Photograph by Claire Takacs
Photograph by Claire Takacs
Photograph by Claire Takacs

Photograph by Claire Takacs

Welcome to Innisfree

Come explore 185 acres of designed and wild spaces. Our visiting season begins when thousands of daffodils are in bloom in late April and continues through early November when the majestic fall colors reflect off Tyrrel Lake. We invite you to learn more about the natural world, the cultures that inspired Innisfree, and the art that Innisfree inspires through one of our special events and programs.

Created in the early 1930s by Walter and Marion Beck, and then through a sixty-year collaboration with landscape architect Lester Collins, Innisfree is a remarkable blend of Modernist and Romantic ideals with time-honored Chinese and Japanese garden design principles. Innisfree stands as a quintessentially American stroll garden, an exquisite composition that harmoniously blends elements of rock, water, wood, and sky with a rare sense of economy and grace.

Explore the Garden

Events and Programs

Innisfree offers a wide array of programs to share our rich and diverse story, from our virtual lecture series and daffodil viewing in early spring to concerts, thematic tastings, and special tours with scientists, naturalists, and artists.

Restoration Projects

The timeless vision and timely ideas of landscape architect Lester Collins call for unique preservation efforts. With support from generous donors, Innisfree has completed several major restoration projects—the first in the garden’s ninety-year history.

News

Recent accolades and support for Innisfree include a 2023 Dutchess Tourism Award of Distinction and a 2023 Technical Assistance Grant from the Preservation League of New York State—the first ever to a historic landscape.

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In just a few short days, we will open our gates for the first weekend of our Early Flower Viewing, open only to Members this first weekend. The garden is coming alive, the daffodils are blooming, and there are buds on the tree. Our garden team has
Yesterday, we opened Innisfree's gates early to watch the solar eclipse, and the joy and rejuvenation of being in the garden on a beautiful spring day, experiencing such an unusual phenomenon, was palpable. Not only did it exhilerate our visitors, b
On Monday afternoon, we will be opening our gates for a chance for guests to experience the solar eclipse at Innisfree! It is reported we will experience 94% totality. There is a limited supply of tickets remaining, so don't miss the chance to com
As part of our ongoing Roots of Inspiration series exploring the five key design influences at Innisfree, special programs throughout 2024 will focus on Chinese arts and culture. We begin later this month with virtual lectures by top international ex
Highlighting another important figure for Innisfree in celebration of Women's History Month: Petronella le Roux Collins, the wife of Lester Collins, ran Innisfree from her husband's death in 1993 to her own in 2012. Every year, she spent April to No
Our Virtual Innisfree Garden Class Series with Brad Roeller starts on Tuesday afternoon! Join us for either a single virtual class or the full series. Class 1 | Site Analysis and Plant Selection March 19th, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Class 2 | Successful La
We are looking to fill the position of part-time Visitor Service Staff at Innisfree for this coming garden season. Be part of the team that shares Innisfree with the public, greeting guests and handling admission to the garden. We are looking for c