On June 19, the Simsbury Garden Club will host a garden tour entitled Beyond the Garden Gate. The one-day event, celebrating Simsbury’s 350th Anniversary, will be held rain or shine from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Six private gardens, never before opened for public viewing, will welcome visitors to enjoy dramatic water features, exceptional garden sculptures, and plantings in exposures ranging from full shade to full sun. An added attraction in each garden will be a local artist painting en plein air.
Due to natural land contours and creative use of sloping areas, the gardens are not handicapped accessible, nor can they accommodate strollers. Please leave dogs at home, and please wear masks.
Each year the Simsbury Club raises money for two scholarships for students involved in horticulturally-related fields of study: one is given to a Simsbury High School graduating senior and the other to an undergraduate student from Connecticut. The funds raised from this garden tour will support the 2021-2022 scholarship fund. Since 1989, over 40 students have benefitted from these scholarships.
The owners of each garden will be at home acting as hosts. Guests are encouraged to ask questions about the gardens or any other gardening or plant questions. These homeowners, who have worked so hard to prepare for the tour, look forward to engaging with guests by pointing out their favorite plants, explaining the methods they use, and recommending nurseries and garden-related services which helped to enhance their properties.
Beginning on May 1, tickets can be purchased either at simsburygardenclub.org through PayPal; or in person at Fitzgerald’s Foods (710 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury), where either cash or checks will be accepted. The nonrefundable tickets cost $20 and increase to $25 on the day of the tour.
On the day of the tour, tickets will be brought to the Simsbury Historical Society, 800 Hopmeadow Street, for participants to receive a program booklet. This booklet allows entrance into each garden. It also includes a town map that delineates garden locations, a description of the unique features and highlights of each garden, suggestions for restaurants and a list of tour sponsors. No tickets will be sold at the gardens.
Come venture Beyond the Garden Gate on June 19. Spend a magical afternoon immersed in six of the most creative and striking private gardens in Simsbury.
