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Mt. Cuba Center- Hockessin, DE
The Brandywine Valley is one of the most beautiful places in the United States. It is home to countless gardens, some very well known, some hidden gems. Mount Cuba falls somewhere in the middle. It certainly isn't as busy as Longwood Gardens, which feels like an amusement park; nor is it a pocket park, with limited plantings. Rather, Mt. Cuba sits in the sweet spot- several acres of immaculate gardens and limited crowds.
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Ladew Topiary Gardens- Monkton, MD
Ladew Topiary Gardens are absolutely enchanting- a real life Alice in Wonderland experience. Consisting of a series of seemingly endless gardens, it feels almost dreamlike to wander the grounds here.
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Chatham Manor- Fredericksburg, VA
Perched above the Rappahannock River sits the stately 1771 Chatham Manor. Built for farmer and statesman William Fitzhugh, the Georgian mansion was the center of a massive 1280 acre estate, sustained at first by slavery, then later by wealthy benefactors who used it as a country escape.
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Castle Hill and Crane Estate- Ipswich, MA
Although technically built after the end of the Gilded Age, Castle Hill is every bit as grand as its Newport counterparts. Majestically situated overlooking Ipswich Bay, and surrounded by stunning gardens, it is the quintessential summer vacation estate.
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Blithewold Mansion and Gardens- Bristol, RI
Blithewold Mansion is very reminiscent of Canandaigua's Sonnenberg Estate, which, coming from me, is a compliment of the highest order. Both estates are magnificent historic properties, filled with exquisite decorative arts, set amidst magical grounds.
