SUMMARY: Located within the 1400 acres of The Preserve at Seal Island, ME on Mount Desert Island, The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden is an Asian-inspired garden that includes a formal English garden in an East meets West design. Mingling with these two foreign designs are native plantings. It comes into full bloom the second week in August and is a beautiful and serene place to visit.
MORE INFORMATION: History: The Garden was created between 1926 and 1930 on the estate of John D. Rockefeller Jr., his wife Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, and landscape architect Beatrix Farrand. Their home, Eyrie, was torn down in 1962 but the garden and terrace were preserved. In 2017, the garden came under the control of The Preserve, through a bequest in the will of David Rockefeller.
Highlights:
- English cutting garden
- Tang-dynasty shrine
- Moon Gate
- Two Gilt-bronze Buddhas
- Bottle Gate
- Spirit Path and six Korean stone tomb figures
- Oval Garden, Pagoda, and reflecting pool
- Eyrie Terrace
- Gold tiles atop the pink walls were salvaged from the Forbidden City in Beijing
Events & Programs: The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden does not offer special events or allow the gardens to be used for public events or for wedding photography.
Tours: Tours must be arranged in advance and are available for groups of dedicated horticulturists of up to 10 people. If your group is larger, it will be divided into smaller groups.
Season/Hours of Operation: The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden is open to the public from mid-July to early September. Reservations to visit will begin in May. The number of visitors is limited to both enhance every visitor's experience and protect the gardens themselves. Be sure to check their website for days and times of opening.
Admission Fee: $15 with a $5 discount for seniors and students.
