My favorite place is a frequent subject on this blog, Old Westbury Gardens in Old Westbury, NY. As a child, I visited the gardens on a girl scout trip, fell in the mud and did not return for years. It wasn’t until a few years ago when I went to Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns — which takes place every October at Old Westbury Gardens — that I decided to finally return to the place in the spring to see what it was all about. After that first spring visit, I fell in love with Old Westbury Gardens and I go as many times as I possibly can to photograph when they reopen in spring, summer and until they close in the fall.
As many times as I go, there is always something new to photograph. Almost every month, a new variety of flower is growing in the Walled Garden, so something you see in April is gone by May. I also love trying out different angles to photograph some of my favorite spots to see how a new perspective changes things.
My favorite time to go is early in the morning, as soon as the gate is unlocked and the gardens are open. Most of the time, I have a good hour with the pathways to myself or I’m sharing with only one to two other photographers. If you ever find yourself in Old Westbury, NY, I highly recommend spending a day visiting the gardens. There is so much to see and it is the perfect place to spend a day walking around and relaxing.
