Brooklynites are spoiled with a borough of delightful parks and gardens but if you want to expand your botanical pleasures to scenic landscapes outside of the five boroughs there are plenty of options.

We’ve rounded up eight sites that are all less than two hours from Brooklyn and where the focus is largely on the landscape, not necessarily just the architecture or sculpture. From a tiny iris garden to acres of trails, there are horticultural treasures for everyone. We’ve scattered the choices geographically too — there are gardens in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Which one will you visit?


1. Untermyer Gardens – Yonkers, N.Y.
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While the grand mansion was demolished in the 1940s, a portion of the gardens Samuel Untermyer established at his estate overlooking the Hudson River still survives. From 1889 to 1940, Untermyer accumulated and transformed over 150 acres into a botanical wonderland. Today the remaining 43-acre landscape includes formal plantings, garden follies and woodland trails.

Address: 945 North Broadway, Yonkers, N.Y. 10701
Hours: 7 a.m. to sunset every day, year round.
Admission: Free
Directions: Take MetroNorth to Greystone, then it’s a brisk walk uphill to the garden or just under a mile by cab. By car, about 45 minutes from Brooklyn via I-87.


2. Greenwood Gardens – Short Hills, N.J.
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A relatively new public garden, Greenwood Gardens was a private estate until 2003. The 28-acre landscape was first designed by architect William Whetten Renwick in the early 20th century for Joseph P. Day. Purchased by the Blanchard family in the 1950s, they put their own stamp on the landscape. The site includes wildflower meadows, ornamental trees, grottoes and walking paths.

Address: 274 Old Short Hills Road, Short Hill, N.J.
Hours: The garden opens for the season on May 4, Thursdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: $10 for adults, $5 for sensiors and students, free for children under 12.
Directions: From Port Authority take a NJ Transit train to Millburn, then it’s about a two mile cab ride. By car, its about an hour from Brooklyn via I-78 W.


3. Presby Memorial Iris Garden – Upper Montclair, N.J.
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Presby Memorial Iris Garden is small, but a must-see for the iris lover. Established in 1927 in honor of Frank H. Presby, the founder of the American Iris Society, the beds hold over 1,500 varieties of the flower. The over 10,000 irises planted are said to produce more than 100,000 blooms during the season.

Address: 474 Upper Mountain Avenue, Upper Montclair, N.J.
Hours: Dawn to dusk, year round. Peak iris season is mid May through mid June.
Admission: Free, suggested donation during iris season is $8 per person.
Directions: Take DeCamp Bus Line #66 from Port Authority and disembark at Valley Road and Laurel Place, then it’s a five minute walk to the garden. By car, it’s about an hour from Brooklyn via I-280 W.


4. Old Westbury Gardens – Old Westbury, N.Y.
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The early 20th century estate of the Phipps family, the 200-acre site includes formal gardens, trails, lakes and garden follies. While you can stroll the garden at your leisure, there are also guided tours of the landscape and the mansion available.

Address: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury, N.Y.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays from April 10 to October 31. Check for some special evening hours during the summer. Open weekends only in November.
Admission: $12 for adults (includes house and gardens), $10 for seniors and students, $7 for children ages 7 to 17, free for children under 6.
Directions: By car, about 45 minutes from Brooklyn via I-278 E.


5. Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park – Oyster Bay, N.Y.
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While the site includes Coe Hall, a 1920s Gold Coast estate worth a visit, the star is the 409-acre landscape with formal gardens, woodland trails and greenhouses. Spring is glorious here but keep it on the list for winter as well — the site is known for a camellia collection which bursts into color every February.

Address: 1395 Planting Fields Road, Oyster Bay, N.Y.
Hours: Grounds are open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., check for holiday schedules.
Admission: $8 per car on weekdays and weekends from April 1 to Labor Day, $8 per car on weekends after Labor Day through October 1. Free during winter season.
Directions: By car, about an hour from Brooklyn via I-278 E.


6. Stonecrop Garden – Cold Spring, N.Y.
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The 15-acre garden is perched in the Hudson Highlands and features a fairly diverse landscape — there are water gardens, rock gardens, woodland trails, a conservatory and an English flower garden. The landscape was originally a private garden which spawned a mail-order nursery but it has been a public garden since 1992.

Address: 81 Stonecrop Lane, Cold Spring, N.Y.
Hours: April 1 through October 31, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays. See schedule for select Sunday openings.
Admission: $5 per person, free for children under 12.
Directions: Take MetroNorth to Cold Spring, then it’s a five-mile cab ride. By car, about an hour and a half from Brooklyn via the Taconic State Parkway.


7. Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens – Stamford, Conn.
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The 93-acre landscape has, as the name implies, an impressive collection of trees but it also includes wildflower meadows, walking trails and other specialty gardens that highlight the native botanicals of Connecticut.

Address: 151 Brookdale Road, Stamford, Conn.
Hours: Dawn to dusk, every day.
Admission: Free (special events may require a ticket purchase)
Directions: By car, about an hour and a half via the Hutchinson River Parkway.


8. Innisfree Garden – Millbrook, N.Y.
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The 185-acre landscape began as a private garden — it was largely the vision of landscape architect Lester Collins working with owners Walter and Marion Beck in the 1940s. Heavily influenced by Japanese and Chinese design, they created contemplative vistas that incorporated the natural features of the landscape. The site opened to the public in 1960.

Address: 362 Tyrrel Road, Millbrook, N.Y.
Hours: From May to October, Wednesdays through Fridays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekends and holidays 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Admission: $6 on weekdays, $8 on weekends and holidays, free for children 3 and under.
Directions: By car, it’s just under two hours from Brooklyn via the Taconic State Parkway.

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