The Color Gardens and Rose and Dahlia Garden

The Color Gardens, a series of six terraced gardens each planted in a single color, stood to the north of the Vista and were reached through gaps in the walls lining the steps. The terraces color schemes were, in descending order, pink, blue, red, white, yellow and, at the bottom, a delphinium garden. Today only the last two empty terraces exist as the upper color gardens are on land owned by the neighboring hospital, St. John's Riverside. The lowest semi-circular terrace sits slightly higher than the Overlook.  In Untermyer's day its fountain contained a cherub and dolphins spurting water. Today, one can enjoy the view of the Hudson River stretching to the north.  

To the north of the Color Gardens were once the impressive terraced Italian Vegetable gardens. The land they were on belongs to the neighboring hospital and has been used as the site for the Adira at Riverside Rehabilitation Center.

Below the Color Gardens were the Rose and Dahlia Gardens, now an open lawn.  The twelve columns remaining were once a pergola covered with climbing roses. 

1920s photo of the lowest of the six color gardens

The Italian Vegetable Garden

The site of the future Ornamental Vegetable Garden