Hundreds Of Private Gardens Await Visits

The Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Program offers hundreds of opportunities to learn and exchange gardening ideas, or to simply explore and enjoy magnificent gardens not normally open to the public. The 2011 Open Days season extends into early November and includes more than 300 private gardens in 18 states, from southern California to the coastline of Rhode Island.

The next Open Days programs in Connecticut will be Saturday, June 4, with one garden each in Burlington and Plantsville and two gardens in Washington.

The first Fairfield County gardens will be open on Sunday, June 5, with offerings in Bethel, New Canaan, Redding and Ridgefield.

Open Day programs continue on June 11, June 12, June 18 and 19, June 25 and 26, July 10, July 16 and July 24, July 31, August 7, September 7, September 11 and September 25.

The Sandy Hook garden of Jean Sander, which was part of last year’s Garden Conservancy Open Day Program, will again be featured this summer. Special highlights in Mrs Sander’s garden, which will be open on June 18, include a “troughery” area of 18th and 19th Century stone watering troughs planted with alpines, a formal flower garden surrounded by a yew hedge, and a woodland walk overlooking the Pootatuck River and Lake Zoar.

The garden is the only one in Fairfield County that will be open that day, and the only one scheduled this season in Newtown. A portion of the donations collected from the visits to Mrs Sander’s garden will benefit Newtown Historical Society.

Open Days are rain or shine, reservations are not required, run from 10 am to 4 pm.

A copy of The 2011 Open Days Directory ($21.95 including shipping and handling) is the comprehensive source for details on the 2011 season. The Directory provides descriptions, visiting dates and hours, and driving directions to private gardens from coast to coast. The Directory also includes one free admission ticket to any private garden participating in the program, a $5 value.

Additional information is also available through the Conservancy’s website, GardenConservancy.org.

To purchase a Directory or to join the Garden Conservancy as a member and receive a free copy, call 1-888-842-2442 or order online.