A Garden Like No Other

All aboard! Don’t miss this standout stop on the 2026 Seaside Garden Tour, a town tradition since 2003. As the Spring Lake Garden Club’s premier fundraiser, the biannual tour features a curated selection of homes throughout Spring Lake.

I remember my first tour in 2018. I expected the perfectly manicured lawns, precisely placed flowers, and groomed shrubbery. While I found all of that, I also discovered something I never imagined. One home was particularly captivating, and when I walked into the backyard, it felt like entering a dream. There before me was an elaborate outdoor village with model trains weaving through hand-carved tunnels. Miniature buildings dotted the man-made hillsides, surrounded by flowers and foliage scaled to size and manicured in a bonsai style. It was stunning and reminiscent of the Germany pavilion at Epcot.

A Longtime Passion

The garden is a passion project for longtime Spring Lake residents Richard and Barbara Nelson. As a young boy, Richard was an artist who spent hours imagining scenes of covered wagons and frontier towns. He eventually turned that creativity into a career; he and Barbara became designers for international trade show exhibits. Locally, they created elaborate fashion shows for Saks Fifth Avenue at the Spring Lake Bath and Tennis Club, a staple in their life since moving to the area.

As their business grew, the miniature towns of Richard’s youth became a reality. Soon after building their dream home about 30 years ago, the couple brought those childhood visions to life in their own backyard. The project began when they decided to install a garden instead of a pool, following a friend’s suggestion to join the Bath and Tennis Club for swimming and socializing instead.

Around that time, Barbara bought Richard his first 48-inch track circle. Within a week, he had trains running throughout the house. Before long, the hobby moved outdoors, and the railroad garden was born.

The Nelsons aimed to replicate 1930s New Jersey, ensuring every detail was era and size-specific. The garden even includes a stretch of Third Avenue, featuring Main Pharmacy and a miniature Jersey Mike’s, a nod to their friendship with the franchise’s founder, Peter Cancro. Through real plants, immense patience, and shared love, the couple kept the garden flourishing for decades.

Following Richard’s death several years ago, visitors still marvel at the couple’s creation. Barbara will once again open her extraordinary gates for this year’s tour to share the magic with the community.

2026 Seaside Garden Tour

The Spring Lake Garden Club will present the 17th Seaside Garden Tour on Wednesday, June 24, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event showcases 10 private gardens and one spectacular porch. Tickets go on sale soon; visit gardenclubofspringlake.org for updates.

Maria O’Donnell is a food, wine, and events writer who has contributed to many popular publications over the last 15+ years. She lives in Spring Lake with her husband, Brendan, and their two children, Annabelle and Bubba.

Photographs Courtesy of the Nelson Family