Six Gardens You Need to Visit This Spring

Quick retreats worth the trip across Westchester and the Hudson Valley

Now that it’s officially spring, it's time to start thinking about what gardens to visit this season. One reason I enjoy taking groups on garden tours is because each experience is different depending on what’s in bloom. And while I love a visit to the NYBG just as much as anyone, the smaller, lesser-known gardens are often way less crowded so they feel more…special.

What follows is not a comprehensive list of gardens, just six that I especially like.

Visiting Innesfree Garden always feels like a true vacation with many relaxing spots to hang.

Innesfree Garden (opens April 22)
I had never heard of Innesfree Garden before launching GoLoveNY, but it has actually been around for more than 60 years. It’s become one of my favorite spots to bring groups for the sheer variety of landscapes. There is a traditional Japanese garden, a water garden, a woodland garden, a meadow and forest trails. Innesfree was originally the home to heiress Marion Burt Beck and her husband, who were both passionate about gardening and Asian art. Together with landscape architect Lester Collins, they transformed their 150-acre estate into a magnificent space that blends elements of both Chinese and Japanese design. Now the garden is open to the public for strolling and picnicking.

In the center of the “wild flower maze” at Stonecrop Gardens

Stonecrop Gardens, Cold Spring (opens April 1)
For plant and flower lovers, Stonecrop Gardens is a total dream – fifteen acres filled with an incredible variety of more than 200 species, everything from delicate wildflowers to towering sunflowers to miniature Japanese Bonsai plants. At the entrance, you're given a sheet listing all the current plantings of the season. The maze-like layout allows for full immersion as you follow the numbered signs to learn the names and characteristics of each species. There is something for everyone to appreciate, including woodlands, meadows, and water gardens.

No matter the season, Untermyer Garden is always beautiful

Untermyer Garden, Yonkers (always open)
Untermeyer Gardens is a hidden gem. You would never believe you are in downtown Yonkers! The only walled persian garden in Westchester, it truly makes you feel like you are stepping into a different world. Originally owned by Samuel Untermyer, it’s now in the hands of the town and is open to the public free of charge. There are private tours for a fee and each docent is super knowledgeable; they do a great job putting the garden into the context of what was going on politically during the 1900s. A tour with president and historian Stephen Byrnes is a special treat. His extensive knowledge and passion for the garden and its history make for an unforgettable experience.

There are many favorite spots at Untermyer, but “The Vista” is probably everyone’s fave. It was modeled on a series of descending stairs at the Villa d'Este in Cernobbio, Italy. After my recent visit to Lake Como – I can tell you that the Hudson and Lake Como look so similar! Another very calendar-specific favorite is the walk to the Temple of Love through the “daffodil carpet.” This super special experience is usually only around for a few weeks in April.

The zen feeling at Hammond Japanese Stroll Garden

Hammond Japanese Stroll Garden, North Salem (open all year) Natalie Hays Hammond, a wealthy philanthropist and art collector, created the Hammond Stroll Garden to provide a space where local residents could experience the peaceful beauty of Japanese gardening and culture. The garden features a pond, a teahouse, a waterfall, and various Japanese plants, and sculptures. While the garden may sometimes feel a tad run down, it is still worth a visit, especially during Cherry Blossom season when the garden is particularly beautiful.

Beatrix Ferrand Garden, Hyde Park (open all year)
The Beatrix Farrand Garden is a beautiful, historic little garden located on the grounds of the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site. Designed by Beatrix Farrand, one of the foremost landscape architects of the early 20th century, the space is considered one of her masterpieces. I always make a point of stopping here whenever I;m at one of the many other historic sites in the area.

At Wavehill, many December’s ago across from the Palisades

Wavehill (open all year)
Wave Hill sits on 28 acres, high above the Hudson River in the Bronx. This does not feel like New York City! I was blown away by my first visit here for a friend's spring wedding in 1990-something, when everything was in bloom. But it is equally lovely anytime of year. In fact, when my kids were little, we used to visit in the less busy winter months so they could run around with a backdrop of stunning views of the palisades. There is also an herb garden, aquatic garden, wild garden and several greenhouses.

I have never been to the following three gardens, but they're on my list for this year. Have any of you been?

Lasdon Park and Arboretum, Katonah

Montgomery Place, Annandale on Hudson

Caramoor Art Center Gardens, Katonah