• All of the gardens on the tour are private and are not open to the public. It is through the generosity of the owners that we are able to see these spectacular displays. We cannot thank them enough!
• This is a rain or shine event! Unfortunately, we cannot offer refunds for this event.
• There are no restroom facilities at the private gardens.
• Children 10 and under are free. Children must be accompanied by an adult and be supervised at all times. No pets are allowed. Parts of the gardens may not be handicapped accessible.
• All proceeds from this event support The Garden Club of Manchester’s scholarship program.
• Tickets will be available for sale at each garden on the day of the tour. (Cash or check only)
About the Gardens
Peter and Valerie Radford
1030 Danby Mountain Road, Dorset
This garden is a captivating collection of outdoor spaces, each with its own distinct character. Visitors will discover a range of styles, from a tranquil Japanese-inspired garden to a Mediterranean terrace where lavender grows among natural rock outcrops. New this year are two additional garden spaces and a spectacular peony border, adding even more color and seasonal interest.
Throughout the landscape, contemporary corten steel planters provide a striking contrast to the property's ancient stone formations. The owners blend naturalistic planting with thoughtful design, allowing some plants to self-seed while carefully curating others to complement the site's dramatic topography. Rock ledges, outcroppings, and surrounding woodland are celebrated as integral parts of the garden, creating a landscape that feels both artfully designed and deeply connected to nature.
Geoffrey Campe
33 Nichols Hill Road, Dorset
This garden reflects its owner's love of the classic English garden style—abundant, layered, and just a little mysterious. Over the years, the landscape has undergone several transformations as home additions and the renovation of a cottage on the property required entire gardens to be carefully lifted, redesigned, and replanted. Even determined woodchucks have played a role in shaping the garden's evolution. Through each challenge, the owner has found joy in reimagining the landscape and discovering how both the garden and gardener continue to grow and change.
Today, the garden is filled with treasured plants, including wide varieties of lilies, peonies, and roses, along with tall meadow rue, Chinese ragwort, and common mullein. Created without the assistance of a landscape designer, the garden is deeply personal and reflects the owner's vision, creativity, and dedication. More than a collection of plants, it is a place of beauty, contentment, and a profound connection to the natural world.
Barnstead Inn, Andrea Conrad
349 Bonnet Street, Manchester
The gardens at the Barnstead Inn are defined by expansive perennial borders richly layered with seasonal annuals, creating a tapestry of color, texture, and interest from spring through fall. Designed in a style that blends the charm of an English cottage garden with thoughtful structure and balance, the landscape offers beauty around every turn while maintaining a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere.
Created with hospitality and entertaining in mind, the gardens gracefully frame patios, pathways, and gathering spaces throughout the property. As a popular setting for weddings and special events, the gardens provide a stunning backdrop where every bloom contributes to the experience. Whether viewed from a quiet garden bench or enjoyed during a celebration, the landscape reflects the warmth, elegance, and natural beauty that define the Barnstead Inn.
Bill and Wenke Sterns
3739 Route 30, Dorset
Over many years, these gardens have matured into a relaxed and colorful landscape that beautifully defines a series of outdoor living spaces while showcasing expansive views of the golf course and surrounding mountains. A marble terrace serves as a welcoming gathering place, surrounded by kitchen herbs, vibrant summer annuals, and classic perennials including peonies, iris, daisies, and phlox. Thoughtfully placed shrubs provide seasonal color, texture, and privacy throughout the property.
Recent enhancements have further enriched the landscape, including a handsome stone retaining wall, granite pavers that improve accessibility, and a carefully maintained beech hedge that creates privacy from the road. The newer planting beds emphasize foliage and texture, featuring Blue Billow hydrangeas, golden elderberry, columnar yews, and layers of perennials. In keeping with a commitment to ecological stewardship, invasive honeysuckles have been removed and replaced with fescue underplantings and a natural border of paper birch and serviceberry along the edge of the golf course.
Sewall Hodges
54 Dorset West Road, Dorset
Over the past twenty-five years, the owners of Raven Quarry House have transformed what was once raw land and abandoned marble quarries into a remarkable garden and nature sanctuary. Set amid dramatic stone landscapes, the property now features ten distinct garden areas connected by wooden walkways and scenic viewing points, inviting visitors to explore the site's unique beauty and history.
Throughout the seasons, the gardens come alive with blooming bulbs, cascading waterfalls, and striking outcroppings of natural stone that reflect the property's quarrying heritage. Nesting ravens, which inspired the property's name, remain an important presence in the landscape. Together, the house and gardens form an ever-evolving celebration of nature, creativity, and the enduring legacy of those who once worked these historic quarries.
Sharon Umhoeffer
268 Meadow Ridge Road, Manchester
We invite you to explore a series of thoughtfully designed gardens that beautifully blend perennials, annuals, shrubs, and ornamental trees. Created and maintained by a member of the Garden Club of Manchester, the landscape offers a wide variety of color, texture, and seasonal interest. Front foundation plantings feature astilbe, hosta, azalea, lilies, delphinium, hydrangea, Japanese maple, and variegated dogwood, while surrounding garden beds showcase daylilies, bearded iris, and vibrant coneflowers.
At the rear of the property, a charming Victorian-style Orangery provides a unique setting for herbs, citrus trees, and seasonal annuals. The surrounding gardens include fragrant lilacs, rhododendrons, and a colorful cutting garden filled with zinnias, daisies, and snapdragons. Before continuing your tour, take a moment to relax and enjoy refreshments and music beneath the property's inviting two-tier gazebo.
Emily Bateson and Tom Cooper
54 Kirby Hollow Road, Dorset
Centered on a five-acre property, this garden is surrounded by sweeping mixed borders that blend trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals into a landscape designed to feel natural and harmonious. The owners' goal is to create continuous beauty throughout the seasons, with each area evolving and changing as the year progresses. In recent years, they have expanded beyond traditional garden beds to establish meadows filled with thousands of bulbs and spring-flowering displays, allowing wildflowers to flourish and create a more naturalistic setting.
The gardens are largely allowed to find their own rhythm, resulting in a landscape that feels both spontaneous and inviting. As the owners like to say, it is a work in progress—and part of its charm lies in its continual evolution. While exploring, be sure to look closely at the remarkable upturned stumps remaining from the pine forest that once surrounded the house. These sculptural remnants serve as striking reminders of the property's history and add a unique focal point to the landscape.
Peggy and Bill Fritts
2846 West Road, Manchester
Rich in history and character, this remarkable 1761 Gunstock Post & Beam home has lived many lives—as a residence, a barn, and an inn. Originally located just feet from Manchester’s West Road, the house was carefully dismantled and reconstructed farther back on the property in 2008, when owners Peggy and Bill Fritts also added a new addition. A portion of the original foundation remains visible near the pond, offering a tangible connection to the property's past.
Today, the grounds feature a picturesque park-like setting with mature trees, stone walls, a pond, and a tumbling stream. Highlights include a 200-year-old apple tree, a graceful birch grove, and a towering Norway spruce beside the barn. Peggy’s love of color is reflected in the horseshoe-shaped country garden nestled within the stone walls near the house, while raised cedar beds at the north end support a flourishing cut flower and vegetable garden. Framed by sweeping views and historic stonework, this evolving landscape is a true labor of love that continues to grow and delight with each passing season.
A Special Garden Tour Lunch Experience
Enhance your Garden Tour experience with a delightful lunch at the iconic Equinox Resort. Exclusively for Garden Tour guests, The Equinox is offering two specially curated lunch selections for $25 per person.
As a bonus, a portion of the proceeds from each lunch will be donated to the Garden Club of Manchester, helping fund community beautification and horticultural projects throughout the region.
Savor a wonderful meal, support a great cause, and make your day of garden exploration even more memorable.
