Vanderbilt Gardens, Hyde Park, NY, National Park Service, Photo Courtesy W.D. Urbin

Frederick and Louise Vanderbilt bought a 600 acre estate in Hyde Park overlooking the Hudson River Valley in 1895.  McKim, Meade and White, well-known architects from New York were hired to build a new home.  Frederick Vanderbilt with a keen interest in horticulture oversaw the installation of an Italian formal garden.  His garden was tiered, the multiple levels dedicated to specific types of plants: annuals, perennials, shrubs and roses.  The gardens boast 6,000 annuals and 1,800 roses many of which are vintage. Vanderbilt sought to follow the mirror image of an Italian garden with a line drawn either horizontally or vertically.  Often Mr. Vanderbilt would win local competition at flower shows in Dutchess County, New York.

A Plant Sale of annuals, perennials and shrubs some from the Vanderbilt gardens or supplied by the volunteers and their gardens will take place on Saturday, May 28th.

Vanderbilt Gardens, Hyde Park, NY, National Park Service, Photo Courtesy W.D. Urbin

For information contact:

vanderbiltgarden.org

Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites

National Park Service  845-229-9115