Explore the gardens and landscapes of Dutchess County’s Great Estates along the Hudson River. Experience the outdoor beauty of these estates from the Revolutionary War, the Gilded Age, and the World War II eras on your own or attend an outdoor event! Don't miss the Great Estates Garden & Landscape Weekends June 28–29 and Aug. 2–3, 2025. Find details of what each site is offering below and check back as additional events and details continue to be added!
• Garden and Landscape Tour, Saturday, June 28, and Saturday, Aug. 2, at 10 a.m.
Wilderstein is a historic country estate located along the Hudson River in Rhinebeck. With its exquisite Queen Anne mansion and Calvert Vaux designed landscape, Wilderstein is widely regarded as one of the region's most important examples of Victorian architecture. It was the home of Margaret (Daisy) Suckley, a distant cousin and confidante of Franklin Roosevelt.
During this special outdoor guided tour, visitors will learn about Wilderstein’s landscape and gardens, the exterior design of the mansion and outbuildings, and the lives of the Suckley family. One hour should be planned for the tour with an additional half hour for perusing the gift shop, exploring the hiking trails on the property, and enjoying the spectacular views. Advance online registration strongly encouraged. Click here to purchase tickets.
• Guided Hike: History Hidden in the Woods, Saturday, June 28, 10–11:30 a.m.
Have you ever wondered what some of the ruins within Mills-Norrie State Park might be? The beautiful park land was once the setting for grand Hudson Riverfront estates. This 90-minute guided hike will lead visitors through the park, exploring the history of three historic estates, from Staatsburgh's founding as a gentleman's farm in the 1700s to the development of The Point and Stonehurst estates in the 19th century. The hike is approximately 1.5 miles of uneven terrain, requiring study footwear. Click here to complete the required registration.
• Drawing from the Landscape, Sunday, June 29, 10–11 a.m.
Learn from experienced Hudson Valley artist and teacher Mira Fink.Take a short walk around the grounds of Staatsburgh State Historic Site and by the Hudson River to take in the beauty of the landscape. Explore composition and the effects of light and shadow. Learn how to break down the landscape into simple shapes with areas of different values (lights, mid-tones and darks). Then try your hand at creating "thumbnail sketches." All materials will be provided. Appropriate for teens and adults. No previous drawing experience is needed. This workshop is weather permitting, with a rain date of Aug. 3. Click here to purchase tickets.
• Self-Guided Tours of Staatsburgh’s Grounds
Enjoy a walk through Staatsburgh’s grounds, designed in the classic English Landscape Garden style. You’ll stroll down a shaded carriage drive winding past a sweeping lawn to a magnificent view of the Hudson River. Click here for a short, free guide to accompany your walk.
• Garden Tours, Sundays, June 29 and Aug. 3, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Mount Gulian Historic Site invites visitors to explore its garden and unique horticultural history. Learn about the garden's origins, evolution, and notable gardeners, including MaryAnna Verplanck, who as a precocious 11 year old, designed the original 1804 garden; James F. Brown, an enslaved person who fled Maryland and worked as Mount Gulian's master gardener after he was manumitted by the Verplanck family; and Virginia Verplanck, whose literary contributions include two gardening books, "Every Day in My Garden" and "A Year in My Garden from the Early 20th Century." Reservations are required for this special program. Please call (845) 831-8172 or email info@mountgulian.org.
• Flower Photography 101: Sunday, June 29, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
Join Hudson Valley photographer Jess Casamento for a three-hour workshop blending the basics of photography with the art of slow seeing. No experience needed — just bring a camera (or a smartphone) and your sense of wonder. Explore Locust Grove's gardens and grounds and practice your new skills. Click here to learn more and to register.
• Weekend of June 28 and 29
Locust Grove is home to a Victorian-style garden and heirloom vegetable garden with trails along the Hudson River. Free admission to the grounds and walking trails, which are open 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Weekend of Aug. 2 and 3
Locust Grove will offer visitors cutting bouquets from their historic garden for purchase from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. on Aug. 2 and 3. The gardens and trails are open 10 a.m.–5 p.m. with free admission.
• Self-Guided tours of The Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites, Hyde Park
The gardens at the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site will be available throughout the Great Estates Garden & Landscape Tour Weekends. Visitors are encouraged to bring their smart phones or other handheld devices to access the digital garden tour, which is available by dialing a number or scanning a QR code. Park grounds and gardens are available from 8 a.m.–7 p.m. daily. For maps of the park, including the location of the gardens, stop by the Visitor Contact Stations or download the new National Park Service app to your smart device.
Additionally, the Roosevelt Home Garden and the Beatrix Farrand Garden at The Home of FDR National Historic Site will be available throughout the Great Estates Garden & Landscape Tour weekends for self-guided exploration. The Beatrix Farrand Garden Association will host a Wild Edible & Medicinal Plant Walk with herbalist Dina Falconi on June 28; a free accoustic concert by acclaimed multi-instrumentalist and composer Alexander Turnquist on June 29; and a birding walk on Aug. 2, and will station Garden Greeters in the Garden on Aug. 3 to answer questions about Beatrix Farrand, Bellefield Mansion, and the gardens. Click here to see the Beatrix Farrand Garden Association calendar. Both gardens offer cell tours that can be accessed using smartphones and other handheld devices and are available daily from 8 a.m.–7 p.m. For maps of the park, including locations of the gardens, stop by the Visitor Contact Stations or download the new National Park Service app to your smart device.
Explore the grounds and property at Clermont State Historic Site on a self-guided tour. On June 29, Clermont will host a guided walk titled "The Livingston’s Landscape Walking Tour: Uncovering the Relationship the Livingstons had with the Land and Those Living on It." Click here to learn more.
Related: Path Through History Weekends
