"There were moments when we were contemplating what it would cost to take some of the historic structures at Oakwell and move them to Stoneleigh," Natural Lands President and CEO Oliver Bass told a room of supporters inside the Stoneleigh mansion this summer. "It was not a small number."
The buildings won't have to move. In summer 2026, Natural Lands closed on the purchase of 10 acres of the Oakwell property next door, and Stoneleigh: a natural garden grew from 42 acres to 52. The new acreage won't open for years. The greenhouses, cottage and Tea House coming with it could change how the garden runs, since right now nearly everything indoors happens in one building.
Ten Acres That Used to Belong to Stoneleigh
Oakwell and Stoneleigh were split into separate properties nearly 100 years ago, and Natural Lands describes the purchase as reuniting them. One of the historic structures on the Oakwell side is a complex that once held the greenhouses for the Stoneleigh estate.
Getting here took most of a decade. The Lower Merion School District used eminent domain in 2018 to take Oakwell, planning to clear much of the historic grounds for Black Rock Middle School playing fields. That plan would have removed more than 500 trees and most of the buildings. Neighbors, Lower Merion residents and members of the Haas family, who once owned Stoneleigh, organized against the plan. Some township officials worked with the district on finding other space for its fields.
The final sale came in two parts. Natural Lands bought 10 acres. The Wyncote Foundation, created with funds from the Otto and Phoebe Haas Charitable Trusts, bought the 3 acres that include the Oakwell mansion. The district received about $12.9 million for the whole property. According to Natural Lands, the Wyncote Foundation plans to restore and preserve the mansion. In Bass's words, the preserved site includes "its majestic trees, the mansion, the other historic structures, the remnants of the Olmsted Brothers' landscape."
One Pool House, One Parking Lot
Admission to Stoneleigh is always free. The garden is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Visitors park in a free 63-car lot at 1829 East County Line Road. The Main House usually opens only for tours and certain events.
That means a free garden with a full program calendar depends on a short list of facilities. The covered pavilion at Catalpa Court has benches and two large tables, and it's the one place picnics are allowed. The Pool House has the accessible restrooms and a drinking fountain that is shut off in winter. It is also where most programs gather. The October tree-drawing workshop meets there, and so does Budding Naturalists. In November, the history walking tour, the family ornament workshop and both adult ornament classes meet there too. The ornament classes are held indoors in the building.
The Oakwell plans address exactly these limits. Natural Lands wants to restore the greenhouse complex, the former caretaker's cottage and the Tea House as spaces for educational programs and events. The master plan also includes more parking and a new Welcome Center that would greet visitors year-round. These buildings are separate from Stoneleigh's own Pool House, the one next to the Bog Gardens. Oakwell also has a pool house, a newer building that Natural Lands plans to remove because it doesn't fit the vision for the site.
What's Behind the Property Line Right Now
You can't visit the Oakwell land yet. Natural Lands says it has no paths, no signs and no other visitor amenities. Opening will "likely take a few years," it may happen in phases, and Natural Lands says it will announce a date once it has one. Main Line Media News reported that Oakwell will stay closed to the public during those years. The site was already off-limits before the sale. The newspaper's archive photo of Oakwell comes from a 2023 public tour, before the school district banned public access.
The master plan comes from Natural Lands staff working with the landscape architecture firm SALT and Voith & Mactavish Architects. Natural Lands says the plan isn't final and could change depending on permits, budget and other factors. Construction will begin once design is finished, and that date hasn't been set.
Some of the Oakwell trees are also on a timeline. Natural Lands says several are beeches that will likely die from beech leaf disease within the next several years and will need to come down. When construction starts, it will reach the current garden too. Natural Lands expects that parts of Stoneleigh will close at times, some paths will be rerouted, and visitors will hear construction noise. For now, the 42-acre layout you already know is fully open.
The Fall Calendar, Run From the Current Garden
Stoneleigh's guide names the Great Lawn as the place to see autumn foliage. The lawn looks toward the Tudor Revival Main House and is lined with mature trees. On the garden's list of trees to see, black gum turns color in autumn, the female ginkgo's fan-shaped leaves go bright yellow, and American beech drops its nuts. Other named spots include the century-old, 200-foot Pergola, the Circle Garden, the Wildlife Hedge and the Meadow Vista. Dogs aren't allowed. Service animals are welcome.
Walking the garden is free. The programs listed below need registration, and most charge a fee separate from admission. Here are the October through December programs with confirmed prices:
| Program | Date | Time | Member / Nonmember |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mushroom Walk | Oct. 3 | 10:30 a.m. to noon | $10 / $15 |
| Fall Bird Walk | Oct. 6 | 8 to 10 a.m. | Free, registration required |
| Wine and Wander | Oct. 8 | 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. | $65 / $75 |
| Autumn Amble | Oct. 23 | 10:30 a.m. to noon | $10 / $15 |
| Owl Prowl | Oct. 28 | 6 to 7:30 p.m. | $5 / $10 |
| A Not-So-Silent Movie Night | Oct. 30 | 7 to 8:30 p.m. | $45 / $55 |
| Home and Garden Tour | Nov. 7 | 10:30 a.m. to noon | $10 / $15 |
| Crochet-Your-Own Ornament Workshop | Nov. 13 | 10 a.m. to noon | $30 / $40 |
| Natural Materials Ornament Workshop | Nov. 20 | 10 a.m. to noon | $30 / $40 |
| Winter Wreath Workshops | Dec. 4 and 5 | Morning and afternoon sessions | $50 / $60 |
| Home for the Holidays | Dec. 12, 13, 19, 20 | Morning and afternoon sessions | $15 / $20 |
Several of these programs focus on what's in season. The Autumn Amble centers on purple fall-blooming perennials and tupelos as they turn red. Wine and Wander is an after-hours guided walk with four natural-wine tastings, led by Stoneleigh director Ethan Kauffman and sommelier Michele Edington. The Oct. 30 movie night shows the 1925 "Phantom of the Opera" with live organ music. It's for ages 18 and up, and doors open at 6:30 p.m. The garden also offers an Accessible Golf Cart Tour on Oct. 16 at 11 a.m. and a Home and Garden Tour on Oct. 24 at 10:30 a.m.
The Dates Already Filling Up
One December program has already filled, about two months ahead. The Dec. 4 afternoon wreath workshop is listed as sold out, which leaves the two Dec. 5 sessions at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Home for the Holidays is free for children under 5. The Dec. 17 Evening of Music and Cheer is for ages 21 and up and costs $75 for members and $80 for nonmembers. The Dec. 16 behind-the-scenes tour is free, but it's open only to White Oak Society members.
Many events also offer a few reduced-price tickets for ACCESS cardholders. Examples include $2 tickets for the Autumn Amble and Owl Prowl and $20 tickets for Wine and Wander, and the event pages describe these as limited. For now, every indoor class on this calendar shares the Pool House. Once Oakwell opens, the restored greenhouse complex, caretaker's cottage and Tea House are planned as more rooms for programs and events.
When a landmark like Stoneleigh expands, the County Line Road corridor around it can change in ways that affect a home's long-term story. If you own nearby and want to know how changes like this shape value over time, the Houder Nunez-Strid Team can walk you through it. Schedule a Confidential Market Consultation, and we'll keep you updated as Natural Lands announces each Oakwell milestone.
