Archives: Garden Tips

Plan your next garden vacation now. Here are a few resources that will help you plan a vacation devoted to visiting beautiful gardens.

• Gardens of British Columbia by Pat Kramer – Thinking fondly of Canada these days? Go visit British Columbia where they take gardening quite seriously. This book lists details of public gardens with maps and articles on garden history.
• www.ngs.org.uk – The British National Garden Scheme will assist garden tourists find both public gardens and gardens open by appointment only.
• www.gardenvisit.com – Slightly confusing, but this site is full of garden touring links and information for the US, Britain, and many other countries like South Africa and Thailand.

www.ahs.org/events/travel_study.htm – Travel first class with serious plant lovers with the American Horticultural Society’s travel-study program.

• www.pacifichorticulture.org – West coast garden magazine Pacific Horticulture also offers first class tours.

Become a garden voyeur this season by participating in one of the many organized private garden tours.
The Garden Conservancy is a national organization dedicated to preserving America’s most significant private gardens. Each year hundreds of private gardens hold Open Days to raise money to support Garden Conservancy’s work of preserving private gardens for future generations to enjoy. The current year’s Open Days Directory is for sale in winter and is useful for planning garden touring trips across the country. Available online at www.gardenconservancy.org/ or call (845) 265 2029. Washington had nearly 40 private gardens open in 2004. There is a nominal admission charge to visit each garden.

Local communities also organize charitable garden tours which usually feature 5 to 10 private gardens within driving distance. Some tours also include speakers or music. The Elisabeth C. Miller Library compiles a list of regional tours.