"Visit Yaddo" Top 5 Page for this destination Saratoga Springs Things to Do Tip by kooka3

Yaddo is an artist's colony; the mansion is closed to guests, but the gardens are open to the public. There are beautiful fountains, rose gardens, arbors, woods, etc, but please respect the privacy and quiet of the artists and don't go past the signs on the lawn!

The property on which Yaddo stands originally housed a farm, gristmill, and tavern owned by a Revolutionary War veteran who fought at the battle of Saratoga. In 1881, it was bought by Spencer Trask and his wife. Their daughter suggested the name Yaddo. The current mansion was built in 1893 after the original burnt to the ground. The gardens were designed in 1899 as a gift to Katrina. They based their design for the Rose Garden on Italian classical gardens. The Rock Garden is a contrast between Anglo-American tradition and interest in indigenous landscape. It is laid out on a north-south and east-west axis and is divided into 4 beds centered by a fountain and overlooked by 3 terraces, a balcony, and a rose-covered terra cotta columned pergola. East of the rose beds are Italian marble statues of the 4 seasons and a statue of a youth, "Christalan", sculpted by William Partridge in 1900.

When all four children died and the Trasks had no further heirs, they formed the Corporation of Yaddo and endowed it in perpetuity to administer a working community of artists.

If you'd like to see more pictures, check out my travelogue.

The gardens are open 7 days a week from 8am to dusk. It's a great place to have a picnic and/or take a walk. A lot of people go there to get their wedding pictures taken, too.

The estate is 400 acres - lots of space to explore.

Directions: From Saratoga, go east on Union Ave. At the first light after the racetrack, turn right. Follow the signs to the garden.
Phone: 518-584-0746