Located in the City of Canandaigua, Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park preserves one of the nation’s most extensively preserved Victorian-era country estates. The 50-acre property combines a forty-room Queen Anne mansion, historic greenhouses, and formal gardens inspired by landscapes Mary Clark Thompson encountered during her travels.
Sonnenberg was the summer estate of New York City banker Frederick Ferris Thompson and his wife, Mary Clark Thompson, who grew up in Canandaigua and was the daughter of New York governor Myron Holley Clark. The couple purchased the property in 1863 and completed the present mansion in 1887.
After Frederick died in 1899, Mary began transforming the grounds into a living memorial to her husband. Drawing inspiration from gardens she had visited around the world, she employed hundreds of workers to create a collection of formal landscapes between 1902 and 1919.
One remarkable footnote to Mary’s travels: she had planned to return to the United States aboard the RMS Titanic in April 1912 but changed her plans and remained in Europe longer.
Getting Around Sonnenberg Gardens
After entering through admissions, you are free to explore the estate at your own pace. Pick up a map and follow the suggested route, use Sonnenberg’s mobile audio tour, or simply wander among the mansion, gardens, and greenhouse complex.
Much of the main route through the 50-acre property is relatively level and easy to follow, while places such as the Japanese Garden and Rock Garden include narrower, uneven paths and changes in elevation.
An ADA-accessible route is available, and tram service is offered most days for guests with limited mobility. Check with admissions when you arrive for availability.
Inside the Mansion
The forty-room Queen Anne mansion has three floors, with two open to the public. Unlike historic homes where visitors view most rooms from behind ropes, Sonnenberg allows you to move through much of the house and examine the architectural details at close range.
The Great Hall, library, drawing room, dining room, billiard and trophy rooms, bedrooms, balconies, leaded glass, carved woodwork, arches, and beamed ceilings offer a glimpse into the Thompsons’ Gilded Age summer life.
Sonneberg’s Gardens
Mary Clark Thompson drew inspiration from gardens she encountered during her travels, creating a remarkable collection of landscapes that reflect Italian, Japanese, Victorian, and other garden traditions.
Rather than feeling like one large botanical garden, Sonnenberg unfolds as a series of distinct outdoor rooms. Each has its own character, materials, plantings, and relationship to the mansion.
Italian Garden
1903
The Italian Garden was the first of Sonnenberg’s surviving formal gardens. Its central axis aligns with the mansion library, allowing the geometric design to be appreciated from above as well as from within the garden.
Four sunken beds form modified fleur-de-lis patterns filled with colorful annual foliage plants in the Victorian carpet-bedding style. Brownstone walls and balustrades visually connect the garden with the mansion.
Rose Garden
1905–1906
More than 2,500 rose plants fill the Rose Garden, arranged around a central path between the Belvedere and a tall iron observation structure. Red, white, and pink blossoms reflect Mary Thompson’s original color scheme.
Old-Fashioned Garden
1906
Low boxwood hedges form a geometric pattern of intersecting circles in the Old-Fashioned Garden. A long columned arbor divides the space, while perennials, annuals, and ornamental grasses provide changing color throughout the growing season.
Blue & White Garden
1911–1912
Designed as an intimate garden room, the Blue & White Garden relies on a restrained palette of blue and white flowers mixed with foliage plants. Historical accounts indicate that this was one of Mary Thompson’s favorite gardens.
Japanese Garden & Tea House
1906
Created in 1906 by New York City artist K. Wadamori, the Japanese Garden was designed as a miniature landscape of winding paths, water, stone, plantings, and carefully framed views. Wadamori returned in 1908 to build the tea house.
Sub-Rosa
1907
Also known as the secret garden, Sub-Rosa is enclosed by hedges and centered around an elaborate marble fountain and pool. The intimate garden room was once used by the family for tea during the summer.
Conservatory Complex
1903–1915
Sonnenberg’s Lord & Burnham greenhouse complex is one of the estate’s most significant surviving features. Built in stages between 1903 and 1915, the 13,000-square-foot complex once produced flowers, fruits, and vegetables for Sonnenberg and Mary Thompson’s New York City residence.
Today, portions of the complex continue to function as working greenhouses while displaying orchids, tropical plants, cacti, succulents, and other horticultural collections.
Rock Garden
1915–1920
The five-acre Rock Garden was the last garden created at Sonnenberg. Winding paths descend through a rugged landscape of stone, waterfalls, grottoes, bridges, and woodland plantings, making this one of the estate’s most immersive areas to explore.
Finger Lakes Wine Center
The Finger Lakes Wine Center occupies the historic Bay House near the entrance. Wine tastings feature producers from throughout the Finger Lakes and are offered on select days during the garden season.
One detail worth noting is the 1911 stained-glass window created by Pike Stained Glass Studios of Rochester. Founder William Pike had previously worked for Louis Comfort Tiffany in New York City.
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More Information about Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion
Open: May 1–October 31. In 2026, Sonnenberg is open Thursday through Monday, 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., and closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Because schedules can change, confirm current hours before visiting.
Plan on: At least two hours. Allow longer if you enjoy historic architecture, gardens, photography, or simply wandering without rushing.
Located: In the City of Canandaigua, roughly 30 miles southeast of Rochester.
Admission: Includes access to the gardens, greenhouse complex, and mansion. Check Sonnenberg’s website for current pricing and seasonal information.
The appearance of the gardens changes considerably from spring through fall, so consult Sonnenberg’s blooming schedule if there is something specific you hope to see.
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Which is your favorite garden at Sonnenberg?
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Everything at Sonnenberg Gardens is beautiful! My favorite is actually the swimming pool and bathhouse. But what I would like to see is the third floor of the mansion, where the children played. I.d be back if that third floor ever opens up to the public.
Why don’t you tell us where this is located? I had to scroll quite a bit to find that her father was a governor of New York. First clue. The stained glass was made by a company in Rochester, NY. Second clue. Then toward the end, I read something about the Finger Lakes and a winery. Third clue. But I still don’t know where it is.
Susan, thank you so much for taking the time to let me know its location in the City of Canadaigua was missing! I’ve added it to the first paragraph and also additional location information at the bottom of the article. Location is a critical detail! I hope it didn’t discourage you from seeking it out. I’d love to hear abut your trip if you go!