New York City, the City of Dreams, has five must-visit boroughs for every traveler. These boroughs are Brooklyn, The Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten

Forest Hills Gardens was built in the early 20th century to resemble England's idyllic garden cities.

The Queens neighborhood is known for its large standalone houses

Some years ago, if I was told that I could travel 15-20 minutes out of Manhattan and find myself in a bucolic Tudor-revival village, I’d have dismissed the idea as a greatly distorted exagger…

Forest Hills Gardens was built in the early 20th century to resemble England's idyllic garden cities.

Your insider guide to alternative New York with 50 of the most unusual things to do in New York City written by a native New Yorker!

Forest Hills residents shop and dine on Austin Street, patronize the Midway Theatre, may stroll through the Forest Hills Gardens, and may have graduated from Forest Hills High School. These are some of the “landmarks” which grant character to “Forest Hills.” Now one may be at loss for words if they walked in the footsteps of their ancestors, just over a century ago. Encounter a land called “Whitepot,” which was predominantly occupied by wood-frame farm houses and fields of crops, with “landmarks” on a humble scale. In the early 20th century, some homes were up to 200 years of age. Today there are none. As of 1924, a survey was conducted by local resident Lucy Allen Smart. Colonial farmhouses were typically situated on large parcels of land, and exhibited any combination of a porch, pitched roof, and shutters. The Whitson Homestead, built in 1800, still stood on Queens Boulevard, steps away from Backus Place. It became the residence of John E. Backus. Also along Queens Boulevard was the McCoun-Backus House, which was recognized as one of the best homes of Whitepot at 160 years old. It was demolished a decade earlier. The Boulevard also offered the Horatio N. Squire House, which was demolished after 150 years in 1923. McCoun-Backus House Judge Jonathan T. Furman House The Judge Jonathan T. Furman House dating to 1750 stood on Dry Harbor Road, which ended in a cluster of farms facing a large pond. Situated on the property of Cord Meyer Development Company was the Jarvis Jackson Homestead, built a century earlier. Walking over to Remsen Lane, a noteworthy site for the birth of Clarence P. Tompkins was the Joseph J. Tompkins House. A 200 year-old survivor was known as “The house on the Abram Furman Estate,” and was on the east side of what was called Yellowstone Avenue (now Yellowstone Boulevard). In 1652, Newtown was settled by Englishmen from New England, and Whitepot was one of its sections. An early 20th century debate was whether Forest Hills was originally known as Whitepot or Whiteput. If it was spelled “Whitepot,” it would bear relevance to the original purchase of the land from the Indians in exchange for three clay white pots. That was refuted by J.H. Innes, who told the publication “Ancient Landmarks of Queens Borough,” that the authentic spelling was “Whiteput.” If correct, the land would be named in conjunction with the Dutch term “put” for a stream that became a hollow pit. Whitepot consisted of six farms, which were named after Ascan Backus, Casper-Joost Springsteen, Horatio N. Squire, Abram V.S. Lott, Sarah V. Bolmer, and James Van Siclen. In 1829, Ascan Backus acquired parcels of Whitepot’s farmland, which benefited Manhattan’s produce needs and army purchases during the Civil War. Ascan Avenue bears homage to his name. The oldest living member of one of the first families was Frederick D. Backus, who told Lucy Allen Smart about Whitepot’s residents. He stated, “The neighbors were few when I was a boy, and some that lived a mile away we called neighbors. The farmers raised hay, grain, and vegetables to supply the New York markets. Fruit and nuts were in abundance, and every farmer would take his apples to a cider mill, which was located on the Hempstead Swamp Road; now Yellowstone Avenue. The children attended the Whitepot School, but we all had to go to Newtown to church.” He also explained that since few homes had ice houses come summer, food was kept cool by hanging them in wells and tin pails. In the winter, oxen were driven through snow drifts along narrow roads. The area bounded by Queens Boulevard and Union Turnpike was the Hopedale section of Whitepot. The Hopedale Railway Station stood near that intersection, and the architecturally distinct Hopedale Hall accommodated dining and dancing. In 1900, the New York Times reported Whitepot’s population as 30, and consisting of German residents who plant potatoes and celery. In 1906, Cord Meyer Development Company purchased 600 acres in the Hopedale section, and renamed it “Forest Hills” after its high elevation of Long Island and proximity to Forest Park. In March 1931, George Meyer, son of the late Cord Meyer told the New York Times, “Roman Avenue between Queens Boulevard and Austin was the first street to be cut through, and on it, the company started its first building operations, ten two-family brick homes.” Today, only 4 Neo-Renaissance rowhouses remain from 1906, and are reminiscent of the first signs of development under the Forest Hills name. The only known remnant of Whitepot is the landmarked Remsen Cemetery between Trotting Course Lane and Alderton Street. The Remsen family was among the area’s first settlers. Tombstones range from 1790 through 1819, and include Revolutionary War Veteran Colonel Jeromus Remsen. Remsen Farm House with caption courtesy of Historian Bill Safka Let’s continue to seek signs of our Colonial past, while preserving our 20th century landmarks. Please read Michael Perlman's column with the Forest Hills Times/Queens Ledger for more stories which document and commemorate Forest Hills and Rego Park history and architecture: http://www.foresthillstimes.com/view/full_story/24088871/article-Before-there-was-a-Forest-Hills

Like a secret train station under the Waldorf that FDR and Batman used to use...

Forest Hills, NY

Forest Hills Gardens: A Hidden NYC Haven of Historic Modernity

Discover the best things to do in Sintra and plan your ideal Sintra itinerary with a selection of guided tours and options for the independent traveller.

A look at the borough before you really knew it.

À l'ombre d'oliviers centenaires, en plein coeur de la vallée d'Itria, la Masseria Le Carrube, autrefois ferme agricole, plantée sur une terre lavée de mer et séchée de vent, a été transformée en hôtel de charme. Invitation à la détente dans un cadre qui ressemble au plaisir.

Discover the best things to do in Sintra and plan your ideal Sintra itinerary with a selection of guided tours and options for the independent traveller.

KZN Midlands Meander, Midlands meander restaurants, Piggly Wiggly, Midlands meander accommodation, Tsonga shoes

As Chair of Rego-Forest Preservation Council & as Queens VP of the Four Borough Neighborhood Preservation Alliance, my goal is to digitize all blueprints, facade renderings, & promotional booklets of historic and distinctive Forest Hills and Rego Park apartment buildings, so they can be preserved for posterity, for the enjoyment of all generations. Some of these have not been revealed to the public eye for 70 years! Our vision is for building residents, managements, landlords, and preservationists to work together, to ensure that Forest Hills and Rego Park sites roughly from 1906 - the 1960s will be restored and upgraded in a historically-sensitive manner, rather than altered insensitively or demolished, in order to make our community more beautiful, and help maintain and enhance property values. The promotional booklets illustrate how no expense was spared in architectural detail, and the values of urban planning in regard to sensible development and plentiful green space, and also captures historical Queens events at the time of their development. Let's take pride in where we live, and work cohesively to make it an even better community! Enjoy the collection, and please post your observations and share it with parties who may find it most beneficial: 1. Historic Blueprints & Promo Booklets for Forest Hills South: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8095451@N08/collections/72157625422752583/ 2. Historic Blueprints & Promo Booklets for Forest Hills: Austin St, Queens Blvd, & Vicinity: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8095451@N08/collections/72157625540544154/ 3. Historic Blueprints & Promo Booklets for Rego Park: Saunders St, 63rd Dr, Queens Blvd, & Vicinity: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8095451@N08/collections/72157625548319210/ 4. Historic Blueprints & Promo Booklets: Cord Meyer Section, Forest Hills: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8095451@N08/collections/72157625422709563/ 5. Historic Blueprints & Promo Booklets: Western Forest Hills & Eastern Rego Park: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8095451@N08/collections/72157625422748551/ Digitizing the historic blueprints/promotional booklets is a work in progress, so stay tuned! They will always be accessible under the "Flickr Photo Collections" on the right-hand side of this blog, or accessible under Rego-Forest Preservation Council's collections on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8095451@N08/collections/

An angel becoming one with her surroundings at Forrest Hills Cemetery View On Black

With inspiration taken from the ancient oil paintings portraying nature in all its beauty, this landscape brings memories back to the green hills of our youth. The soft hues of green brings this meadow wall mural to life with its beautiful flowy hills and forest trees. This ancient landscape design brings nature into your interior in a modern way. Match with our Vintage Sky in blue for a complete look.More colors:Beige    Black

Blue Flowering Chaste Tree Blue-Purple Summer Flowers Leaves Have Silvery Undersides Palmately Divided Leaves Healthy, Hardy & Easy To Grow If you are searching for an easy-care, stylish ornamental tree, take a good look at this fabulous offering. The Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus) is one of only a handful of winter-hardy trees that blooms with true-blue flower spikes all summer long. You'll love the way it attracts pollinators, butterflies, or 'Flying Flowers' to your yard. You will be hard-pressed to find a more spectacularly beautiful plant with more outstanding qualities. It's a fast-growing, multi-trunked tree, and rest assured. You don't need any special skills or knowledge to grow this tree in your yard. It's easy to grow in well-drained soil. It's drought-tolerant and disease-resistant. You'll be very pleased with the return you get on your limited investment (both time and money!) with this tree. Other common names such as Monk's Pepper, Chaste Tree has handsome and aromatic green foliage with a decidedly silvery cast to the undersides. As summer heats up, your Chaste Tree will astound you with its impressive blue spikes that bloom right up until autumn. Though always appreciated for the beautiful blue-purple flower color, the plant was commonly grown as a medicinal plant to instill purity in women. This tree was named "chaste" in medieval Europe because it was thought that a potion made from the flowers would cure an overactive libido. We know that just the opposite is true. You will fall madly in love with this plant in your yard! Chaste Trees can be grown as shrubs in colder USDA growing zones 6 (and possibly zone 5) where the plant may die back to the ground in winter and are treated more like you would a perennial. Then, in spring new growth develops from the roots that will quickly grow and flower usually from June until frost.  Often, they are used as dieback shrubs in these colder zones, and in the warmer zones, they can grow into 20-foot trees where they will not die back.  Don't let summer go by without adding one from Nature Hills to your landscape! How to Use Chaste Tree in the Landscape The deciduous Chaste tree and can be used in a variety of different ways. Its upright growth can be pruned to approximate either a large shrub or small tree to fit your needs. Wonderful whether in bloom or not, it performs beautifully as a specimen or small patio tree. The spreading canopy is light and airy, which gives an enormously satisfying dappled shade. Plant a single tree as a specimen in full sun. Or, use it as a naturalized, multi-trunk focal point in a garden bed. Let the lower branches fill in and try it as an outrageously beautiful hedge or light-screening plant. This is especially effective along a driveway or property line. It also does well in a container but will require regular watering to keep it healthy. In the ground, the Chaste is a low-water plant once established. The eye-catching Chaste contrasts well in a perennial bed or with darker-colored foliage plants like Smokebush or Ninebark shrubs. Pair with other Chaste tree cultivars like the smaller Blue Diddley, Shoal Creek Chaste tree, Blue Puffball Chaste shrub, or the white flowers of Crème de la Crème™. Ornamental Tree with a Lot of History and Special Meaning The Chaste Tree traces its history back more than 2,500 years. Different medicinal attributes associated with Chaste Vitex tree and the compounds it produces are continuing to be studied and utilized in holistic science today. Yes, compounds from this beautiful plant are found in Vitex supplements in every health store across the country. Especially celebrated for helping with women's issues, this giving tree may be one of the most perfect flowering trees to celebrate children and loved ones. Many women will know just how meaningful Vitex was to support them on their fertility journey. Hint, hint - this tree would make a wonderful gift! #ProPlantTips for Care Native to western Asia and southern Europe, the aromatic gray-green foliage contrasts well with the light to dark bluish-lilac terminal flowers spikes. Chaste Trees need a sunny location in well-drained soil and adapt well if given these two things. Generally hardy in zones 6-9, but some like to grow them as die-back shrubs in zone 5 where they get cut back each spring and still sprout and flower each year as a smaller shrub.  The tiny fragrant flowers are clustered along each terminal flower spike and last for a very long time from spring to summer. In some climates, it will rebloom in the fall. Clip spent flower heads to keep a clean look to the plant. This will also encourage a rebloom to occur. This mindful task can be quite relaxing, and it's never a chore to get close up to these fragrant plants! Featuring a fast growth rate, and open, airy growth habit, these blue-lilac Chaste trees do great in most of North America. Lightly prune limbs, before you see new growth in early spring, by cutting back to the point that they originate from on the trunk. Cut back as much as 1/3rd of the entire canopy height in a season to control height, keeping in mind Chaste blooms on new wood. However you use this lovely tree in your landscape, we know you'll appreciate its great looks. Order your Chaste Vitex Tree for sale at NatureHills.com's complete online garden center today! Frequently Asked Questions What are Chaste Trees good for? Vitex agnus-castus l Chaste Trees are fantastic flowering ornamentals with fragrant blooms, and low-maintenance canopies and thrive in more Xeric conditions. Casting light shade and offering up fragrant lilac-blue blooms for your landscape, pollinators and cut flower bouquets! Chate trees are also used in some supplements for women’s health and more! How tall does a Chaste Tree get? The Vitex Chaste Tree can grow to 15-25 feet in height and features an equally spreading canopy. What does a Chaste Tree smell like? The aromatic leaves and fragrant flowers of the Chaste tree smell peppery, spice-like, and of crushed sage. Even the seeds carry this distinctive fragrance! How fast do Chaste Trees grow? Chaste Trees are fast-growing trees and shrubs that in optimal conditions can grow 15 to 25 feet in height during their lifetime. What shipping options do you offer? NatureHills.com works closely with our growers and nursery professionals to ensure we ship when it is most appropriate for your area. Our goal is to deliver the hardiest plants by avoiding extreme high and low temperatures. Check out our shipping schedule for more information and to learn our wills and won’ts when it comes to shipping plants. Find your Chaste Tree for sale here at NatureHills.com!

The three-story Tudor-style house has a solarium and a winter garden.

Private Garden, Forest Hills ON Some walls have a beautiful aged patina. The last thing you'd want to do is cover them up or hide t...

Boston has many cemeteries in the city but if you had a little further out you can visit the beautiful garden, or rural, cemeteries!