328North is a half-acre farm in Williamstown specializing in Asiatic vegetables, fruit, and specialty cut flowers. By implementing natural plus regenerative practices, Tu and Matt demonstrate how intensive hand-scale farming on half an acre can be rewarding and productive. Farmer/designer/chef Tu Le uses the farm as his lab for his events. Farmer/artist Matt Bertles uses the farm to build sculptures and infrastructure to support his partner. The Garden Conservancy Open Days 2023 in Massachusetts kicks off with gardens in Williamstown, in the Berkshires, on July 15 from 10 – 4. Tickets for this event became available starting May 1, and we suggest planning now due to limited availability. NEW THIS YEAR: all tickets must be purchased in advance and online. No day of tour tickets will be sold. Complete details on the website, https://www.gardenconservancy.org/open-days/ $5 Garden Conservancy members, $10 nonmembers.
Beckett Castle Rose Garden is home to more than 70 varieties of heirloom roses perched above the crashing waves of Casco Bay on the rocky coast of Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The view from the garden gate of five lighthouses, including Portland Head Light, is nearly as dramatic as the 50-foot-high stone tower which serves as a rose arbor entrance to the historic castle. Built in 1871 by Portland native and renaissance man Sylvester Beckett, Beckett Castle is a neo-Gothic tribute to the nineteenth-century Spiritualism movement and began as a summer retreat for writers and artists. The gardener and rosarian Lynn Shafer began the rose garden more than 40 years ago with the previous steward of Beckett Castle, Nancy Brill Harvey. Today Beckett Castle is once again an artistic retreat as it is home to performing artists and educators Edwin and Matthew Cahill and their nonprofit regenerative arts movement, Hogfish. Under the continued guidance of Lynn Shafer, the Cahills plan to expand the garden into a regenerative arts and botany center. The Open Day at Beckett Castle Rose Garden will also include musical selections and performances among the roses by Hogfish artists in residence. www.hogfish.org
This romantic garden, surrounding an old carriage barn, is divided into rooms to resemble the English gardens loved by the owner/gardener/garden writer/English professor. The tour begins with a sunken, walled garden that leads to a formal pool with an island waterfall, water lilies, and goldfish. A rustic pergola connects the water garden to a trellised, ornamental kitchen garden. A white garden, surrounding clumps of native birch, pays homage to Sissinghurst. A folly, with broken stones and a dripping column, evokes ancient ruins, while an aged cedar window on an old marble base frames the folly, the long hot border, and the landscape beyond. Lushly planted pots, secluded seats, and carefully positioned ornamental trees and shrubs provide focal points that draw the eye from one garden room to the next. The large number of climbing structures covered with flowering vines and the wide variety of perennials and annuals, arranged in surprising combinations of color and texture, will make this densely planted garden equally interesting to plant lovers and aesthetes. Pictures and additional information can be found online by searching Ilona’s Garden at Smithsonian Archives.
The Garden Conservancy Open Days 2023 in Massachusetts kicks off with gardens in Williamstown, in the Berkshires, on July 15 from 10 – 4. Tickets for this event became available starting May 1, and we suggest planning now due to limited availability. NEW THIS YEAR: all tickets must be purchased in advance and online. No day of tour tickets will be sold. Complete details on the website, https://www.gardenconservancy.org/open-days/ $5 Garden Conservancy members, $10 nonmembers.
In an era in which flowers are shipped globally from industrial production facilities in Holland and South America, conservation-minded florists have begun to appreciate the importance of greensourcing local flowers. This floral design practicum features a lecture on sustainable floristry and a hands-on demonstration on the art of eco-friendly floral design. Garden-to-vase designer Georgia Lee will create a series of arrangements using peonies, irises, azaleas, rhododendrons and greens from Spalding Garden in Milton, Massachusetts, on June 4 from 12 – 2. This Garden Conservancy program is sure to sell out quickly. $30 for Conservancy members, $40 for nonmembers. Guests will learn design principles that focus on mindfully bringing the bounty of the garden into the home. Register at www.gardenconservancy.org.
Caryn B. Davis will present an overview of some of the 44 properties showcased in Connecticut Gardens sharing their fascinating histories, designs, and human stories accompanied by images from her book. Her talk will include an overview of Connecticut’s 15 historic gardens – why they were established, how they were used, and how they evolved from utilitarian to aesthetic; an introduction to CT’s public gardens – their establishment and benefit, along with notable designers of the day; and an introduction to some of CT’s finest private gardens – their owners and the stories behind their inception and design. Connecticut Gardens is also, in part, a travel guide that will introduce attendees to new gardens to explore. This Garden Conservancy pop up virtual program takes place May 25 at 2 pm Eastern, and is $5 for Garden Conservancy members, $15 general admission. A recording of the webinar will be sent to all registrants a few days after the event. Register at https://www.gardenconservancy.org/education/education-events/pop-up-webinar-connecticut-gardens
Garden at Manor House, Bunny Williams, Falls Village, CT
These gardens were designed by Gerard St. Hilaire, and the pond area gardens were designed by Ann McCallum. This is a hilly property gradually lowering to a pond with stone staircases on two sides. One staircase takes you past the waterfall and the other leads to a play area. The stone walls all around the property contain a profusion of annuals and an entertainment area with tall grasses as well as many regional flowering plants. Beyond that area is a beautiful view of Mt. Graylock which was our intentional focus. The grape arbor path leads to more beautiful and varied native grasses. The fields to either side of the pond are left in their natural states with paths cut through them for strolling or driving a farm type vehicle. The tree line at the bottom of the property leads to a stream.
The Garden Conservancy Open Days 2023 in Massachusetts kicks off with gardens in Williamstown, in the Berkshires, on July 15 from 10 – 4. Tickets for this event became available starting May 1, and we suggest planning now due to limited availability. NEW THIS YEAR: all tickets must be purchased in advance and online. No day of tour tickets will be sold. Complete details on the website, https://www.gardenconservancy.org/open-days/ $5 Garden Conservancy members, $10 nonmembers.
This June 11 Garden Conservancy program, led by The Trustees’ Director of Horticulture, Joan Vieira, will provide an overview of this special Beverly, Massachusetts property, detailing its early history as a garden for the Sedgwick family to its status today as a well-loved public garden. We will also explore the garden, looking at interesting specimen trees and other notable plants that have thrived in this space for decades.
For more information, please contact the Garden Conservancy by telephone 845.424.6500, M-F, 9-5 Eastern, or email events@gardenconservancy.org. To register online, click HERE.
The Garden Conservancy will host its South Shore Open Day in Cohasset on June 10 from 10 – 4, featuring three fabulous Cohasset gardens. Pre-registration is required at https://www.gardenconservancy.org/open-days/open-days-schedule/south-shore-ma-open-day-2. $5 per garden for Conservancy members, $10 for nonmembers. You will not be able to register in person at the gardens, and tickets are limited.
“Roses by the Sea” pays tribute to classical European garden design. The layout replicates a sixteenth-century Elizabethan (UK) Pleasance Garden: symmetrical quadrants, level in layout with gravel walkways leading to a central object of interest (focal point). The quadrants are densely planted with ornamental roses, decorative herbs and obelisks, urns, and birdbaths. The parterre is located roadside where passersby can enjoy the ornate blossoms and the strong scent of 70 David Austin roses. The location encourages sharing of the garden with neighbors and friends. The parterre is managed organically: no synthetic fungicides or insecticides are employed. The parterre is nearly disease and pest free. The surprising health of the rose garden and its robust population of pollinators stands as testimony to what great results can be achieved avoiding the use of synthetic chemicals but through proper layout, attention to detail, and proper husbandry and no small amount of hard work. Further along in the middle of the property is a Japanese stone garden, planted out with black Japanese and Bosnian pines, various red and green Acer palmatum, Siberian irises, and an extraordinary large-leafed ginkgo shrub. Further down the slope is a border dedicated to native prairie grasses opposite an area of steely blue lace cap hydrangeas. The lower section is dominated by a raised bed vegetable garden surrounded by espaliered fruit trees. Nestled in back of the raised beds is a four-bin composting operation which feeds the beds and roses with highly nutritious soil amendments. At the far end is a wildflower garden planted with native East Coast wildflowers. Once again, all the above are organically and sustainably managed.
Also in Cohasset, Annette and Wayne Sawchuk’s property features several gardens, a greenhouse, a guesthouse, and so much more. The English greenhouse was erected seventeen years ago from a kit imported from England and took just two days to build. It houses a variety of citrus trees, including key lime, lemon, and orange trees from Florida. In addition, Annette grows more than 400 tomato plants each year, providing produce to local food pantries and area restaurants. This elegant structure doubles as an outdoor dining space for friends and family in the summer. The adjacent garden boasts various fruits and vegetables, including asparagus and blueberries. Notice the nearby beehive which keeps flowers pollinated and the garden humming. Continue your stroll to the guest cottage, an 1860s sail shed once owned by the Cohasset Sailing Club that was relocated here in 2013. A peek inside the cottage reveals an unexpected retreat for visiting guests. After you exit the cottage, meander through a classic English garden installed two years ago by Annette, Wayne, and landscape designer Heather Sullivan. Featured perennials include lavender, lambs ear, myrtle, and boxwoods. Look for the unusual lilac topiary grafted onto a cherry tree. As a final stop on your visit, don’t miss the fully stocked koi pond nestled into the rock formations so prevalent in Cohasset.
Finally, behind the stone walls of their 200-year-old homestead, Dana and Mary Ann Cushing have created a magical landscape that spans nearly two acres. The Cushings consider themselves to be nature keepers with an emphasis on fantasy and spirituality. The property hosts many private tours – from families with young children, to visiting shamans and druids – indeed, a visit to this property is a unique experience! As you stroll along paths with names like “fern way” and “the path of love and light,” you will notice large stone cairns created by Dana. Each cairn features a unique name and meaning. In a section of the property referred to as “the glade,” Dana designed and installed a labyrinth reflective of life’s unexpected journey using 1,500 stones from the property. Look for small fairy doors at the base of numerous trees. Behind each door, visitors will be delighted by miniature gnomes and fairies. Fairies may be seen sitting on tree branches, and fairy bells and crystals dangle from trees, enticing guests to offer fanciful wishes. The property also features ponds filled with koi, goldfish, and an occasional frog, and a chicken coop with a nursery for the young hens. Natural benches situated throughout the landscape offer guests relaxation and quiet enjoyment of the peaceful surrounding. Don’t miss Mary Ann’s charming vegetable garden, a 24-year-old two-story tree house, and a barn dating back to the 1780s. A selection of Dana’s beautiful handcrafted birdhouses are available for purchase during your visit.
Saturated colors, intricate patterns, striking architecture: Umberto Pasti’s house and garden in Tangier is the ultimate example of a well-curated Moroccan villa. Set in a lush hillside garden filled with the native flora of northern Morocco, the house offers glimpses of the serene landscapes and fountains through windows, archways and loggias, as well as Pasti’s scholarly collection of tiles and rare textiles from Africa, the Middle East, and southern Europe.
In this Garden Conservancy online talk on May 4 at 2 pm Eastern time, writer Umberto Pasti and photographer Ngoc Minh Ngo will talk about their latest book, The House of a Lifetime and explore the subjects of Jbala Berbers, Northern Moroccan flora, and its influence on Moroccan art. $5 for Garden Conservancy members $15 for nonmembers. A recording of this webinar will be sent to all registrants a few days after the event. We encourage you to register, even if you cannot attend the live webinar. Register at https://www.gardenconservancy.org
Umberto Pasti graduated in philosophy of history in his native Milano. After traveling extensively in North Africa and the Middle East, nearly forty years ago he bought a place in Tangier. Now he lives between Milano, Tangier, and Rohuna, a small village on the Atlantic Coast of Northern Morocco. He is a writer, a gardener, and a garden designer. He has published several books, A House of a Lifetime, about his home in Tangier, is published in January 2023.
Ngoc Minh Ngo is a New York-based photographer and author of three books, Bringing Nature Home: Floral Arrangements Inspired by Nature; In Bloom: Creating and Living with Flowers, andEden Revisited: A Garden in Northern Morocco, all published by Rizzoli. Her work has been the subject of solo shows at the Yves Saint Laurent Museum in Marrakech and Wave Hill Public Garden and Cultural Center in the Bronx, New York. Ngoc received the Land Place Spirit Award from Longhouse Reserve in 2022.
The Garden Conservancy hosts the Middlesex County Open Day on May 20 with three gardens, one in Weston, two in Stow.
The Spencer-Scott Garden in Weston is a sun-drenched site with deep loam. The owners set out to create a garden to satisfy their varied interests in flowering trees, shrubs, vines, ground covers, perennials, and bulbs. They designed, created, and maintain the garden. Included are rock gardens, partial shade gardens, dwarf evergreens, and perennial beds with walking paths, all set against an open meadow. Of special interest are many varieties of peonies, species of old roses, iris, hardy geraniums, alliums, lilies, wildflowers, clematis, daylilies, azaleas, and rhododendrons. They have collected more than 1,500 varieties over the years.
The Rock Bottom Garden in Stow is a one-acre garden has been shaped by three decades of collaboration between a woody plant zealot and a perennial gardener. From the 1855 house situated on top of a dry knoll, one enjoys sweeping vistas of the gardens below. When they first started gardening here, the property was a jungle of invasive trees, dying white ash, and multiflora rose. All were cut down, leaving them with a garden as sunny and windswept as the plains of Kansas for some years. They remedied this by planting trees, some of which are now nearly 60 feet tall. At present the garden is shaded in large part, and the perennial plantings are transitioning to reflect that. The garden features many unusual trees and shrubs, including rare magnolias and maples (some grown from seed), an herb garden, gravel garden, and a small vegetable garden. The striking topography makes the garden seem much larger than its actual size, and the trees include beautiful specimens you probably won’t see anywhere else in New England.
Also in Stow is Glenluce Garden, a small, personal, and romantic garden. Entering by the western gate, you will find yourself on a mound with green paths beckoning in seven directions. Explore these paths to discover a grove of paperbark maples, an island of tree peonies, or a border of fragrant native azaleas. A pergola covered by climbing roses leads to a frog pond shaded by heptacodium and a courtyard with raised vegetable beds. Magnolias, rhododendrons, peonies, and roses abound in Glenluce Garden.
