Buildings & Grounds
Sunken Gardens, Meadow and Orchards
Landscape
“[The Jay H]ouse and landscape as they work together uniquely create…one of those all-too-rare, soul nourishing, mind-enlarging moments that change our sense not only of ‘where’ we are but of ‘who’ we are.”
– Tony Hiss, Author of Experience of Place
Nowhere else in Westchester County can you see such a variety of man managed landscape features that span a 10,000 year period –the narrative of the Jay Estate begins with a Paleo-Indian meadow valued for hunting and horticulture, and stretches to a pastoral colonial farm, to formal boxwood gardens and American elm allees, to an arboretum of native trees and to apple, cherry and peach orchards.
JHC is fortunate to have a wealth of photo documentation that will help us oversee the historic and environmentally sensitive restoration of this nationally significant American landscape. Extensive archaeological explorations also help tell the pre-contact story of this magnificent place.Our goal is to be a model for preservationists and our community as we document the steps involved in removing invasive species, stabilizing core area structures and features like stone walls, and replanting native shrubs, flowers, grasses and even heirloom vegetables

NBWLA Specs & Plans for Historic Jay Gardens
Preservation of the gardens and the meadow are of paramount concern as the grassland birds that have historically relied upon this habitat are an increasingly threatened and diminishing group. We are pleased to be working with Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects and Larry Weaner Design Associates on these renewal projects approved by the New York State Office of Historic Preservation (SHPO).
Dropbox links for qualified bidders can be accessed here:
Approved Specifications by NBWLA for Historic Jay Gardens
Approved Plans by NBWLA 100% C & D
Geotechnical Report by Langan Engineering, Environmental Surveying
Soil Testing Results by Turf Diagnostics