Some destinations are defined by famous landmarks.
Others are remembered for something quieter: a winding garden path, the scent of blooming flowers, or a peaceful afternoon surrounded by nature.
This year, two remarkable gardens on opposite sides of the country are being recognized not only for their beauty, but also for the work they’re doing to preserve living pieces of American history.
Untermyer Gardens in Yonkers, New York, and Filoli in Woodside, California, have each received the Garden Conservancy’s prestigious Jean and John Greene Prize for Excellence in American Gardening, an award celebrating exceptional garden preservation and stewardship.
🌸 A Hidden Oasis Outside New York City
Just a few miles north of Manhattan, Untermyer Gardens feels worlds away from the city’s fast pace.
Perched above the Hudson River, the historic estate combines grand architecture, formal gardens, fountains, and sweeping views into one unforgettable landscape.
Originally part of a sprawling private estate, the gardens have undergone years of careful restoration, bringing back many of the spaces that had faded over time. The latest efforts will help revive the property’s historic Color Gardens, allowing visitors to experience another chapter of its remarkable story.
It’s the kind of place where every pathway seems to reveal a new surprise.
🌺 California’s Garden Escape
Across the country, Filoli offers a very different—but equally memorable—experience.
Located about 30 miles south of San Francisco, the historic estate stretches across more than 650 acres of gardens, woodlands, orchards, and rolling hills framed by views of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Visitors can wander through elegant English-inspired gardens, explore nature trails beneath towering redwoods, or simply enjoy the peaceful atmosphere that has made Filoli one of California’s most beloved public gardens.
Throughout the year, concerts, seasonal festivals, art installations, and family-friendly programs bring new reasons to return.
🌿 More Than Beautiful Landscapes
It’s easy to admire a garden for its flowers.
What visitors don’t always see is the work happening behind the scenes.
Historic gardens require constant care, from restoring aging structures to preserving rare plant collections and maintaining landscapes designed generations ago. Awards like the Jean and John Greene Prize help support those long-term preservation efforts, ensuring these spaces remain vibrant for future visitors.
In many ways, gardens are living museums, changing with the seasons while preserving the stories of the past.
🚶 Slow Down and Wander
One of the greatest pleasures of visiting a garden is that there’s no right way to experience it.
You can pause on a quiet bench, photograph blooming flowers, stroll winding pathways, or simply enjoy a slower pace than everyday life usually allows.
In an era when many vacations revolve around packed itineraries, gardens offer something increasingly valuable: permission to take your time.
✨ Beauty That Lasts
Historic gardens aren’t frozen in time.
They’re constantly growing, evolving, and being carefully cared for by the people who understand their cultural and environmental importance.
Whether overlooking the Hudson River in New York or nestled among the rolling hills of Northern California, Untermyer Gardens and Filoli remind us that some of America’s most remarkable destinations aren’t skyscrapers or famous landmarks.
Sometimes, they’re places where history continues to bloom—one season at a time.