From our April 2025 issue
Hike up a series of granite ledges, enjoying views of the snug harbor below, to reach this flowery hillside paradise (or, you know, just drive up the narrow access road, even though it’s less rewarding). A carved wooden gate welcomes visitors to the stately grounds, which opened to the public in 1962. Within, honey bees buzz past rhododendrons, apple trees, and orderly beds of perennials. The garden is part of a larger preserve that’s home to hiking and carriage trails (both of which connect to a much larger network of trails) and a rustic old lodge built by a Boston philanthropist that hosts a botanical library. Maybe you could find a volume there containing the Latin identification of the conifers that surround the garden — and confer upon the garden its name.