THE new-look Leighton Gard-ens was unveiled on Saturday.
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Special guest at the event was John Leighton Jones, son of the gardens' founder, former Mayor Dr Henry Leighton Jones.
Leighton Gardens, in Moss Vale's CBD was closed for about five months while Wingecarr-ibee Council performed the biggest works at the site in almost 50 years, as part of the town's sesquicentenary celebrations.
The $300,000 renovations included improved drainage and irrigation systems, replacement of structurally damaged trees and new garden beds as well as new furniture, sandstone walls and accessible paths.
A "pioneer pathway" was also built, highlighting the names of foundation members of the Moss Vale community and some prominent recent arrivals.
One of the Highlands' largest collections of Rhododendrons was also planted.
The opening marked the end of Moss Vale's year-long 150th birthday celebrations.
Throsby MP Stephen Jones and Deputy Mayor Larry Whipper were also special guests at the event, which was attended by about 100 community members and even featured a birthday cake for the town.
Southern Highlands Conc-ert Band got people's feet stomping while Moss Vale Lions Club cooked up a storm on the barbecue ahead of the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Mementos of the sesquicentenary celebrations were placed safely in a time capsule and buried at the gardens ready for future Moss Vale community members to dig-up in 2063, for the town's bicentenary.