We all know that the Philadelphia region has some of the most beautiful and historic gardens to visit like Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square or private abodes with exquisite gardens dating back decades or centuries, but viewing them all can take some time, writes Therese Ciesinsi for Lancaster Farming.

Private Gardens of Philadelphia, a new book by Nicole Juday and photographed by Rob Cardillo, showcases 21 gardens throughout Southeast Pennsylvania, emphasizing these wonderful and rich hidden gems.

Some feature family heirloom gardens, tended by ancestors of the home for generations. Others are the work of modern landscapists bringing back to life long-forgotten gardens or simply reimagining them so they can be enjoyed once more.

In Downingtown, gardener and author David Culp’s Brandywine Cottage is photographed. His work on the land honors his Quaker ancestors from the 1690s.

As a former farmstead, the property is designed in the Pennsylvania Dutch style with hundreds of plants and flowers decorating it.

“I found the people who have these gardens lead really interesting lives, and their gardens seem to be an extension of those lives,” Juday said.

“Sometimes that was tangible, like having a farm raising heritage livestock. Sometimes it was subtle: Introverts created a lot of private, secret spaces. People who were super social had gardens that were wide open. Their personalities were reflected in their gardens.”

Juday hopes that readers will find Private Gardens of Philadelphia to be inspired and learn to connect more with nature and the beauty around us not far from home.

Read more about the Private Gardens of Philadelphia and check out some of these places for yourself at Lancaster Farming.

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