knows little of gardening knows what was destroyed was priceless. I was fortunate to see it in its glory and told others of it. It came to mind today as my daughter had just been at Longwood Gardens and I wanted to remind her of the Duke Garens only to find this posting. Unreal that they would let it go like that. Hell, if they had opened it to the public -- there are probably those who would have gone there and volunteered their time to help preserve them -- as many do with community gardens. Now it's too late and even with gobs of money, it would take an enormous amount of time to get it back.
Wanda Kaluza Unfortunately, if the change had not been made, I doubt they would have the money to keep sustaining the gardens as they were. I'm happy I got to see them when I was a kid, I'll never forget the asian inspired room and the one with the fountain.
Keep sustaining "as they were" ...? Are you as stupid as the Board...?
All you need is 1. knowledgeable gardeners, and 2. water.
She obviously left the wrong idiots in charge
Nice music. Interesting pictures. But I don't know that this tells the full story. There are some fine folks involved running Duke Farms. I can't imagine there was anything deliberately evil going on. Plants get old and die. They grow too large for the space they are in and have to be replaced with new growth. The judgement expressed here may be a bit harsh.
Are you kidding??? This isn't a case of plants getting old; the gardens were destroyed against Doris Duke's wishes. Am sure that there are some fine people associated with Duke Farms....but that does not include members of the Board. They are more evil than not....and I am not in the slightest bit harsh. That is just the way it is. Anyone with a sense of what is right and legal would not destroy a national treasure and think it ok to violate a will....Board members pay themselves extremely well especially for acting in a way that is amoral and irresponsible!!
ARE YOU JOKING ? What in the world is wrong with your brain... have you never heard of Longwood Gardens ? What happened here was an atrocity that could have been avoided very easily
If the trustees of DDCF and their families were brutally murdered, I would sleep much better at night. They have preyed on Dorris Duke since the minute she died, and all they care about is the money that they have stolen. I was only to Duke Gardens once, and it had such a huge impact on me. I have been hoping for a very long time that it would be put back the way it was, but it's obvious that will never happen.
who got the say in this????
Her rotten Board of Trustees did this
Sad!! What Doris must be thinking? Too bad the city/state never cared to step in before it succumbed to its current state.
This is just SAD!!! Period!! What a waste!
Downright evil .. I keep saying I wish that somebody would make a very professional documentary about how this board of trustees violated what they were supposed to be doing... they were supposed to protect our sticks Legacy and did the exact opposite .
Very sad...
Sad