WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Historic Hotels of America® has some of the finest historic hotels with the most magnificent and breathtaking gardens. From fields of tulips (over 16,000!) to massive cacti that have been growing since the 1920s, there are an array of flora and fauna among the historic gardens at these legendary historic hotels and historic resorts that must be explored, viewed, and experienced in person. These beautiful gardens range from grand estate size formal gardens to informal fields of seasonal colors to intimate herb gardens.
Romance blooms in the gardens of historic hotels whether making a romantic proposal to celebrating a very special occasion. These storybook gardens have been meticulously cared for by many generations of gardeners.
Here’s a sampling of the 2018 Historic Hotels of America Top 25 Most Magnificent Gardens:
Mohonk
Mountain House (1869) New Paltz, New York
The gardens at Mohonk
reflect the influence of the French, Italian, and mostly English style
of landscaping of the turn of the 19th century. Mohonk’s
founder, Albert Smiley was the original designer of these colorful
gardens. Each year, more than 1,000 flats of seasonal flowers are
planted throughout the grounds at Mohonk. One outstanding feature of the
gardens is the combination of sweeping lawns and open vistas with
stately trees as focal points, surrounded by spectacular rocky cliffs.
Guests can stroll beyond the formal areas into the rose, herb, and
cutting gardens. Cedar pergolas, arbors, benches, and summerhouses
handcrafted by Mohonk’s rustic carpenters over the past century, enhance
the natural aspects of the Mohonk landscape.
Grand
Hotel (1887) Mackinac Island, Michigan
Grand Hotel's grounds
include more than 25 separate planted gardens that account for over one
and a half acres of maintained garden beds. The hotel's front porch, the
world's longest is lined from end to end with more than 1,375 of the
hotel’s signature Americana Red Geraniums in 147 planting boxes. More
than 2,500 geraniums are planted around the grounds. Over 150 varieties
of flowers grow throughout more than 40 separate ornamental planting
areas. Every season, the garden beds are planted with more than 50,000
annuals and more than 60,000 flower bulbs. Flower boxes, pots, and the
more than 150 combination baskets include over 5,000 annual flowers. The
carriage roadside triangle gardens on the east side of the hotel are
filled with more than 16,000 tulip bulbs that burst forth each spring
with radiant colors to signify the start of another magical gardening
season on Mackinac Island. Guided garden tours at the hotel are led by
some of the most experienced garden and grounds staff members. The
movies Somewhere in Time and This Time For Keeps were both
filmed around Grand Hotel and offer glimpses of the gardens and grounds.
Jekyll
Island Club Resort (1887) Jekyll Island, Georgia
The Sunken
Garden is one of the most notable gardens at Jekyll Island Club Resort
and was a part of Crane Cottage’s original floor plan that was designed
by David Adler and Henry Dangler. Crane Cottage was designed in 1916 and
constructed in 1917. Historically, the Sunken Garden was anchored with
boxed oranges trees that the resort then later replicated in the late
2000s. The most memorable space in the garden are the lush trellises.
The ivy arches are admired and captured in photographs daily by guests,
visitors and locals. The trellises are beautiful year-round, but May
through July are the optimal months for visiting. In July, the orange
and yellow lantana bushes are in full bloom, attracting dozens of
monarch butterflies to the edge of the garden.
Airlie
(1892) Warrenton, Virginia
Adjacent to the main house, the formal
gardens are 118 years old and have largely remained unaltered since
their initial plantings. In addition to the boxwood hedges, original
fixtures include an Italian-made bird basin, bird house, and sun dial.
Many weddings and special events are held in the formal gardens
throughout the year. Over 100 varieties of flowers and special
ornamental plantings can be viewed on the grounds. Located on a secluded
corner of Airlie’s front lawn is the Peterson Butterfly Garden. With the
organic air of a cottage garden, the quiet babbling of a small stream,
natural stone fences, and tranquil surroundings, it is designed to
attract butterflies. A gazebo serves as the focal point of the garden
and has become a favorite backdrop for wedding ceremonies and photo
sessions.
The
American Club (1918) Kohler, Wisconsin
The gardens in Kohler
were planted in 1913 after Walter J. Kohler, Sr., traveled to Europe to
study garden cities. He then worked with the Olmsted Brothers to plan
the green spaces that beautify the Village of Kohler and Kohler Co.
campus. In 1981, following the renovation of The American Club - once
home to immigrant workers, turned into a luxury hotel, the gardens
developed further. There are over 7,500 annuals planted on the grounds
of the hotel each year. These annual displays are changed out twice a
year to offer returning guests a new seasonal explosion of color. There
are a variety of gardens on site, including The Wisconsin Room
Courtyard. This garden’s focal point, a grand cedar arbor, supports a
variety of decorative vines and casts its majestic shadow upon the
bluestone terrace and its surrounding perennials. Another notable
feature of the grounds at The American Club is the Fountain Courtyard.
This courtyard offers outdoor seating to guests of The Greenhouse, a
charming antique solarium from Chorley, Lancashire, in the north of
England. There are arbors on each side of the courtyard covered in wild
grape vines.
The
Broadmoor (1918) Colorado Springs, Colorado
The gardens at this
historic resort were designed and planted in 1918. Spencer Penrose, the
founder of The Broadmoor, asked the Olmsted Brothers, John Charles and
Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., to design the grounds to be as artistic,
memorable, and unique as the resort. Using primarily native grasses,
flowers, and trees, they designed elaborate gardens and walkways that
beautified and unified The Broadmoor with its surroundings. The resort’s
historian has records of original plantings which included over 800
varieties of plants in the front gardens alone. Many of the trees and
landscaping reflect what was planted decades ago, still flourishing
today. As part of the resort’s year-long centennial celebrations, The
Broadmoor plans to place a special spotlight on the gardens and the
Olmsted Brothers throughout the month of August. There will be classes
and activities on spring planting, as well as walking tours of the
Penrose House garden areas and Broadmoor grounds that Olmsted designed.
Ojai
Valley Inn (1923) Ojai, California
Margaret Sears, celebrated
landscape architect created the original gardens for Ojai Valley Inn,
dating back to the 1930s. Sears also was responsible for the landscaping
in the classic movie, Gone with the Wind. In 2008, Leland
Walmsley, grandson of Sears followed in her footsteps and created an
expansion to the Inn’s original gardens. Six gardens were added,
creating a tropical oasis. Included in the expansion was an organic
vegetable garden for the Chef whose restaurant overlooks the restored
native creek-side habitat and two outdoor wedding sites. One of the most
noted herbs at the Inn is the lavender that is found throughout the
resort.
The
Hotel Hershey® (1933) Hershey, Pennsylvania
Overlooking
the iconic town of Hershey, the Hershey Gardens are a 23- acre botanical
display featuring 11 themed gardens, including a historic rose garden
with over 3,500 rose bushes with 175 cultivars. Among the themed gardens
is a seasonal display garden, which features more than 20,000 tulips
each spring, colorful annuals in mid-summer and vibrant mums in the
fall. A one and a half acre children’s garden features 25 themed
displays as well as chocolate scented, named, and colored flora. Since
1937, Hershey Gardens have delighted guests with a breathtaking
assortment of flowers, shrubs, and a stately collection of rare,
signature trees. In 2016, the Milton and Catherine Hershey Conservatory
opened, transforming the gardens into a year-round attraction complete
with an indoor tropical butterfly atrium. The Hershey Gardens are
located across the street from Hotel Hershey®, at one of
Milton S. Hershey’s legacy properties. All overnight guests of the hotel
receive complimentary admission to the Hershey Gardens.
Other noteworthy Historic Hotels of America historic gardens worth visiting include:
Hanover Inn Dartmouth (1780) Hanover, New Hampshire
The Inn at Montchanin Village (1799) Montchanin, Delaware
Antrim 1844 (1844) Taneytown, Maryland
French Lick Springs Hotel (1845) French Lick, Indiana
Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa (1847) Point Clear, Alabama
Nottoway Plantation and Resort (1859) White Castle, Louisiana
Wentworth by the Sea (1874) New Castle, New Hampshire
Basin Harbor (1886) Vergennes, Vermont
Castle Hill Resort & Spa (1905) Cavendish, Vermont
Castle Hotel & Spa (1910) Tarrytown, New York
Claremont Club & Spa (1915) Berkeley, California
OHEKA CASTLE (1919) Huntington, New York
The Settlers Inn at Bingham Park (1927) Hawley, Pennsylvania
Hacienda Del Sol Guest Ranch (1929) Tucson, Arizona
The Spa at Norwich Inn (1929) Norwich, Connecticut
The Wigwam (1929) Litchfield Park, Arizona
Royal Palms Resort and Spa (1948) Phoenix, Arizona
“Discovering, exploring, and experiencing the historic gardens of Historic Hotels of America should be on everyone’s bucket list,” said Lawrence Horwitz, Executive Director, Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. “Whether a guest wants to walk alone, take a romantic stroll with a loved-one, enjoy a perfect setting for long un-interrupted conversations, or just take a restful quiet stroll, these historic gardens are truly magnificent and create wonderful long-lasting memories you can take home.”
To learn more about Historic Hotels of America’s most magnificent gardens, go to HistoricHotels.org/Gardens.
About Historic Hotels of America®
Historic Hotels of America is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest Historic Hotels. Historic Hotels of America has more than 300 historic hotels. These historic hotels have all faithfully maintained their authenticity, sense of place, and architectural integrity in the United States of America, including 46 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Historic Hotels of America is comprised of mostly independently owned and operated historic hotels. More than 30 of the world’s finest hospitality brands, chains, and collections are represented in Historic Hotels of America. To be nominated and selected for membership into this prestigious program, a hotel must be at least 50 years old; has been designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark or listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; and recognized as having historic significance. For more information, please visit HistoricHotels.org.