National Public Garden Week is celebrated May 12 -21st. It brings awareness of public gardens, botanical gardens, historic gardens, colleges, universities and agricultural programs. The American Public Gardening Association started this celebration in 2009.
They partnered with a large garden supplier called The Rainbird Corporation to increase consumer awareness of this holiday. To celebrate visit the local public gardens near your home or volunteer to help in local organizations with gardens to maintain them and grow plants.
Visit Public Gardens in CT For Free
Below are some gardens you can tour for free and a garden center that has several gardens for customers to see. Don't forget to visit historic homes with gardens as they need your support too.
Photo Source: Commons Wikimedia Org.
Elizabeth Park Conservancy
1561 Asylum Avenue
West Hartford, CT 06117
Elizabeth Park has a number of gardens that you can visit for free. They have the Helen S. Kaman Rose Garden, and it is the third largest in the country. The design of it began in 1903 with 190 different types of roses. Today they have over 1,000 varieties. They received a grant in 2020 from the Kamen Foundation. The park has a Hosta Garden, rock garden, perennial gardens, herb garden, and annual garden. The have a few greenhouses where plants are grown. Admission is free and parking is available in the park.
Photo Source: Public Domain Net: Petr K.
Pardee Rose Garden in Hamden CT
180 Park Street
Hamden, CT 06517
This is a rose garden, greenhouse and center established in 1922 and is 2 acres. It is part of East Rock Park and maintained by New Haven's Park and Rec Department. William Pardee a lawyer and businessman donated money to create the gardens. He wanted to honor his mother and the garden had 46 different types of flowers in the 1920's . The latest garden has 76 varieties of roses. Admission is free and it is open year-round.
White Flower Farm
167 Litchfield Road
Morris, CT 06763
Photo Source: Giphy
This is a garden center that you can buy flowers, vegetables, herbs, trees and shrubs. They have display gardens on their property that you can view for ideas. and learn about garden design White Flower Farms has a kitchen garden, a begonia house, a peony grove or garden, irises, shade gardens, cottage gardens, moon gardens, roses, trees, and shrubs. While shopping you can tour the outdoor gardens free. It is open Thursday thru Monday from 9 am. to 5:30 pm.
Photo Source: Commons Wikimedia
Weir Farm
735 Nod Hill Road
Wilton, CT 06897
Weir Farm is a 60 acre farm dedicated to American Art. The artist Andrew Weir lived there and his family left a legacy behind. They have a colonial revival sunken garden, and the Weir Garden was established in 1915. This garden has a fountain and sundial. In the past the property had numerous vegetable gardens.
Andrew Weir was known for his Impressionist style art. The farm offers art classes, has hiking trails, and house tours. Admission to the farm and house tours are free. They do charge for some programs. Many artists use their farm to draw and paint landscapes and other scenes.
Photo Source Giphy: Jennifer E. Young
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