I visited Ladew Topiary Gardens for the first time this past weekend, and I can't believe it took me so long to check it out. Located in Monkton, Ladew is only a half hour from Baltimore, and it's well worth the drive. Ladew's gardens were establish by Harvey Ladew in the 1930s. The grounds contain 15 garden "rooms," arranged around two cross axes with vistas. The garden is noted for its topiaries, and I was blown away by the gardens' beauty. I took tons of photos! It was a beautiful, slighly chilly early May morning, and we wandered into every corner of the gardens before reading our books on the hill over looking the meadow behind the Manor House. We accidentally visited on the day of their 18th Annual Garden Festival, so they weren't offering tours of the manor house, so I'll definitely return for that. But the gardens were beautiful, and we made visits to the Studio (where you can see some of Ladew's paintings), and the Barn Gallery, and the Cafe (which sells sandwiches, snacks, pastries, coffees, etc.). Ladew is lovely. It might be the most beautiful garden in Maryland! I am certain I will return for another visit. On a beautiful day, there's no where else in Maryland I'd rather be! read more

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Great English-style gardens and restaurant! We visited on a sunny weekday in late October on our way back to the airport. Easy to navigate from I-95 to the Gardens using only signs. The left turns onto a fast country road and again into the estate were a bit of a challenge! We especially liked the fox hunt topiary! More than just topiary, several themed gardens on 27 acres. Did not have time to explore the nature walk or the house. Watch out for the Osage orange trees along the main road; they drop large heavy fruits from tall trees! Good fall colors at the north end near the Temple of Venus. We had a tasty lobster bisque and pumpkin scones at the great restaurant in the former stables. Ate at an outdoors table. read more

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Beautiful topiary garden that I'd recommend anyone to visit. In addition to nicely trimmed animals and arches, there was an abundance of flowers to enjoy. The cafe is also reasonably priced with tasty food and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. I'd recommend the BLT and tomato soup. read more

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It's nice don't get me wrong but when I saw "Topiary Gardens" I thought like Edward Scissorhands lol. I went to a great Topiary Gardens in Rhode Island with all sorts of Topiary's. You can see my review on Yelp. I didn't see much here with the exception of some trimmed bushes, swans, and a couple of others. I definitely didn't see 100+ Topiary's. I don't know if I missed something or maybe it wasn't there because it's October but I wasn't that impressed. It was a nice place and people were friendly. I did not do the house tour but I did walk the entire property as well as the nature walk. The cafe was super cute and the lemonade was fresh and delicious. I also love that little house on property - very cute! I wouldn't be back. If I wanted to see Topiarys, I will go to the place in Rhode Island. read more

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Maybe they will follow suit! https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/these-states-allow-visitors-free-off-road-wheelchairs-in-their-parks-and-nature-areas/ read more

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Truly a hidden gem. Wonderful history and beauty. There is a cafe, gift shop, and several historic buildings. There is a cutting garden, butterfly house, and nature walk as well. But the real attraction is the series of gardens. They have a guide map and the gardens are numbered for a suggested walking path. But there are connecting paths so you can go out of order if you wish. For disabled or folks who just can't walk as far, planning a shorter route might be beneficial. The standard layout is one long loop, so if you run out of steam halfway you have no shortcut back. Some gardens are more colorful when certain flowers are in season, but all are lovely even in off seasons. There are multiple fountains of various size and shapes... as well as some other ponds. read more

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3535 Jarrettsville pike, Monkton, MD 410-557-9570 open 9-4 pm A bit of a drive from Baltimore but definitely worth the hour ride. What a beautiful way to spend the day in this beautiful garden where one can have a picnic or just chill with the greenery. Admission is 15.00 and if you are a senior or student there is a discount. Here is the info on this splendid place. Ladew Topiary Gardens is about22 acres and is a nonprofit garden with topiaries located in Monkton, Maryland. The gardens were established in the 1930s by socialite and huntsman Harvey S. Ladew 1887-1976, who in 1929 had bought a 250-acre farm to build his estate. The grounds contain 15 garden rooms, each devoted to a single color, plant, or theme, arranged around two cross axes with vistas. The axes meet in an oval swimming pool. The garden is particularly noted for its topiary, which was strongly influenced by Ladew's extensive travel in England, where he frequently went fox hunting. Mr. Ladew designed topiaries depicting a fox hunt with horses, riders, dogs, and a fox clearing a hedge, a Chinese junk with sails, swans, and a giraffe, among others. The Garden Club of America has described it as "the most outstanding topiary garden in America." The grounds also contain a 1.5-mile nature walk. If you are into gardens this is a must-see. read more

A very special place for a multitude of reasons! Wonder staff from the ticket booth, gardening , maintenance crew, tour guides and CAFE staff. EVERYONE DOES THEIR JOB VERY VERY WELL. Such an amazing caring crew. Each staff member that I met along my time on this estate really loved what they did and where they did it. I met a lady at a vegan restaurant who had recommended a visit. All i knew was that it had a lovely garden with oodles and oodles of topiary. And she was right about that! Ticket booth Purchased our tickets and we were told about their cafe and it was worth a visit. Delightful garden seating. Yummy food in such a pretty setting . CAFE Yes there are such epic views. The day was perfect. We didn't get a spot outdoors. We sat indoors. It was nice . Got quiche, crab soup and salad and a snickerdoodle cookie to share. Such caring staff here ! Hardworking , helpful and so friendly. Wow. The quiche was sooooo delicious and special. The crust was handmade from scratch. Wow. Butter heavenly crust. The salad was by far my favorite. Do you know why? The mini salad (that accompanied my quiche) was made by scratch. It was garlicky. I was loving it. I sung its praises with every bite. The dressing that accompanied my blueberry salad had a different dressing made from scratch. This was also very special and delightful! The bowl of crab soup was so flavorful and plentiful. What a treat. I felt so spoiled & so delighted! Worthy of a pirouette with my bowl & spoon in hand in the nearby rose garden, I was so delightfully nourished. (No I didn't dance... but I was so very happy.) snickerdoodle cookie was the best I've ever had. GARDENS A stroll through these topiary gardens is such a joy! Cheerful and at time such decadent elegance. Enjoy it all. So much to see. It's big and every area is such a special presentation. I felt like a storybook princess. I love this place. HOUSE TOUR I was thrilled to have a tour of the interior of the 18th century manor house of Harvey Ladew & learn about this man. I was happy to see the various rooms & learn about his adventures and friends. The docents had such delight in sharing these stories! Knowledgeable , attentive and caring! I WOULD LOVE TO RETURN HERE. THE GARDENS ARE SO BEAUTIFUL beyond words. THE CAFE HAS VERY VERY VERY DELICIOUS FOOD OFFERINGS. Service is fantastic. read more

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Have you ever seen one of those BBC Brit shows where there are massive estates with the lush gardens and topiaries? Well, me neither, and if you're looking for the large estate you're not going to find it here either but what you have is a very interesting destination in the middle of nowhere Maryland. The basic history is a chap named Harvey Ladew bought around 250 acres of Maryland farmland during the late 1920's with the intention of converting the grounds to the type of stately manicured status that he saw during his travels to Europe. In 1971, five years before his death, he officially opened his home and gardens to the public for touring. He also founded a non-profit organization to maintain his home and 22 acres of his gardens into perpetuity for the public which is what you see today. Speaking of what you see today, the below link to the visitors guide/map is a good overview and the exact same thing they handout when you get there. www.ladewgardens.com/Portals/0/PDF/Garden%20Guide_05.pdf The basic setup is that you can either buy tickets online then the day of, you go to their check in area where you give your name and then they give you the needed wristband. You could also just show up but (I could be misremembering) I think in May they had capacity restrictions in place where you could technically have been boxed out of an entire day or at least arrival times without an advanced purchased ticket. As I mentioned earlier there is zip for amenities in the area. If you want to pack your own provisions for a picnic and hang out all day you can just know that you won't be buying anything close to the gardens. They do offer picnic lunches that you can preorder but the pricing is nuts. God bless if you're down on the $13 kids PB&J. Certain things I can't comment on as due to the time of the year when we visited (late-May) and due to the ongoing pandemic fun, the butterfly house and the manor house were both closed. FWIW, this is a type of place where one could rip through here in an hour and say that you saw everything (probably not - or maybe you saw it but you definitely didn't appreciate it) or you could hang out for the better part of a day. We came on a 90 degree day in late May and made it almost four hours which included walking the nature trail. Is this place going to blow your mind like a Longwood Gardens? No, but then again, it's also not suppose to. While I would never see the need to buy a membership it was certainly worth the visit and I can see why Ladew is called one of the best topiary gardens in the country. read more

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What can I say to describe this experience? It's hard to find words. I so enjoyed this visit. The gardens are lovely and expansive. I didn't even see all of them because of how large the property is. Such a gem in Maryland not far from the city lights but feels like you are away from the fray. There were nooks and crannies available with seating so you can take your book or whatever you like to relax. I think it's also a great place to go on a date. Lots of nature to enjoy. It's picturesque so IG friendly. And the most surprising part?! The onsite restaurant! Unbelievable and totally unexpected how good the food was. The mac n cheese was the biggest shocker, umm umm good. Salads were fresh and the soup was creamy and tasty. I definitely need to go back to see the rest of the property. read more

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A comfortable garden that is not too big or crowded which makes it far more enjoyable for those who love the nature and scenery without all the extra people. The people are all very personable and delightful to talk with. The ladies in the gift shop are such a delight as well making sure all your questions are answered and you have everything you might be looking for. They even answered questions about the Café before we headed over for lunch. The gardens are not as kept as I am used to or remember but they are still beautiful and relaxing. Parking: easy access parking in direct path of ticket booths and entrance Ticket Booth: right beside parking area with very kind staff waiting to assist you with your ticket needs--garden and house alike. Entrance: continue up the drive towards the front of the house where you will find the first of the garden features, the fox hunt topiary scene--icon and logo of Ladew Gardens. Gift Shop: located just before the main house is the gift shop along with the restrooms. Café: located in the lower level of the old barn. Indoor and outdoor seating available. read more

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Hubby is always finding us great adventures. I truly enjoyed the outdoors of some of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen. I even took note of some of the flowers I want to plant in my garden. We enjoyed the serene nature walk and enjoyed the butterfly house. I have never seen butterflies in their various stages of life in real life. We were able to see every stage before our own eyes. We did find a great spot to rest our eyes while we waited for the next butterfly exhibition to start. The cafe was closed during our visit, but we did check out the gift shop. This place is so worth a visit. read more

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This is mostly review of the Annual Garden Festival that Ladew Topiary Gardens hosts. I attended the festival this past weekend and honestly left feeling very underwhelmed, especially for the price paid for admission. The event is advertised as one of the mid Atlantic's largest plant and garden festival, attracting vendors from up and down the East Coast. While I did see some businesses making treks from as far away as South Carolina, the amount and selection of products left a lot to be desired. The festival uses a tiered pricing scheme, with earlier in the day tickets costing as much as $50 for entry and decreasing as the day goes on. This is a bold price to charge, as the Baltimore City Flower Mart happened the same day and was free to the public. Yes, there are some interesting oddities from vendors present at the festival, however I was easily able to browse the entire festival from start to finish in about an hour. The Timonium Fairgrounds Home and Garden Show costs a fraction of the price of the Garden Festival, yet has 5x the amount of vendors present. On a positive note, touring the topiary grounds was a nice touch that helped me rationalize the ticket price. Overall, this is a niche festival that is not worth anything above a $10 entry. Paying $30+ for the chance to shop is a bit of a stretch for even the most devout garden enthusiast. read more

Definitely an enchanting garden! You are pulled along by intrigue and wonder--what will be around the next bend in the pathway? Lots of beautiful views and delightful garden nooks! Each outdoor "room" or area has its own charm and interest. The topiary swans were breathtaking and we discovered that one mature hedge was actually made of closely packed hemlock trees! Our group visited the Butterfly House for a very informative and interactive presentation. We were also completely fascinated by the historical house tour and all the entertaining stories about the man who built the gardens and house. We especially liked the small separate Garden House getaway on display complete with a dry bar, vintage furnishings and of course, fabulous garden views. read more

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This is such a beautiful place! We decided to take a Sunday stroll here and had a wonderful time enjoying nature and art! Everything in there is clean, and well kept. We enjoyed all the topiaries, water features and their many colorful gardens: since it is October, some of the flowers and leaves have started to change. The entrance fee is $15, but it is well worth it, considering all the work they put into this place to make it look so marvelous! We will defiantly come back in the spring to enjoy even more of their gardens. read more

Ladew Topiary Gardens - Parks Near Me - Monkton, Maryland

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This is a hidden gem! We had driven past them a few times and looked them up online and decided we have to go. We took a friend for her birthday and it was amazing. There is an entry fee and a separate house tour fee. We did both and it was amazing. Our docent Carl did a wonderful job. The gift shop was amazing and the employees were so welcoming. My only qualm was that the cafe closed an hour earlier than stated but I believe it was due to rain forecasted. The gardens are amazing and worth the trip. read more

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Came here as a casual walk through for my birthday and can I just say this place was absolutely gorgeous. Every single turn in the HUGE garden was just beautiful and truly something I've never ever seen before. From the sculpture garden, to the garden house, and the cafe. It was all just amazing. The gift shop was also super nice and the staff were just the sweetest people I've ever met, and seemed so happy to be there. You would be doing yourself a disservice to not come here at least once. read more

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Oh my goodness! This place is beautiful. It feels like I was in a fairy teal. Lots of beautiful topiary, arches, flowers, and fountains. You can also bring in your own food and have a picnic (no glass, alcohol or cooking on site). Highly recommend this place! We ended up buying a family membership and can't wait to return time and time again. read more

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Beautiful gardens to walk through for a reasonable price. They offer discounts for seniors and students which is a great perk! Gardens expand over 20 acres with spectacular views. Although I visited before prime bloom, I still enjoyed the walk through the greens. Disappointed to find that their nature walk and butterfly exhibit were closed when we visited. These were labeled as seasonal in their website and since it was past the first day of spring we assumed they would be open - but they were not. Definitely recommend these gardens for a day visit with all ages. A variety of statues, flowers, ponds, and plant sculptures make this spot a relaxing and romantic atmosphere. I will have to visit again once all the flowers have bloomed so I can experience the full effect of nature's beauty! And that's the truth! read more

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Decided to check this place out on July 12th. Not to far (1.45 hrs) from where I lived. I didn't purchase tickets in advance but got them onsite. Plenty of parking but is best to get there early in the day since the weather is hot. There's an option to purchase a picnic basket from a vender but you would need to purchase it at least a day before. The grounds were well kept and people kept their distance. Please bring water to keep hydrated. Also I did see a few people bring their own food to picnic so that's another option for anyone if you stay out there for a while. Definitely a nice place to take small kids and it's a nice place for a day date. read more

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I had no idea what to expect. I purposely didn't do any research prior to visiting; except to find out about tickets... They suggest purchasing tickets in advance, however you can get them on-site. They have staff outside for ticketing and port-a-pots are available for use since going inside is restricted. It was a very simple check-in process. Note: cash is not accepted. I managed to go through the entire gardens in just over an hour, but you really could spend a day there. Kudos to the directional signage. It's definitely helpful, as is the map. One could easily get disoriented, or even lost. The place is spectacular. Reminiscent of Pompeii, or Game of Thrones. I'd like to come back in the spring. read more

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Super beautiful, and even the drive up through Monkton and its historic houses is pretty and peaceful. I especially like going Tuesdays in the summer when they are open late -- the dusk setting seems to add to the beauty and it's not crowded at all. Only wish it were closer to me. read more

Beautiful place to spend a day, we are members and come often with our friends and family

Love this place. Super well maintained, fun to explore all the areas and learn about the history. Highly recommend checking out if you are in the area. Double check before visiting when they're doing tours of the house and try and get there in time for a house tour! read more

A wonderful birthday treat! My husband planned an afternoon at the gardens for my birthday as we also married in a garden and both love the outdoors. The gardens had just opened earlier in the week after being closed over the course of winter but a good portion of the parking lot was occupied when arrived just after 2PM. We stopped in the visitor center to purchase admission and were told about the house tour, but we declined and opted to go it alone and enjoy the grounds to ourselves w the maps provided. Ever the adventurer my husband wanted to take the nature walk first, I joined him in curiosity even as we were warned that it's muddy after a certain point. Muddy was not the word for it - you need waterproof boots throughout if there's mud, but we sacrificed our sneaks and took the full nature walk (there's a point you get to where the paved trail ends and you can turn around if mud n muck is not your thing!). It's still early spring so the views were mostly bare trees and bushes just now recovering from wet conditions. A nice hike indeed as there were a couple decent inclines and overlooks to stop at. As for the gardens, oh my! So beautiful and so so much to see! Barely any flowers for us during our visit but the topiaries were gorgeous and so unique. Everywhere you look there's some sort of work of art, be it the planted formations or statues or fountains, it really is a sight to behold! We took our time walking throughout, snapping photos and parking it on the many, many benches there are to sit down. There were groups of friends here - older and younger, families w young children - a great place for them to run amok (well not too crazy, no touching the topiaries!) as there's a fair amount wide open space for them to stretch, jump, and play. Also couples like us enjoying the walk. Originally we'd planned to picnic but opted to pack dessert and have lunch at the cafe, which worked out quite well. The menu at the Ladew Cafe was not extensive, only a handful of items really but you can't go wrong with just about any of the soup, salad, or sandwiches offered, however I didn't love the turkey cranberry panini I had, it was way too gooey and creamy for me - it only had turkey, aioli, and cheese, but no greens!! Also, there's tea, lemonade, and water in the cutest containers like something out of Pinterest, so you eat the $2.50 charge for lemonade only to realize it's Crystal Light or some other powdered juice drink lol - that said pack your food and drink if you're picky! Other than that, a decent choice for a quick enjoyable meal during a wonderful date at garden. We look forward to returning w the kids on a sunnier, more 'floral-friendly' day. read more

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It was gorgeous but for being in a wheelchair it was more work than it was worth :( the paths are almost ALL gravel which is impossible to get a standard manual wheelchair over. It was a little upsetting because I had to walk over most paths, using my chair as a walker. read more

We love this place. Their events are fantastic and my kids and I love just walking around here.

What a nice way to spend a cloudy afternoon! But I would recommend coming when it's sunny only because it would be much easier to take pretty pictures! NEVERTHELESS Ladew Topiary Gardens is absolutely lovely! I came with a friend and even though we didn't take the house tour, the three hours we spent walking around went by so quickly! If you're a student, ask about student discounts! The topiaries are done very well and such fun to look at! There are also TONS of flowers which were so pretty even in the fall (we went in early October). We also went to the nature walk which is a one-mile trail and some of the trail has wood bridges but the rest was a little bit muddy since it just rained beforehand. Keep your eyes out for the informative signs on the trail which display the types of wild life that reside there. We saw a red shouldered hawk and if it weren't for the signs, we wouldn't have known what type of bird it was! I can't wait to come back in the other seasons! read more

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My two pieces of advise to you if you visit is be sure to bring your camera and don't automatically assume a snake that hasn't moved for an hour is fake just cause you are in the Garden of Eden section and it goes with the theme. The garden and nature walk is $13, and the tour including the house and the gardens is $18. Is it worth it? Absolutely. We spent a rather cold May afternoon here and almost debated not going in based on the temperatures and the admission. I am so glad we sucked it up and went. The sun started poking out and the grounds were stunning!! The patrons were gorgeous too, dressed up in sunhats and sport jackets (very Great Gatsby looking crowd). Lots of couples so this is a great date place! A little bit more information about the garden, it was the project of Harvey Smith Ladew II, and from what I knew he was an eccentric (in a good way, as in I would have liked to have met him) rich dude that was a American topiary and a fox hunting enthusiast, thus the topiary foxchase scene. The garden sits on 22 acres and the the garden seems to be divided into rooms with themes (white garden, yellow garden, garden of eden, iris garden). The rooms all branch off two cross axes with vistas. Think a BIG grassy courtyard with a fountain/pool. My favorite is the Iris Garden which you have to hit up in May when the Irises are in bloom. This is the japanese style garden section with large pools of koi, running streams and a topiary design of Chinese Junk (ancient Chinese sailing ship). I love this garden because of the koi ponds and the beach ball sized peonies. There is also a Alice and Wonderland themed garden and a humorous Adam and Eve Garden with snakes. Just the gardens alone took us about two hours of touring and picture taking. I will be sure to be back for the house tour and nature walk when I'm up this way again. read more

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These gardens are very well kept and there is a lot of beautiful scenery. The kids (12+7) loved the butterfly house, animal bushes & frog pond but other than that didn't appreciate the gardens the way an adult could. We went on a hot summer day and were miserable in the heat, I'd recommend a cooler day and definitely bring water. read more

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This botanical garden is absolutely breath taking! My friend n I drove 3 hrs from DE to go on a hike that was unfortunately busy at the time so we did a little pit stop to kill time at the garden. The garden features a cafe which is closed during COVID and a butterfly garden. I would also like to point out that they are doing very well with safety precautions by limiting the amount of people everting the butterfly garden as well as having hand sanitizer in multiple areas. The garden has over 25 areas to look at it. If you are looking for something relaxing to do, this is the one. read more

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My grandson and I went to this botanical garden. We purchased tickets online due to covid. They also still honored the bogo free ticket from out of my entertainment book account. When we arrived we had to check in at the table that was set up for check in. They were using covid precautions. Staff was very friendly. I tell you this was one amazing place. My grandson enjoyed putting his feet in the water. We also did the hike. It was hot on the day that we went but, we made it. It was simply amazing to see all of the different sculpted bushes. This is truly a nice place to take small kids. They will greatly enjoy it. You can even bring a blanket and enjoy a picnic. read more

Beautiful topiary garden which was designed my Harvey Ladew. Both the gardens and house are self-guided tours and take about 1,5 hour to complete. There are a lot of benches and cute tables for picnics. Also, there is a a cafe where you can get a soup or sandwich. Tons of great flowers and fountains and a great place for pictures. The price is $15 per person and an ample free parking. read more

Ladew Topiary Gardens - Parks Near Me - Monkton, Maryland

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Laden Topiary Garden is a great place to explore if you have 2 to 3 hours. You definitely want to wear sneakers. There are lots of little rocks that can get into sandals and flats. I enjoyed the butterfly conservatory. The nature walk was fine too as long as you don't cut it close to lock up time. I started to panic because I was a bit lost on the nature walk and I didn't want to get locked in. I retraced my steps in a frenzy. Not fun. The garden was beautiful. Side note: If you come end of August or early September, you'll get to see a field of sunflowers 2 miles west of the Ladew Topiary Garden. Absolutely breathtaking! read more

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This is a pretty garden but I'm only giving it 3 stars because the price is very high at $18, I think it should be about half the price to be a decent value. The fact that a tour of the house costs even more is a little offputting as well. The topiaries are impressive as well as the size of the property. We especially liked the terrace garden and the sculpture garden. We spent about 2 hours wandering the grounds and the nature walk, during the hot and humid summer months that should be plenty of time, make sure to bring water! read more

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This is a beautiful if out-of-the-way location, and perfect if you want a manicured, outdoorsy activity. There are myriad topiary displays, although I'm not sure I could tell what all of them are supposed to be. Perhaps some of the cultural references of the time are lost on me. But that adds to the charm, and the feeling that you've fallen down the rabbit hole. There's also a nature walk at the back of the grounds, if you're in the mood for authentic Maryland marsh and woods. I have mixed feelings about the house tour. It's definitely not as striking as Hillwood Estate in DC, although the gardens are comparable. It's also not as vibrant as the interior of Gunston Hall in Virginia. There is a cafe, but I didn't try it. When I go back, my plan is to bring a picnic basket, skip the house tour, and allow time for the nature hike. read more

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Beautiful gardens, and the staff treats you like family. I love this estate, always fun in the spring time.

When you walk around the gardens, you feel you should hear some jazz music in the background, while a swanky party is going on, with the very charming Jay Gatsby welcoming you "hello old sport!" A whimsical Alice in Wonderland appeal to certain gardens including the Victorian fountain, playing cards, and stone table and chairs. I spotted a hummingbird and a couple of American Goldfinches. It's a nice place to take a scroll to go in a meditative state and slow down and watch this world around you. I'm impressed that Mr. Ladew planted every plant and created the layout just as you see. read more

Visited the gardens today with Neomi, Nick and Roy. It rained a bit and Roy suffered from gout in his foot so he couldn't walk quickly but we nonetheless very much enjoyed this spectacular place. One of the most beautiful gardens we have ever visited. Highly recommended. read more

Cute outdoor area to visit and take in the beauty. It should be noted most of the grounds are not stroller accessible.