Botanical gardens, arboretums on Long Island

Find lush gardens, woodland paths and plenty of fresh air at Long Island’s botanical gardens and arboretums.

NASSAU

Bailey Arboretum

Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sun. Features: 42 acres, self-guided nature trails, children’s outdoor classroom, a newly renovated sensory garden. A collection of trees including dawn redwoods. Flowering trees in spring, annuals and perennials throughout the spring and summer. Offers guided walks, educational programs and events and wedding rentals. Fee: Free for 2023 due to pond restoration. Parking will be limited. More info: 516-801-1458, baileyarboretum.org; 194 Bayville Rd., Locust Valley.

Clark Botanic Garden

Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily April-Oct., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily Nov.-March. Features: 12 acres of specialty gardens, roses, day lilies, rock garden, herbs, butterfly garden, conifers. Set among three brook-fed ponds and curving paths with an apiary. Variety of garden-related items, honey and pollen sold in the gift shop. Dogs are not permitted. Summer concert series and a number of special events held throughout the year. Community garden beds and tours available. Fee: Free. More info: 516-869-7637, clarkbotanic.org; 193 I.U. Willets Rd., Albertson.

Hofstra Arboretum

Hours: Dawn-dusk daily. Features: Spread across the 238-acre campus, with a pinetum and a greenway. A sensory garden features tactile and aromatic plants at wheelchair level. The Sondra Rubin Mack Garden, a New American garden on the north campus, features easy-care perennials and a bird sanctuary (open during guided tours only). Gothic labyrinth made from 40 feet of circular granite with parterre and knot garden; take a self-guided tour or call for guided group tours. Fee: Free. More info: 516-463-6623, hofstra.edu/arboretum; 129 Hofstra University, Hempstead.

John P. Humes Japanese Stroll Garden

Hours: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat. and 1-5 p.m. Sun., May 6-Oct. 29. Features: 7 acres with elements that follow Japanese aesthetic principles, encouraging a contemplative experience. Gravel paths represent streams forming pools and cascading over waterfalls, eventually flowing into the ocean, represented by a pond. Fee: Free. More info: 516-922-1028, northshorelandalliance.org; Dogwood Lane and Oyster Bay Road, Mill Neck.

Old Westbury Gardens

Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily (closed Tue.) April 1-Oct 31. House closes from 1-1:40 p.m. daily. Features: The 20th-century mansion is surrounded by over 200 acres, including formal gardens like the world-famous Walled Garden, rose garden, cottage garden, wooded trails, lakes and sweeping lawns. Café in the Woods offers a selection of sandwiches, salads and beverages. Fee: $15 (advance purchase currently required), $13 ages 62 and older and full-time students, $8 ages 7-17, free 6 and younger; group rates. Additional fees for special events. More info: 516-333-0048, oldwestburygardens.org; 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury.

Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park

Hours: Greenhouses, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wed.-Mon. Features: 409 acres; 6 miles of trails and 200 acres of landscaped plantings, synoptic garden, rose garden, main greenhouse with orchids, begonias, cactuses and other tropical plants, camellia house, gift shop. Café and visitors center in the Hay Barn. Fee: $8 a car daily through Labor Day; weekends and holidays in April and Sept. 5-Nov. 19. Tour: Coe Hall guided tours 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Wed.-Fri. and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sat.-Sun., self-guided tours 2-4 p.m. Sat.-Sun.; $10 ages 18-61, $9 ages 62 and older, $5 ages 7-17, free ages 6 and younger. Tour availability may vary. More info: 516-922-9200, plantingfields.org; 1395 Planting Fields Rd., Oyster Bay.

SUFFOLK

Bayard Cutting Arboretum

Hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov.-March, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. April-Oct.; Closed Mon. Features: 691 acres along the Connetquot River. Enjoy bird-watching, nature walks, woodlands and rhododendron gardens. Pets, bicycle riding, picnics, sports, bathing and games are not permitted. Arboretum grounds and Manor House tours available all year. Hidden Oak Cafe and Manor House overlook the great lawn. Fee: $8 per vehicle April-Nov. Special events may have additional entrance fees. More info: 631-581-1002, bayardcuttingarboretum.com; 440 Montauk Hwy. (Route 27A), Great River.

Bridge Gardens

Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. Features: 5-acre garden with a large herb garden showcasing culinary, medicinal, textile dye and ornamental herbs, perennial beds and borders with native and nonnative plants, ornamental shrubs and trees. Expansive vegetable garden, community gardens, numerous educational workshops showcase low-impact, sustainable landscape methods. Programming includes garden tours, garden-to-table demonstrations, children’s StoryWalk, summer painting classes and Autumn Open House. Fee: Free. More info: 631-283-3195, peconiclandtrust.org; 36 Mitchell Lane, Bridgehampton.

Longhouse Reserve

Season: April 1-Dec. 29. Features: A 16-acre sculpture garden with works by many artists. Includes seasonal blooms, established lawns, collections of bamboo and grasses, conifers and broad-leaved evergreens, ornamental borders, a pond, reflecting pool, and allées anchored by sculptures. Fee: $20, $10 seniors, free to children through 12th grade. Reservations can be made on the website. More info: 631-329-3568, longhouse.org; 133 Hands Creek Rd., East Hampton.

Madoo Conservancy

Hours: Noon-4 p.m. Fri.-Sat., and beginning June 15 noon-4 p.m. Wed. through Sept. 17, by appointment. Season: April 15-Sept. 17. Features: A 2-acre organic garden created by writer and gardener Robert Dash (1931-2013). Within the property, one can see gardens with American, European and Asian influences. Highlights include an Asian-inspired bridge crossing a pond, an exotic garden and sunken terrace, a yew and mulberry maze, and a potager, a French-style vegetable garden. The rill garden has been reinstalled this spring. Two historic houses, one from 1740 that has been restored and the other from 1850, are found within the landscape. Exhibits: Dash's former painting studio, now a gallery, exhibits contemporary art through the season. Fee: Free. More info: 631-537-8200, madoo.org; 618 Sagg-Main St., Sagaponack.

Pinelawn Memorial Park and Arboretum

Hours: 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. April 30-Oct., 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov.-March. Features: Open and expansive landscape with hundreds of acres of manicured grounds, architecture, flowing bronze fountains and flower-lined public walking trails. This Level II-accredited arboretum is home to Nikko maple, weeping beech and katsura trees as well as memorial gardens. A tour of the 500-acre arboretum aboard an old-fashioned trolley takes place yearly in June. A map of the arboretum can be picked up at the main office building. Fee: Free. More info: 631-249-6100, pinelawn.com; 2030 Wellwood Ave., Farmingdale.