12 Gardens to Visit this Spring and Summer

Spring has sprung, and the season has brought along some of the most beautiful flower gardens in New York State. We’ve gathered a list of seasonal gardens you can visit on Amtrak this spring and summer, as well as one-two day premiere garden events.

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Seasonal Spring & Summer Gardens

New York Botanical Garden (8.8 Miles from New Rochelle Amtrak Station) -- Visit the New York Botanical Garden. In late spring  you’ll see tulips, roses, peonies and azaleas. Early summer brings along violets, lilies, even more roses, hydrangeas and more!

Photo by Vanderbilt Garden

Vanderbilt Mansion NHS Gardens (6.9 Miles from Poughkeepsie Amtrak Station) -- The beautiful gardens consist yearly of over 4000 annual blooms, 2000 perennials and hundreds of roses. Fountains, a reflecting pool, statues and shady arbors are also a part of the garden.

Locust Grove (2.6 Miles from Poughkeepsie Amtrak Station) -- Overlooking the Hudson River, this estate contains trees, rolling hills, and vistas. Influenced by the Romantic period, the half-acre ornamental garden contains peonies, collections of heirloom dahlias, and annual and perennial flowers.

Photo by Schenectady Rose

Schenectady Central Park Rose Garden (2.3 miles from Schenectady Amtrak Station) -- Central Park Rose Garden sits right in the center of Schenectady, and has been a favorite place for strolling, photography, and hosting events for 50+ years. Features include 4,000 rose bushes, a tiered center fountain, babbling brook and spring pond.

Photo by Fort Ticonderoga

Landis Arboretum (19.1 Miles from Amsterdam Amtrak Station) -- Landis is an arboretum and public garden incorporating hundreds of acres. In the summer and early fall you can expect to see ornamental trees, perennial gardens, old growth forests, and more.

King’s Garden at Fort Ticonderoga (1.0 Mile from Ticonderoga Amtrak Station) -- Explore one of the oldest cultivated landscapes in America. After taking in all the color of the 20th century garden, be sure to get rooted in the history of this land by seeing their other five gardens of horticulture at Ticonderoga.

Photo by Monroe County

Highland Park (3.1 Miles from Rochester Amtrak Station) -- Rochester’s Highland Park contains 150 acres of nature to explore. Gardens include 1,200 lilac shrubs, a Japanese Maple collection, sweet-smelling magnolias, azaleas, mountain laurel and andromeda and more.

Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens (5.8 Miles from BFX Amtrak Station) -- Experience beautiful gardens year round at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. For outdoor exhibits, such as the Rose Garden, the Peach Garden, the Children’s Garden, and the Healing Garden, May through October is the best time to visit.

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One-Two Day Events

Photo by Garden Conservancy

Garden of Vivian & Ed Merrin (8.5 Miles from Croton-on-Hudson Amtrak Station) -- As a part of Garden Conservancy’s Open Days event, Garden of Vivian & Ed Merrin will be open to the public for two days this summer. On June 26 and July 24 stop and see peonies, orchids, hibiscus and more.

Hudson Hood (0.7 Miles from Hudson Amtrak Station) -- As a part of Garden Conservancy’s Open Days event, Hudson Hood will be open to the public on June 4, 2016. Features include a century-old tulip tree; topiaries of holly, boxwood, spruce and more.

Photo by © D. Zinteck, Photographics 2.

Yaddo Garden (3.3 miles from Saratoga Springs Amtrak) -- A rose and a rock garden make up Yaddo. Docent-led tours begin at 11:00 a.m. starting Saturday and Sunday the weekend of June 18, 2016; Tuesdays during the season starting July 26 (no tour on 8/28); ending Sunday, September 4.

Garden Walk Buffalo (1.1 Miles from BFX Station) -- Go for a stroll on America’s largest garden tour, with self-guided walks through 300+ gardens on July 30-31. This free tour has been a summer staple of Buffalo for many years.