The Friendship Walk

Location: Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens

Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The story goes that on her 70th birthday Marjorie, owner of Hillwood estate, was led through her rose garden to a newly-installed iron gate. A group of her friends had conspired in secret with her chief gardener and landscape architect Perry Wheeler to build a path through her garden as a tribute to the heiress’ “generous nature, love of beauty, and devotion to human needs.” The Friendship Walk became a favorite space for Marjorie to bring guests. To this day the walk is a treasured space that provides Hillwood visitors a quiet space to relax and enjoy the estate’s beauty.

Don’t Miss: The Four Seasons Overlook: The Friendship Walk brings guests to a circular resting space complete with four statues representing spring, summer, autumn and winter.  Visitors who choose to take a rest on one of the iron benches will notice an Italian marble plaque in the center of the space. the plaque displays a quote from the Russian Empress Tsarina Alexandra Federovna. The quote sets the tone for this portion of the garden reading: “Friendship outstays the hurrying flight of years and aye abides through laughter and through tears.”