The Gardens at Yaddo
Time, space, quiet—retreat to our rose garden.
Yaddo Gardens Closed Until Further Notice
We're heartbroken to be closing our #Yaddo Gardens due to storm damage sustained during recent severe weather. One of our older bridges that gives access to the Gardens has been compromised, creating safety concerns that prevent us from welcoming visitors.
We're doing everything we can to reopen them as safely and efficiently as possible. In the meantime, we've identified an alternative route that will allow limited access for select programs and events.
There will still be opportunities to experience the Gardens this summer, including our Nature of Art talks, Wine & Roses series, and Art of Wellness yoga classes.
Our Yaddo Garden Association volunteers will continue to have access to work on the Gardens. In addition, special arrangements will be made for weddings & photography sessions that have already been scheduled.
We invite you to support repairs to Yaddo's access bridge, roadways, and infrastructure. Every contribution helps ensure that future generations can continue to experience Yaddo.
We will provide updates as they become available.
Yaddo Reads Lending Library
We are now offering a micro lending library with books for children and young adults. The library features audio of book excerpts read by children. Bring your phone and a pair of headphones to hear stories read to you, or borrow a book. The Yaddo Reads Lending Library is available during Garden Open Hours.
Volunteering
The Yaddo Gardens are maintained by the dedicated volunteers of the Yaddo Garden Association (YGA).
Gardening is done from late-April to late October, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings starting at 9 a.m. and finishing at noon. The best way to become a volunteer is simply to show up when there are volunteers there! Gardeners are put to work quickly. You can also fill out this volunteer form, and the YGA volunteer coordinator will respond.
Weddings
On Fridays, our Gardens will be reserved for wedding ceremonies. The maximum number of people who can be comfortably accommodated is 50. Receptions are not permitted, and there are neither restroom facilities nor an indoor alternative in case of rain. Due to the proximity of the Gardens to our retreat, sound amplification is not permitted.
The suggested donation for a wedding ceremony is at least $500.
To inquire about weddings, please fill out and submit this form.
Photography Sessions
Professional photography sessions may be scheduled. The suggested donation for photo shoots is at least $150.
To inquire about photo sessions, please fill out and submit this form.
History
Spencer Trask created the Gardens at Yaddo in 1899 as a gift to his wife Katrina. Though the Trasks consulted landscape architects and gardening manuals, the design was theirs alone. Here, as elsewhere on the estate, the Trasks showed themselves to be restless experimenters.
The Gardens are situated on lower and upper terraces divided by a pergola. The lower part, which includes the Rose Garden, is more formal, and reflects Italian and French Renaissance influences. The upper part, located above and beyond the pergola, is a woodland rock garden, a style that came into fashion in the late 19th century. Both gardens have fountains.
The Trasks enjoyed sharing the Gardens at Yaddo with the public. However, by the 1980s, harsh weather and episodes of vandalism and theft had taken a toll. In 1991, Saratoga Springs resident and Yaddo Board member Jane Wait founded the YGA. Under her leadership, volunteers joined Yaddo's grounds crew in bringing the Gardens back to life.