One of the few DC area gardens that I had never visited were those at the Hillwood Estate, former home of Marjorie Merriweather Post, daughter of the famed cereal baron.

Post bought the house in 1955 and used it to display her vast collection of Russian and French decorative art.  She had spent time in Russia when the communists were in the midst of burning churches and aristocratic homes and selling off all the bling.   Post was able to pick up all kinds of incredible sacred and decorative art on the cheap, and she was nice enough to turn her estate into a museum when she died.

If you enjoy looking at room upon room of fancy china, elegant vases, exquisite furniture and the like, you will love touring the house (suggested donations of $18 when you enter.)  But of course I was eager to get out into the 13 acres of gardens which surrounded it.  You will see that Post didn’t skimp on the outdoor spaces either.

Here’s a little tour, starting with the cutting garden:

Nice shade combo:

Lush borders:

French Parterre:

Some seductive paths:

Japanese Garden, one of the highlights:

The American flag kinda ruins the gestalt in this one but oh well:

A satisfied denizen of the Japanese garden:

Pet Cemetery:

Dacha (Russian Country House):