Beautiful Gardens on Long Island, New York
Looking for outdoor activities to do on Long Island this Spring or Summer? One of my favorite things to do includes exploring gardens and lucky for us, Long Island has some really beautiful Gardens. In this guide, explore some of the best gardens and even flower fields/farms on Long Island, New York!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Beautiful Gardens on Long Island, New York
- Planting Field Arboretum
- Westbury Gardens
- Sands Point Preserve Rose Garden
- Oheka Historic Mansion
- Flower Fields and Farms on Long Island
- Bayard Cutting Arboretum
- Clark Botanic Gardens
- What to Expect When Visiting Long Island Gardens
- Best Time to Visit the Long Island Gardens
- How to Get to the Gardens on Long Island New York
- Wrap-up: Gardens on Long Island
Planting Field Arboretum
Located in Oyster Bay, Long Island, the Planting Fields Arboretum is easily one of my favorite gardens on Long Island. The Planting Field Arboretum sits on 409 acres and includes an Italian Garden, Cloister Garden, Circular Pool, Rose Garden, Perennial Garden, Synoptic Garden, Sensory Garden, Heather Garden, Dwarf Conifer Garden, Hydrangea Collection, Day Lily Garden, and Dahlia Garden.
If that’s not enough, there are also 2 greenhouses, the Main Greenhouse and the Camellia Greenhouse.
Oh, and did I mention the gardens are actually a part of a Gold Coast estate from the 1920s? This mansion was built between 1918-1921 to resemble a 400-year-old English manor and is one of the few mansions on Long Island with its original acreage intact, as well as its buildings.
Don’t be surprised to see tons of photoshoots and even weddings because the grounds provide an epic backdrop.
Besides exploring the gardens, you also have the opportunity to attend a guided estate tour of the Coe Hall Mansion. You can find Planting Field Guided tours here.
Additionally, the Planting Fields often have events happening in the gardens, like Yoga in the Garden, Tai Chi in the Garden, walking tours, and more.
Garden Hours: The park is open every day from 9 AM to 5 PM (closed December 25)
Parking Fee: $8 per car or $75 per bus collected from May 1st – Labor Day. It is free parking any time outside that window. It is also free parking for Seniors during weekdays!
Address: 1395 Planting Fields Rd, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
Westbury Gardens
Another must-visit garden on Long Island is the Westbury Gardens. You may have even noticed this Mansion and garden in a few movies, including Cruel Intentions, Hitch, and American Gangster.
The Historic estate, located in Old Westbury was built in 1906 and nestled on 200 acres.
They have a plethora of gardens to enjoy, including the Rose Garden, Walled Garden, Lilac Walk, Thatched Cottage, West Pond, Terraces of Westbury House, Colonnade and Reflecting Pool, and the East Lake.
The Westbury Gardens are also a very popular place for weddings and photography.
Additionally, they hold the Winter Shimmering Solstice, one of the best winter activities on Long Island!
Tickets to the Old Westbury Gardens currently need to be purchased in advance and range from $7-$12 dollars a person.
Address: 71 Old Westbury Rd, Old Westbury, NY 11568
Garden Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday: -11 AM to 6 PM from April 1st through October 29th.
Saturday and Sunday: 10 AM to 5 PM from April 3rd through October 31st.
Westbury Gardens are closed on Tuesdays.
Sands Point Preserve Rose Garden
Did you know there is a beautiful Rose Garden right on the Long Island Sound? Better yet, did you know there was a castle mansion with a beautiful rose garden located on the Long Island Sound? Welcome to one of the best places to visit on Long Island, Sands Point Preserve.
Built in 1902, enjoy the 100,000 sq. ft. Ireland-inspired castle along with an additional 50,000 sq. ft. estate featuring rose gardens.
After walking through the rose garden, you can also enjoy the beachfront, several walking paths around the property, a mansion tour, or a picnic on one of the many lawns. Another cool thing about Sands Point Preserve is that they are dog-friendly.
Admission: The entrance fee to Sands Point Preserve is $15 per car or a $4 walk-in fee and is open year-round.
Opening Hours: Hours change with the season, and they are open from Wednesday- Sunday.
Address: 127 Middle Neck Rd, Sands Point, NY 11050
Oheka Historic Mansion
If you don’t know anyone planning to get married at the famed Oheka Castle, don’t fret. There is still an opportunity to see the historic gardens of this historic mansion on Long Island.
One way is by booking a mansion tour. These tours give you limited access to the estate and gardens. They are by reservation only and can be found here. Prices range from $15 (hotel guest), $20 (student), $25 (senior), and $30 (adult). Children under age 12 are $10.
Another way to get an opportunity to see the gardens is by making a reservation at the OHK Bar & Restaurant. During your visit, they require a proper country club or business casual attire required at all times.
Oheka Castle, built during the gilded age, encompasses 443 acres at the highest point of Long Island in Cold Spring Harbor. Additionally, this estate is just second to the Biltmore estate as the largest private home in America.
Address: 135 W Gate Dr, Huntington, NY 11743
Flower Fields and Farms on Long Island
If you love flowers, you can also experience beautiful flower fields and farms on Long Island. You can find a handful of Sunflower fields and farms across Long Island. I’ve listed some of the best Sunflower fields here!
Long Island also has two lavender farms! Owned by Lavender by the Bay, they currently have the largest lavender farm in the USA. You can find more about visiting the lavender fields on Long Island here.
Additionally, you can find tulips on Long Island. During the Spring, the Waterdrinker farm has a tulip festival that has become quite popular!
Bayard Cutting Arboretum
Known as a museum of trees, the Bayard Cutting Arboretum is another popular place to experience gardens on Long Island. Development of the gardens started in 1887 by the famous Fredrick Law Olmsted firm, which developed many gardens on Long Island as well as Central Park. Throughout the property, you will see blooms of azaleas, hollies, rhododendron, dwarf evergreens, and more!
Unlike some of the other gardens, no pets, picnicking, or games are allowed, however, the arboretum is joined by Heckscher State Park, where you can picnic and play sports. The property comprises 690 acres with a beautiful gold coast mansion, a cafe, and a carriage house.
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday: 9 AM – 4 PM during the winter and 9 AM – 5 PM during the summer.
Admission: $8 per car
Address: 440 Montauk Hwy, Great River, NY 11739
Clark Botanic Gardens
Another lovely garden to visit is the Clark Botanic Gardens located in Alberson, Long Island. With 12 acres of tulips, oak trees, a pond with koi, azaleas, roses, herbs, and more! Additionally, there is the beautiful Clark estate. The garden is free to visit and open all year. Each season has new beautiful blooms!
Hours: 10 AM – 5:30 PM
Address: 193 I U Willets Rd, Albertson, NY 11507
What to Expect When Visiting Long Island Gardens
Now that you know where some of the best gardens on Long Island are, here are some things to expect. Gardens attract bees, butterflies, and other creepy crawlies, however, they are after the flowers, not you.
I’d also suggest wearing comfortable shoes since these gardens are rather large. Bring drinking water, a sun hat, and sunscreen! Another thing to keep in mind is that most gardens do not allow dogs. Sands Point Preserve is the exception.
Best Time to Visit the Long Island Gardens
This might seem a little obvious, but the most popular time to visit the gardens is in Spring and Summer. I also recommend checking out the gardens during the Fall. You can see some really nice fall foliage, especially at the planting fields.
Find more fall activities on Long Island here!
How to Get to the Gardens on Long Island New York
Long Island does have the Long Island Rail Road, however, it is not the best mode of transportation to explore these gardens. Driving is the best way to explore the gardens, along with the rest of Long Island. If you are coming from NYC, consider renting a car. Zipcar is pretty popular.
Wrap-up: Gardens on Long Island
This concludes some of my favorite gardens on Long Island! Have you visited any of these gardens yet, or is there a garden you’d like me to add? Let me know in the comments below!
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