Gardens By the Sea - Celebrating the Stonington Garden Club’s 100th Anniversary
Photos by Dodie Bump, unless otherwise noted.
View from a 2022 Garden - Photo by Laura Hall
Since the first Gardens by the Sea tour was held in 1993, the Stonington Garden Club has hosted a walking tour of gardens in the Borough every three to four years. The last tour was in 2022, and in celebration of the club’s 100th anniversary in 2026, the 15th Gardens by the Sea will welcome visitors on June 12 and 13 to view rarely seen gardens behind the walls and gates of Stonington’s historic properties. This popular self-guided walking tour is well known throughout New England and draws two to three thousand visitors over the two days.
Gardens by the Sea visitors will explore waterfront vistas, terraced landscapes, and enchanted pocket gardens, designed in styles ranging from formal to eclectic. The tour will showcase 10 gardens, as well as 3 "pass-through" gardens. All gardens are within a half mile of each other. As is tradition, the gardens are not revealed to the public until the days of the tour. All gardens will feature botanical plant labels, which are unique to Gardens by the Sea. This year, many gardens will feature experts, such as a Master Gardener, horticulturist, or landscape designer, to share insights and answer questions.
To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the Club invested in its two public community gardens and transformed them with native plantings. These include the Borough Post Office garden and the rain garden on Wayland’s Wharf. These gardens, along with the club’s signature project, the COMO Children's Learning Garden, may be enjoyed as part of the tour.
“Plein Air” Artists in the Borough
Gardens by the Sea will also feature a group of talented "Plein Air" artists who will be painting in selected gardens and other locations in the Borough, drawing inspiration from our seaside village landscapes. Their work will also be on display (and available for purchase) at the La Grua Center, beginning May 8 and running through the end of June.
Marketplace in Wadawanuck Square
A tented Marketplace located on Wadawanuck Square will feature over 25 vendors, offering garden-inspired items, plants, clothing, jewelry, gift items, and home décor. The Stonington Garden Club will also be selling its “Nature’s Bounty” cookbook, featuring recipes using local resources “from farm to sea.” The Marketplace will be free and open to the public on June 12-13, 10 am – 4 pm. Also on hand on Wadawanuck Square will be six Community Partners to answer questions about regenerative gardening techniques, conservation, plant health, composting, and volunteer opportunities. These include the Coogan Farm Nature & Heritage Center, Mystic Garden Club, Yellow Farmhouse Education Center, CT Audubon Society, and the UConn and URI Master Gardener Programs.
Tour Raises Funds for Community Outreach
Gardens by the Sea is the Stonington Garden Club's primary fundraiser, supporting the Club's community projects, grants, and scholarships that reflect its purpose to educate and encourage interest in the environment, conservation, and community projects, and to stimulate the knowledge and love of gardening among its members and the community.
Ticket Information
Gardens by the Sea will be open June 12 and 13 from 10 am to 4 pm, rain or shine. Tickets are $50 online (available until midnight on June 8) or $65 on-site on the days of the Tour. Tour tickets are valid for both days and are non-refundable. The Marketplace and La Grua Center Plein Art exhibition are free and open to the public. Free parking will be available. To order tickets online, visit www.stoningtongardenclub.org/garden-tour or for more information, contact sgctourinfo@gmail.com.
Don’t miss this beloved Stonington Borough tradition!