Best New England Garden Museums

Best New England Garden Museums

Blithewold | Bristol, RI

Designed more than a century ago, the grounds of this former summer estate on Narragansett Bay (now a lovingly tended house museum) still delight visitors today. Amid the 33 acres of gardens, lawns, specimen trees, and rare and unusual plants, don’t miss the springtime spectacle of one of the most expansive collections of daffodils in the area. blithewold.org

The Fells | Newbury, NH

Located on the shores of Lake Sunapee, the Fells was the summer retreat of the Hay family, including John Milton Hay, who served as Abraham Lincoln’s private secretary. Pathways meander among hundreds of alpine and rock garden plants, while a 100-foot perennial border, a rose terrace, and 20 varieties of heather add a splash of color. thefells.org

Florence Griswold Museum | Old Lyme, CT

At the former art colony that saw the birth of American Impressionism, masterpieces of color can be discovered in the hundreds of heirloom perennials—hollyhock, iris, foxglove, heliotrope, and so on—that grace the gardens and grounds, restored to their appearance c. 1910. florencegriswoldmuseum.org

Hamilton House | South Berwick, ME

The setting for Sarah Orne Jewett’s The Tory Lover, Hamilton House is a 1785 Georgian mansion set on 35 acres overlooking the Salmon Falls River. The lure for horticultural fans is its vast Colonial Revival gardens, first established over a century ago and now being restored by its caretaker, Historic New England. historicnewengland.org

Heritage Museums & Gardens | Sandwich, MA

Gardens and trails crisscross this 100-acre property, where the gentle maritime climate encourages eye-popping displays of rhododendrons (10,000-plus), daylilies, hostas, and hydrangeas. Make a day of it and pay a visit the museum collections too, ranging from folk art to vintage cars. heritagemuseumsandgardens.org

Hildene | Manchester, VT

At the former home of Abraham Lincoln’s son Robert, now a museum, you can explore the stately grounds designed by Frederick Law Olmsted protégé Frederick Todd and crowned with a French parterre garden famed for its stunning peonies. Other highlights: vegetable, butterfly, cutting, and observation gardens, and allees featuring hawthorn and apple trees. hildene.org

Lyman Estate | Waltham, MA

The crown jewels of this mansion museum are the four greenhouses that include one of the oldest in the nation (c. 1804). Together, they burst with a variety of living oddities and heirlooms, including century-old camellia specimens; the sales greenhouse is stocked with green things to take home. Outside, explore the 37-acre property’s beautifully preserved gardens. historicnewengland.org

McLaughlin Garden & Homestead | South Paris, ME

The living memorial to Bernard McLaughlin, who tended this landscape for almost 60 years, is a place of uncommon serenity and inspiration. From the 200-plus lilacs in 125 varieties to the array of graceful plantings (daylilies, irises, native wildflowers, and so on), it demonstrates what one gardener’s patience and love can create. mclaughlingarden.org

Rough Point | Newport, RI

Frederick Law Olmsted designed the grounds at this grand seaside estate, best known as the home of heiress Doris Duke. The 10.8-acre property features ornamental gardens, a rose arbor, a large kitchen garden, and whimsical topiaries inspired by Duke’s former pet camels. newportrestoration.org/rough-point

Strawbery Banke Museum | Portsmouth, NH

This living history museum takes its mission outside with six gardens representing different eras in the former Puddle Dock neighborhood. From a 17th-century kitchen plot to a WWII victory garden, each is true to the plant types and gardening techniques of its time. Meanwhile, the museum’s Horticulture Learning Center offers programs on heirloom plants, garden crafts, and more. strawberybanke.org