Bailey Arboretum (Lattingtown, New York)

 museum, park, birdwatching area, nature preserve

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“Munnysunk,” Frank Bailey’s wry name for his property, was opened to the public in 1968. Walking through the gardens and forested acres today you can enjoy the returns on his original investment. A self-taught horticulturalist, Mr. Bailey was particularly interested in experimentation, and quickly gained a reputation for being able to grow almost anything. The story behind the Dawn Redwoods at Bailey Arboretum is a wonderful illustration of his skill at nurturing exotics on Long Island.

The Baileys developed their estate "Munnysunk" into a spectacular garden filled with rare trees from around the world. A highlight of the collection are some of the first plantings of Dawn Redwood - believed extinct for 20 million years - in the US after their rediscovery in China in 1941. The estate was preserved and deeded to Nassau County who maintains it as the Bailey Arboretum.