Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Church-in-the-Gardens was designed by Grosvenor Atterbury, renowned for collaborating with Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. to plan Forest Hills Gardens. Atterbury and John Almay Tompkins designed the church building, dominated by Gothic and Norman influences, with touches of the Romanesque. He also helped hand-select the native field stone that constitute the exterior and interior walls. All metal work inside the church was designed and forged in an on-site workshop set up during construction. The church construction began on August 23, 1914 and was completed on October 10, 1915. Olivia Slocum Sage, widow of railroad magnate Russell Sage, donated funds to build the church.

Today, The Church-in-the-Gardens remains a community Congregational Christian church with a diverse membership.

Visitors can sit in the pews and experience the peace and beauty of The Church-in-the-Gardens while getting a close-up look at the stained glass and leaded windows.