A Spring Afternoon at Old Westbury Gardens

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. Tulips bloomed in organized rows and natural drifts—classic reds, soft pinks, buttery yellows. Daffodils and hyacinths added bursts of white, violet, and blue, their sweet fragrance lingering in the air. 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 in my life ever seeing lizards in New York City. They were roaming all around the garden, and I was happy to learn that they are beneficial to gardens, as they primarily eat insects including those garden pests that ruin plants and flowers.