Heritage Museums and Gardens

Friday, July 11 – Sunday, July 20 – 11th Annual Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival

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The Cape Cod Hydrangea Society (CCHS), in conjunction with the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce and Heritage Museums and Gardens, announce that the 11th Annual Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival takes place from Friday, July 11 to Sunday, July 20. In addition, the Fest Kickoff Party is happening on Thursday, July 10, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Hyannis Country Garden in Hyannis.

Heritage Gardens in Sandwich is a major stop on the tour, including both its Display Garden and the North American Hydrangea Test Garden. These lovely gardens are maintained by CCHS members, as directed by Mal Condon, “The Hydrangea Guy”, Curator of the Hydrangea Gardens at Heritage, and CCHS member and past-president. Hydrangea U also takes place at Heritage Gardens on Friday, July 11th.

A total of ten CCHS member gardens are open during the Festival, with varying dates and times according to homeowner preferences. Starting on Tuesday, July 15, the Bowkers’ garden in E. Sandwich is open, as well as JoAnn Piscillo’s in Brewster. On Wednesday, July 16, C.L. Fornari’s garden in Sandwich is open, and Mal Condon is appearing at the Piscillo garden at both 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.; and again at the Michaelson’s Woods Hole garden, on Friday, July 18, at both 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. All ten CCHS member garden locations can be found in the CCHS Hydrangea Fest brochure, or by visiting www.capecodhydrangeasociety.org.

CCHS docents are available to answer questions at each CCHS garden location. In addition, local artists are painting in some gardens while visitors tour the grounds.

Local non-profit organizations based in many Cape Cod towns benefit from all garden tour proceeds. Several participating nurseries and home centers also offer promotions during the Fest, particularly Hyannis Country Garden. An overall event schedule is now available at www.capecodchamber.org, with addresses of all participating gardens posted on this site.

Private garden tours are $5 per person per garden, and all gardens are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on specified days, rain or shine. This year a souvenir Hydrangea Fest ‘Passport’ can be found at any CCHS garden, and attendees can get it stamped at most participating gardens.

Saturday, August 17, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Wampanoag Heritage Day

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Join Heritage Museums and Gardens in Sandwich for the fourth annual celebration of Wampanoag culture at Heritage from 10 am-2 pm on August 17. This fun-filled day will feature a performance by the Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers of Eastern social songs and dances (with audience participation encouraged!) from 11-11:45 am and hands-on activities. Explore the wetu, a reproduction of a historic dwelling, the mush8n, a reproduction dug-out canoe, and the Three Sisters demonstration garden, all created in collaboration with SmokeSygnals, a local Native American creative agency.

All activities are free with museum admission or membership. This event is rain or shine.

Tickets include admission to:

  • The gardens, featuring collections of rhododendrons, hydrangeas, daylilies, and more (seasonal)
  • The Hidden Hollow outdoor discovery area
  • The Special Exhibitions Gallery, featuring the Impressionist New England: Four Seasons of Color and Light exhibit
  • The J.K. Lilly III Automobile Gallery, featuring the From Carriage to Classic: How Automobiles Transformed America and Charging Ahead: Early Electric Cars in America exhibits
  • The American Art & Carousel Gallery, featuring the Heritage Highlights exhibit and rides on the 1908 Looff carousel
  • The outdoor art exhibit Alfred Glover in the Garden
  • Wampanoag wetu, Three Sisters Garden, and mush8n
  • Outdoor features such as the McGraw Family Garden of the Senses, the Flume Fountain, the Hart Family Maze Garden, the labyrinth, walking trails, and more
  • Lilly’s Café
  • The Shop at Heritage in its new temporary locatiom

Wednesday, July 17 – Friday, July 19 – The GCFM Southeastern District Standard Flower Show: Game On!

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The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts Southeastern District Standard Flower Show is at Heritage Museums and Gardens July 17 – 19. The theme is Game On! To obtain a copy of the schedule and enter your design, contact Christine Decas at christinedecas@comcast.net or Dolores Ahern at doloresma67@gmail.com This major New England flower show is presented at Heritage by the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts Southeastern District’s garden clubs and its award-winning Design Study Group. View beautiful, creative floral and botanical arts designs and educational exhibits related to this year’s theme – Game On! Entrance to the flower show is free with admission or membership. No advance registration required for visitors. Hours are 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm on Wednesday, 10 – 5 on Thursday, and 10 – 7:30 on Friday.

Friday, May 17 – Sunday, October 20 – Alfred Glover in the Garden

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From May 17 through October 20, Heritage Museums & Gardens in Sandwich will host a solo exhibition of works by sculptor Alfie Glover, of Cataumet. Frequent visitors to Heritage may recognize Glover’s whimsical, folk-art style sculptures, as one of his pieces, “Garden Gate,” has been installed in the McInnes Garden for several years. This show brings his bold, colorful depictions of animals, trees, and other wildlife to the rest of Heritage’s grounds and gardens. Glover’s work has been displayed in venues throughout the Northeast, most notably at Cape Cod Museum of Art, Cahoon Museum of American Art, Highfield Hall & Gardens, Mass Audubon Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary, Boston Children’s Hospital, Falmouth Hospital, and Cape Cod Hospital.

Generously sponsored by the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod. For hours and information visit https://heritagemuseumsandgardens.org/exhibits/alfred-glover/

Tuesday, April 4, 11:00 am – Hydrangeas and Heritage Museum and Gardens

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Mal Condone, the Curator of Hydrangeas at Sandwich’s Heritage Museums and Gardens will discuss Hydrangea care and introduce new cultivars for 2023. The talk is sponsored by the Andover Garden Club at the South Church Fellowship Hall, Central Street in Andover. Meetings are open to visitors. A donation of $10.00 (cash or check) at the door is appreciated. For more information on upcoming public meetings visit HERE

Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, November 25 – Friday, December 23 – Gardens Aglow

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This year Heritage Museums and Gardens in Sandwich will continue the celebration of lights that has become a treasured holiday tradition with a fully outdoor experience. This event features beautiful light displays throughout the gardens, as well as many activities throughout the grounds. Roast marshmallows at the fire pits. Participate in a reindeer scavenger hunt.

Tickets must be purchased online in advance, are date specific, and have a time-specific entry. Walk up ticket sales are not guaranteed at the door. All tickets are date and time specific, and attendance is limited to provide a safe, high-quality experience for all. Tickets are non-refundable and are only valid for the date and entry time for which they are purchased. Restrooms are located near the entrance and portable restrooms are located near the back of the property. More information is found at

Tickets are $20 for Heritage members; $22 nonmembers , Youth $11/$12, 2 and under free. Buy tickets at www.heritagemuseumandgardens.org

Wednesday, August 3, 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm – Wine & Walk: Treasured Trash Exhibit Tour

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Have you ever wanted to take a tour of Heritage Museums & Gardens in Sandwich after hours, without the crowds, and with a glass of wine in hand? If so, then you won’t want to miss our Wine & Walk Exhibit Tours!

In this program, Assistant Curator, Amanda Wastrom, will lead a small group on a tour of this season’s outdoor art installation, Treasured Trash, after regular visiting hours. Start with a glass of wine and a light snack before striking out on a walking tour of the artworks in their beautiful garden settings. Along the way, Amanda will share fascinating insights about each piece and the artist who created it that you can’t get from just reading the labels. Refreshment refills will be available throughout the tour.  Program registration includes wine and light snack. Spots are extremely limited for this rare opportunity, so reserve your place today! Advance registration required.

Please note: This is an adult walking tour and will cover about 1.25 miles on various terrain. In the event of severe inclement weather, this program will move to the rain date, Thursday, August 4, from 5:00-7:30 pm.

Program fees fund Heritage’s mission to inspire people of all ages to explore, discover, and learn together. Thank you for your support. Program Registration Fee: $45 Members, $50 Non-Members. Register at www.heritagemuseumsandgardens.org

Friday, December 10, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – GCFM Holiday Designs for Your Home

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The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts presents Nancy Costa with Holiday Designs for Your Home on December 10 at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 320 Boston Post Road in Weston. $10, which includes a lucky raffle ticket. Register at www.gcfm.org. Nancy will demonstrate two fabulous holiday designs you can do at home.

Nancy Costa is a National Garden Club Flower Show Judge. She has exhibited at Art in Bloom at the MFA Boston, and Heritage Museum and Gardens in Sandwich. She is a member of The Garden Club of Hyannis and the Norwood Evening Garden Club.

Contact Margo Yie at margo_yie@verizon.net to confirm availability.

Friday, November 6, 10:30 am – 12:00 noon – Virtual Hydrangea Success Series: Winterizing Webinar

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Hydrangea macrophylla plants are the least cold-hardy of hydrangea species and bud hardiness is especially sensitive to harsh Cape Cod winters. In this Heritage Museums and Gardens online webinar on Friday, November 6 from 10:30 – noon, Heritage Hydrangea Curator, Mal Condon, will discuss the best techniques he has developed for protecting hydrangeas from the ravages of winter and will provide information on the necessary materials and their sources. The live webinar will feature a detailed slide presentation, and a chance for questions and answers with Mal. All program webinar registrants will receive a PDF of the slide presentation, via email, after the presentation. Advance registration is required and registration for this program ends at 6 am on Thursday, November 5.

A lifelong gardener, Mal has been collecting, propagating, and growing hydrangeas for more than 40 years. He and his wife Mary Kay owned and operated Hydrangea Farm Nursery on Nantucket Island for many years. Early in 2014 they relocated to Yarmouth Port on Cape Cod and have been busy establishing a significant garden in their new location. Mal is known as “the hydrangea whisperer” at Heritage, and is committed to ongoing maintenance of all existing hydrangea plantings as well as to the continuing expansion of Heritage’s hydrangea gardens.

Click here to register

Fee:  $17 Heritage Members, $27 Non-Members

FREE Benefit Package Program Passes may be used for this program. Add your discount code during check-out, or contact the Development Department at membership@heritagemuseums.org or call us at 508-888-3300 x119 or x159.

Please note, if you are unable to join us for this live webinar, this program will be recorded and made available through our website later this season. Interested viewers will be able to “rent” this recorded webinar, for a fee, to watch on-demand.

Saturday, May 23 – Sunday, May 31 – Virtual Run for the Rhodies 5K

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Support the care and preservation of Heritage Museums and Garden’s world-famous rhododendron collection by participating in the Virtual Run for the Rhodies 5K Trail Race this year! Any day throughout the Rhododendron Festival, May 23-31, walk, jog, or run a 5K at your own pace, in a location of your choosing. Register below to get your digital swag bag filled with horticulture tips, Rhodie-themed activity ideas, and printable race bib and commemorative finisher’s certificate. Race registrants may enjoy free admission to Heritage’s grounds and gardens on either May 30 or 31 (details below). Share your accomplishment on social media with #RhodieFest and #RhodieRun. Look out for Heritage staff daily on Facebook, who will be participating along with you!

Register Here

Heritage Members: $15
Non-Members: $20

All proceeds directly support Heritage Museums & Gardens.