A Spring Afternoon at Old Westbury Gardens

Apr 30

Old Westbury Gardens Historic Mansion — Front of the Westbury House
Photo Credit: Samantha M. Lopez

Colonnade and Reflecting Pool
Photo Credit: Samantha M. Lopez

There’s something timeless about walking through Old Westbury Gardens on a warm spring day. Located on Long Island, just a short drive from the city, the estate is a beautifully preserved slice of Gilded Age history. Once the home of John S. Phipps, a financier and member of the prominent Phipps family. The mansion and gardens were built in 1906, and today are open to the public, offering one of the most elegant and peaceful day trips you can take in the area.

The grounds were alive with spring color, and I was grateful as ever to have started my day with a 12-hour Allegra-D. Tulips bloomed in organized rows and natural drifts—classic reds, soft pinks, buttery yellows. Daffodils and hyacinths added bursts of white, violet, and blue as their sweet fragrance lingered in the air as we walked through the garden. Along the paths, you could hear birds everywhere, and I was lucky enough to spot a couple of cardinals and robins. It was also the first time I ever saw wild lizards in New York City. They were roaming all around the garden, and I was delighted to learn they are beneficial to gardens, as they primarily eat insects including those garden pests that ruin plants and flowers.

The mansion’s layout encourages walking. Every path leads somewhere beautiful from the formal gardens, to the shaded woodland trails, the reflecting pools that catch the sky and the mature beech, maple, and copper beech trees, some of which are easily over a hundred years old, create a natural canopy in parts of the estate.

Inside the mansion, Westbury House, there’s just as much to see. The architecture is classic Charles II-style, with grand rooms full of antiques, art, and books. The rooms are meticulously maintained and richly decorated in the English country style, with original furnishings that reflect the taste and comfort of the early 20th century elite.

The Drawing Room, with its soft upholstery and large windows overlooking the gardens, feels refined yet surprisingly lived-in. The Library is darker, quieter, lined with books and warm paneling—exactly the kind of room you can imagine being used on a rainy afternoon.

Upstairs, bedrooms retain their original character, with floral wallpaper, carved wood furniture, and family photographs adorn every corner of the house. One of the more personal touches is the presence of the family dog, a beloved golden retriever named C.K., lived with the family and is remembered fondly throughout the estate, immortalized in both photographs and a small statue in the house. It’s a charming reminder that for all its grandeur, this was once a real home.

As much as I enjoyed the day, I left already thinking about coming back in June. Dozens of varieties of roses are expected to be in full bloom by then, including hybrid teas, the gorgeous path of climbing roses, and floribundas will fill the space with an abundance of color and scent. Spring at Old Westbury Gardens is a reminder that some places are worth returning to again and again, because the beauty unfolds in layers, one season at a time.

old westbury gardensold westbury gardens museummuseumJohn S. PhippsDaffodilsHyacinthsRosesLong IslandNassau Countymaple treescopper beech treesbeech trees

Samantha M. Lopez https://samanthamlopez.com

A Spring Afternoon at Old Westbury Gardens

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