The Garden Club of Manchester
The Gardens on the 2024 Tour
Garden #1 The Playhouse
227 Prospect Street, Manchester
In the same family for several generations, the Lowerre home is surrounded by mature maple trees, in addition to a tulip tree and crabapple, plus beautiful perennial gardens throughout the grounds. A stream abuts the property with a bridge build by a relative in years past. You can find hostas and boxwood along its bank. Raised beds within the picket fence include asparagus, herbs and other edibles in addition to iris, clematis and roses. Potted plants, hanging baskets and urns add interest throughout the landscape. Do not miss peeking in the grandchildren’s Playhouse. The gardens include Hildene peonies, roses and hydrangea. Lilacs, pear trees, lavender and hydrangea can be found near the pool area that is surrounded by 6 patio pots. Across the driveway, roses are thriving in the flag pole garden
area.
Garden #2 Seven Springs Garden and Sculpture Park
325 Silver Springs Lane, Manchester
Seven Springs Garden and Sculpture Park is located between the Green Mountains to the east and the Taconic Range to the west. The name “Seven Springs” refers to the seven springs that run on the surrounding property and figured prominently in its history. The land was first settled before the Revolutionary War and farmed for generations. The property was purchased by Stan and Sylvia Stroup in
1997. Over the years following their purchase, the Stroups converted the pasture behind the main house into gardens, and added a Japanese and woodland garden. Their interest in sculpture led to the addition of a sculpture collection set in complementary garden rooms. Seven Springs Garden and Sculpture Park is a labor of love that has been built and cared for by four generations of dedicated gardeners and art lovers. We hope that you love it too.
Garden #3 Strawberry Fields
175 Johnnycake St., Manchester
Inspired by the textures, tones and wild formality of classic French country gardens, this property had major changes from 2016-2017 following a major house renovation. Wood line edges were gladed, remnant boulder walls were removed to provide lawn areas. The driveway now winds through wildflower meadows and landforms. Walls, stairs and terraces were built using local weathered granite, reminiscent of Ireland, the homeowner’s roots. Billowy flower forward planting in tones of purple, pink and blue, such as lavender, phlox and salvia, provide full seasonal interest informally defined garden edges around the entry of the home. A rose garden, honoring grandmothers and daughters, lilacs, peonies, rhododendron, magnolia, red horse chestnut and several varieties of hydrangea are among the flowering shrubs that put on dramatic blooming events. Native plants such as serviceberry, fragrant sumac and Elderberry found in the surrounding woods provide food for wildlife.
Garden #4 Greenfields
217 Upland Downs Road, Manchester Center
A large meadow along the Upland Downs Road leads to the owner's home. The house was built in 2020 to resemble a red Vermont barn and it is surrounded by stately birch stands. Stone walls add interest throughout the property and mirror the rock foundation
of the “barn”. A hedge of winterberry welcomes you in front of the house. Groupings of ferns, hostas, astilbe and masses of myrtle dot the property. An expansive vista from the back of the house brings a sense of tranquility. Statuary near the back rock wall
brings a sense of whimsy and joy. As you continue along the side of the house, you come upon a row of lilacs. More ferns and a large bed of daylilies are adjacent to alap pool. Additional perennials gardens are on the owner's list of things to come as the owner is not through adding to and refining her remarkable gardens.
Garden #5
1298 Mad Tom Road, East Dorset
Our garden is placed alongside our 1860's Greek Revival farmhouse which was once an apple farm. 36 years ago, I began by rototilling the earth in a freeform pattern, a la Roberto Burle Marx. It has been a wonderful work in progress and my passion ever since. It is ever changing from day to day and different each year. The curvilinear cottage garden sweeps uphill as does the apple orchard, following the
topography of our land. Framing the garden at the front of the house are majestic 60 year old white birch trees. A unique vintage cottage fence separates the garden from the house to the south. The entrance to the garden is through two graceful salvaged 18th century finialed columns. From armfulls of daffodils, tulips and peonies in the spring, to daylilies, asiatic lilies, persicaria, delphinium, yarrow and aster in July and August, magnificent bouquets grace our home and others from April through October.
Garden #6
427 Upper Hollow Road, Dorset
The property was part of the Baldwin family’s in the mid 1800’s and then sold to Elipahalet Farwell Jr, in 1880. It was purchased by the King family in 1957 and served as part of the lower pasture of the Owl’s Head Farm until 1957 where dairy cows grazed during the day. An expansion plan of the property in 2010 by the Decorato’s adds to the history of the Baldwin family of the mid 1800’s. The stone wall at the front of the property was resurrected with the original buried stones dating to the time the Farwell family was in residence in 1880. The lilac bushes along the driveway are the only original parts of the garden. A blanket of Lily-of-the-Valley welcomes you at the driveway. The dramatic wildflower display is a spectacular throughout the season. The view of the surrounding mountains from the property includes Dorset Mountain, Netop Mountain, Dorset Hill and Mother Myrick.
Garden #7
1030 Danby Mountain Road, Dorset
You will see a series of garden spaces of various shapes and sizes. We prefer to blend with nature and so emphasize naturalistic planting and informality rather than formal beds of plants. We also like to make our rocks and the outcrops a feature in order to heighten our relationship with the surrounding woodland. The gardens vary in style from what we refer to as our Japanese garden through to our Mediterranean inspired terrace complete with lavender growing in the crevices othe rock face. In some places our style is to let plants self-seed and then remove those we don’t want. In others we carefully curate the planting to accentuate the scale and topography that are the backdrop to all we do. Lastly, we have begun to make use of corten steel to bring a sense of the modern to contrast with the antiquity of the rock.
A more comprehensive and detailed account of the gardens is available at the Welcome Table.
Garden #8 Chickadee
133 Sargent Pass Dorset
In this enchanting setting, a recreational family forest surrounds a full off-grid cabin and is the private project of landscape design principal, Katherine Moreau. Over time, she revealed mountain views, planted several perennial gardens, reclaimed 6 acres of wildflowers, established a heritage apple orchard and created a network of walking trails throughout the 100 acre managed wood lot. The Chickadee is thoughtfully designed with the purpose of protecting, supporting, and exploring our natural surroundings.