Stockbridge, MA, in the heart of the Berkshire hills and just an hour’s drive south of the Vermont border, is a delightful town to visit with its little shops,  quaint buildings and in-town gardens.

But Stockbridge is much more than a tourist destination--it is also a garden-lover's paradise. Here, within a five mile radius, you can visit three special gardens of yesteryear and a major botanical garden with its graceful contemporary-style plantings.

The gardens at Chesterwood, The Mount and Naumkeag, all maintained in their original style, illustrate the garden aspirations of their talented and eclectic owners.

Those at Chesterwood and The Mount, both created around 1900, follow the strictly formal design philosophy popular at that time.

By contrast the garden at Naumkeag, begun in 1929 and gradually developed over the course of thirty years, offers a succession of individual garden rooms for the visitor to discover like a delightful collection of hidden surprises.

The much larger Berkshire Botanical Garden—although initially created over 80 years ago—has gradually evolved over time and today offers the visitor a series of beautiful display gardens.  Not only is it a lovely place to spend a leisurely and peaceful afternoon, it is also a source of inspiration for garden lovers everywhere.