Thank you for buying your Garden Tour ticket! For your enjoyment, below are notes and thoughts from this year’s gardeners. There are printed copies available at each garden.

After the notes you’ll find a detailed driving route for tour day. Or you’re welcome to use GPS for navigation.

A reminder that these gardens are ONLY open to visitors on Saturday, June 13, 2026 from 10 am-4 pm. We’re grateful to our gracious gardener hosts. Please respect their privacy, and enjoy the tour!

Garden #1: 80 Emerson Way, Florence
Gardeners: Nora Sweeney & Jim Sharp

When and how did you start gardening? Home ownership prompted us to begin gardening. When we first selected our property, we were especially impressed by the way the back yard blended into the woods. Realizing then the value of the borrowed view towards expanding what was otherwise a small lot. Preservation of trees to each side was a top priority for us, both for philosophical and privacy reasons. Humbled by the array of possibilities led us to reach out to more experienced gardeners for guidance. We had the help of Beyond Landscaping in the first phase, and Stonescapes LLC in the second phase.

What portion of your gardens did you design and plant? While the designers took the lead, we were not without our own aesthetics. I have long admired the Japanese aesthetic, while Nora was keen on plantings that boosted interaction with wildlife (i.e. bushes to attract pollinators, pines providing shelter for birds). Also, we placed emphasis on native plants, as well as species that brought color throughout the seasons. We agreed with the designers’ choice of an amphitheater-like contour to replace what was essentially a hill that abruptly leveled out into an unappealing flat area.

Challenges? Our property sits downward from a wetland, making runoff a concern. Combined with the property’s sloping contour, the soil is rather rocky and dense – accentuating the potential for flash flooding. Dry riverbeds became a prominent and practical solution to this issue.

Books and other resources? The Well-Gardened Mind by Sue Stuart Smith; The Taylor Guide to Perennials; Trees, Shrubs, and Hedges by Jacqueline Heriteau; The Trees in My Forest by Bernd Heinrich. And Nora watching many, many, many episodes of Gardener’s World, hosted by the esteemed horticulturist Monty Don.

Use of perennials & annuals: In general, we chose perennials for: privacy, theme (Asian/native hybrid), and to be complementary to animals and birds. Annuals were chosen for decorative purposes.

Notable trees and shrubs: Several kousa dogwoods, river birch, columnar oak, hickory tree, redbud, serviceberry, red Osier and green-twigged dogwoods.

Notable structures and features: Several Goshen stone bird baths, Goshen stone patio and pathways skirting the property, dry river beds, cantilevered stone bench, rose quartz stone (saved from initial digging and earth moving) fashioned into a water feature. A large boulder affectionately referred to as Waldo – linking our street Emerson Way to the transcendental essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Favorite place in the garden? What do you enjoy most about the garden? Watching birds in the bird bath. Stone steps as a stoop to observe wildlife. The parade of animals sighted over the years: bear, deer, bobcat, coyote, turkeys, turtles, and a fox with her kits.

Garden #2: 24 Diamond Court, Florence
Gardeners: Cate & Carol Shaw

When and how did you start gardening? We’ve been experimental gardeners for 30 years now. Experimental? Meaning, we have no proper training, but we’ve used instincts, research and resources, and a “trial and error” method to build our gardening skills. We’ve also learned to move plants when they don’t thrive.

What portion of your gardens did you design and plant? Nearly all of it! When we bought this house 20 years ago, it had a lovely variety of trees, but other than that only overgrown rhododendrons and old yew bushes. With limited financial resources initially, we slowly removed the overgrown shrubs and started planting one bed at a time. The sides and back gardens were planned once we put in our pool and framed the garden with the white fence. Spring ’24, we fulfilled our dream to eliminate all grass and lawn in the front yard. We worked with a landscape designer to create the macro plan, and with a hardscaper to implement the plan. The front yard is now filled with walking paths of different textures to facilitate engagement with each of the perennial gardens.

Particular themes developed in the garden: We’ve worked hard not to change the natural landscape of our curvy space with its varying elevations. We’ve only taken down trees that were in poor health. Ultimately, we’ve worked to build palettes of complimentary colors, textures and interest. Our main focus has been to have colorful flowers blooming in each week of the gardening season and to provide lots and lots of pollinators for our beloved bees. Our property is also FILLED with stone and boulders; you can’t dig without hitting one! We’ve gotten very skilled at finding ways to unearth these boulders and use them ornamentally within our gardens.

Describe challenges you faced creating the garden: Our house is on a cul-de-sac and the front yard is shaped like a pizza slice. The original soil was depleted of nutrients and unhealthy. So, we’ve spent many years introducing healthier soil, rich with protein and homemade compost for a better base. We also used creative methods to deal with the sloping terrain; such as ground covers to retain garden soil instead of adding expensive retaining walls.

Are there books, websites or resource people you have relied on? Truly, not really. More instincts, trial and error, and recommendations from other gardeners.

Use of perennials & annuals: 95% of our gardens are perennials. Where possible, I add annuals for a pop of color, including hanging baskets and potted planters.

Notable trees & shrubs: We have some lovely birch trees, and white and pink Kousa dogwood trees on our property. We’ve added a variety of redbud trees, and last season, a new peony tree.

Vegetables & fruit plants: Because of local wildlife (bears and coyotes), we haven’t had a vegetable garden before. But sadly, wildlife activity is less prevalent lately. So the upside is that we can try vegetables. We’ll use Vego raised beds this year and we hope to add 6 to 8 blueberry bushes as well!

Garden structures, hardscaping, water features, or other decorative features: Shout out to Andrew Endris of Birdhaven Farm for the implementation of the hardscaped path and our front patio. Andrew also sculpted the property, and built the perennial beds and pathways. We put in a water fountain which we love! And we have a number of birdbaths throughout the gardens that add endless entertainment. We have sweet bird houses which are always busy in the spring hosting new families. We’ve recently gotten into garden sculptures and rock structures which mirror the rocky nature of our property.

Do you have a favorite place in the garden? What do you enjoy most about the garden? Honestly, there are many! We LOVE to enjoy the end of a day in our red Adirondack chairs in the front yard, waving at the neighbors, listening to the water fountain, and watching the bees buzz around our extensive plantings of lavender, Russian sage and echinacea. But then again, the back yard isn’t so bad either. It has a newer section of prickly pear plants amidst a stone base, lots of HUGE hostas, bee balm everywhere, and our pots of vibrant annuals. We call it our oasis, a fitting name.

Additional comments: Gardening can be overwhelming in every way. This outdoor oasis was not built in a day; rather, bed by bed, plant by plant over 20 years. So, if you’re new at it, start small…Pick a small section to create, design and plant and then keep expanding from there. And most importantly, enjoy the process!!

“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” Audrey Hepburn

Garden #3: 525 Park Hill Road, Florence
Gardeners: Geoffrey and Linda Post

When and how did you start gardening? Our first taste of real gardening was when we bought our first house in Northfield, Massachusetts, a rambling farmhouse on ¾ of an acre. We created a vegetable and herb garden, planted lots of shrubs, and experimented with all kinds of flower seeds, perennials, and bulbs. Six years later, we moved into a loft apartment across from Northampton’s city hall. After 9 years of city life, we were ready for country living again. We fell in love with our current house as soon as we saw it, and we have been adding to the house and transforming the landscape ever since.

What portion of your gardens did you design and plant? We designed and planted nearly the entire garden and landscape ourselves. We did work with a stonemason on the patios and walls, and a landscaper planted some of the larger native plants and trees that screen both ends of the property.

What themes have you developed in your garden? The gardens are conceived of as multiple “rooms” and seating areas, each offering a different view of the property. At the top of the backyard garden is a firepit with Adirondack chairs and a large freeform flower garden. Walking down, there is a waterlily pond with a stone walkway and an antique bench. The extensive Goshen stone patios include a gas firepit, a dining area, and chaise lounges. Our vegetable garden is a formal French potager, with raised beds for tomatoes, beans, and eggplant, a circular herb garden with a harvest goddess statue, potted flowering plants, and a cutting bed for bouquets. It is surrounded by evergreen and flowering shrubs and perennials. The front yard contains a quadrant flower bed and wildflowers among shrubs and trees. It looks out over a meadow of conserved land.

Challenges creating the garden and how you dealt with them: The entire property is on a slope, with sandy soil in the backyard and wet, clay soil in front as it heads to a vernal spring. There were many tall trees, so shade was an issue. Invasive rose hedges, sumac, honeysuckle and rugosa roses had taken over a lot of the landscape. So removing them was a priority before we could do anything else. We faced challenges of amending the soil, creating new gardens and terraces, taking down quite a few trees and raising the canopies of others. There were several garden beds and a simple vegetable garden already there, but they were not what we envisioned. Sometimes we had to move a shrub or perennial several times before it found a place where it could thrive.

Books, websites or resource people you have relied on: Like many gardeners, we have a whole library of books on gardens and plants, some of which are quite well known. Over the years we have referred to them regularly. We often get ideas for plantings from our frequent visits to botanical gardens and nurseries as we travel. We designed the Goshen stone patios and porches with Louis Pomerantz; Geoff worked alongside him and has done some of the stonework himself.

Perennials, annuals & planting beds: Those in the garden beds are constantly changing, as perennials and bulbs are often not really… perennial. Every year, Linda arranges 15 or 20 large ceramic, stone, and cement planters (we have been collecting these for years) with annual flowering and foliage plants. She especially loves tuberous begonias, since their colorful, voluptuous blossoms thrive in our dappled shade. Under the maple trees, in dappled shade, live multiple varieties of Hosta, Russian cypress (Microbiota decussata), Hellebores, and Pachysandra. Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium reptans), sedge, Cimicifuga and Dicentra formosa (Bleeding hearts) surround the ponds, which also contain yellow and purple water iris and bamboo. There is a cutting bed in the potager, primarily zinnias and snapdragons.

Notable trees & shrubs: Hydrangeas and hollies form the backbone of the shrubbery. There are four old, majestic maples behind the house, and each one has shade landscaping designed around it. A variegated willow breaks up the long slope of the back yard. A much-loved beech tree shades the front yard, and native plants and trees provide privacy on both the east and west. Andromedas, junipers, and hollies provide greenery, berries, and sprays of flowers for bouquets year-round. Viburnum, forsythia, quince, a magnolia and an old redbud bloom in the spring. Rose bushes, lilacs, spirea, ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata), rhododendrons, azaleas, butterfly bushes and rose of Sharon add color throughout the season – and attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.

Garden structures, hardscaping, water features, or other decorative features: In addition to the Goshen stone terraces and patios, we have collected sculpture and functional garden furnishings over the years. With our involvement in the craft/art community and our liaisons with artists through Paradise City Arts Festivals, we probably have more access to that than most gardeners. These include birdbaths, garden gates, an obelisk, quite a few large steel sculptures and a massive ceramic urn. Seating includes a handmade tete-a-tete bench, a steel “dog bench”, and a freeform teak bench. We also built tall painted columns and installed them on either end of the vegetable potager, placing birdhouses, butterfly houses, and small sculptures atop them.

What do you enjoy most about the garden? Each “room” in the garden has some sort of seating, and we take advantage of all of it. We have always enjoyed entertaining, and when the weather is cooperative, we host gatherings outdoors. Linda’s spacious art studio was an addition to the house almost twenty years ago. It has separate entry doors from both the front and back gardens and a stone porch out the back door where we often relax with a cocktail in the evening and commune with the hummingbirds.

Additional comments: Our landscaping tends to be informal, somewhat akin to English country gardens. You will find interesting specimen plants, but they are often interspersed with native plants and shrubs. Even the somewhat formal elements – the French potager, the pond, the stone patios – tend to overstep their boundaries. Our plantings are as enthusiastic as we are.

Garden #4: 71 Dryads Green, Northampton
Gardener: John Mitchell

When and how did you start gardening? When I was a kid, my grandmother had an amazing beautiful garden and I wanted to see it at home.

Portion of your garden that you designed and planted: All of it.

What particular themes have you developed in your garden? A selection of a lot of native perennials and shrubs mixed with some (hopefully) non-invasive non-native perennials and annuals. Random growth and spacing, trying to get a texture that keeps the eyes busy. If things do well, I leave them be, if they don’t do so well, I try to relocate them. Never a straight line if I can avoid it. I try to keep to a “found object” and “buy little” philosophy. I buy very few plants and most of the non-plant material was freecycled. Much of my garden was received from friends or from seeds I have discreetly taken from other gardens as I walk around. E.g., Hungry Ghost garden’s white echinacea was stunning and now grows in my garden.

Describe challenges you faced creating the garden: The soil can be strangely sandy in places and clay in other places. It’s a Victorian house and I think the soil hasn’t been kept up well over many years. I’ve put a lot of organic matter into the ground to revive it: manure, compost, wood chips, coffee grinds, leaves…Smith college owns the property and property management and landscapers have sometimes been unhelpful in a lot of different ways. Negotiation has been ongoing for years.

Useful books, websites or resource people:

• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center has great information
• Native Plant Trust
• iNaturalist app – plant identification and information as well as providing sources for academic research by cataloging your sightings of plants in your garden and in the wild
• PictureThis app – rapid and very accurate plant identifier app
• My friend Anne brought over a huge cart load of amazing plants when I started.
• Others have been generous with their plants over the years.

Describe the nature and location of your planting beds: Everywhere on the lot. My long-term goal has always been to reduce invasives and lawn, and replace them with pollinator friendly species.

Use of perennials and annuals: Mostly perennial, some flowering annuals liked by my family (to keep them at bay!) that fill spaces left open. See a detailed list at the garden.

Notable trees & shrubs: Young oaks, chestnuts, apricot/nectarine tree, rhododendrons and azaleas, many lilac shrubs, lilac tree, large privet hedge, mountain laurels.

Vegetables & fruit plants: None, I’m done wasting time growing chipmunk and squirrel food.

Structures, hardscaping, or other decorative features: Old barn (garage). Some random stone pieces. Limited other features because we don’t own the property.

Favorite place in the garden: We sit and have cocktails and dinner under the lilac tree surrounded by flowers and bees

Additional comments: It’s an unstructured almost abstract piece of art, and a lot of work with no straight lines.

Garden #5: 96 North Maple Street, Florence
Gardener: Karen Hill

When and how did you start gardening? My husband and I rented at this address for over 30 years. I dug my first garden in 1985 on the side of the garage. I gave gardening a try with limited space – being a renter. We’ve owned our place since 2014, and I’ve expanded the gardens every year since.

What portion of your gardens did you design and plant? I designed and created all the gardens. And I dug all the gardens by hand. We have removed pine trees, maple trees, fruit trees, and dogwood – all of which were neglected and diseased. The gardens are a continual work in progress.

Particular themes developed in your garden: My gardens are all organic. I have tried to make a habitat conducive to bees, hummingbirds and butterflies. There are also many birdhouses, and bird baths.

Describe challenges you faced creating the garden: There were many challenges after purchasing the house. The extended lot out back was all overgrown, which was cleared out and replanted. There was no running water so my husband put in a water line and electricity. There was old fencing, sick trees, and an old chicken coop that had to be removed. The sidewalks were all moved and replaced.

Are there books, websites or resource people you have relied on? My mother-in-law was a huge inspiration and resource for me. She was a gardener and was on the garden tour years ago. Pinterest had some wonderful ideas. Hadley Garden Center, Gardener’s Supply and Sugarloaf Gardens were very helpful as well.

Describe the nature and location of your planting beds: I have raised beds for my vegetables and herbs. Most of the gardens face south west.

Use of perennials and annuals: I’m trying to use mostly perennials in my gardens now. I use annuals in my flower boxes and containers. Vegetables & fruit plants: I have raised beds for tomatoes, kale, squash, and herbs.

Notable trees & shrubs: Eastern redbud on the northeast side; Japanese red maple on the southeast side; wisteria vine in the front; climbing rose bush; rose bushes; almond bush (Prunus glandulosa).

Garden structures, hardscaping, water features, or other decorative features: Goshen stone patio off the southwest side of the house, many bird baths and garden statues. Vintage horse hitch with the original limestone carriage step. A bird house that is a replica of our house.

Do you have a favorite place in the garden? What do you enjoy most about the garden? We enjoy sitting on the Goshen stone patio listening to the water fountain, sitting next to the gas fire pit. Also we like sitting in the back watching the bees, and sitting on the bench reading and watching the birds.

Any additional comments? Gardens are a continual project which I enjoy working in, and seeing the progress that comes every year.

Garden #6: 252 Prospect Street, Northampton
Gardener: Jody Rosenbloom

When and how did you start gardening? I grew up on an urban wooded lot, following my grandparents and parents around as they gardened. My grandfather spent his youth with lumberjacks and we would gather to watch him cut down trees as needed. To this day, I love watching an experienced arborist in action. My aunt, who lived in Israel, was the landscaper on her kibbutz and I assisted her while visiting. I find gardening to be calming, creative, relaxing, and a nice way to exercise and be outside.

What portion of your garden did you design and plant? When we moved into this house in 1998, the yard was a patch of crab grass, with the privet hedge along Franklin & Prospect, the yew foundation plants and the rhododendron in the front. While we heard that the previous owner raised roses, there was only one rose remaining in the back. I did most of the work. Over the years, I would get ideas from landscapers, garden nursery folks, and garden tours. Grateful for plants primarily from the former Blue Meadow Nursery, Bay State Perennial Farm, Andrew’s Nursery, Wanczyk Nursery and swapping with generous fellow gardeners. When traveling, I enjoy visiting gardens, flower nurseries and parks.

Particular themes developed in your garden: I’m partial to wooded shade gardens & leaf textures and shapes. With a sensitivity to scents, I choose flowers with minimal smell. I have worked to increase the native flora over the years. And I’ve been learning to layer plants: in height, and to juxtapose complementary colors and foliage varieties for visual interest. But bottom line, I call myself a “Darwinian” gardener – It’s the survival of the fittest in my yard: I notice which plants do best in which places, what “volunteers” to keep, and let go of plantings that die off or never seem happy.

Describe challenges you faced creating the garden:
1) SOIL QUALITY – The yard had little topsoil and was sandy underneath, so each year I added compost and mulch. Recently, I’ve tried to avoid the invasion of jumping worms by being careful what I put in the garden.
2) DOGS – I took into account our own dog as well as the dogs in the neighborhood. When we removed part of the privet hedge and created garden beds in front, people let their dogs roam into the yard and use the garden beds as a bathroom. So, we left the remaining privet in place. We chose a chain link fence to allow sunlight and visual contact with passersby. My dog was an active herder and made paths along the fence which created great compost as she shredded the dried leaves.
3) CRITTERS – Since we no longer have dogs, I have an uneasy “live/let live” attitude with burrowing chipmunks and voles and the occasional visiting racoon or skunk.
4) UNWANTED ESTABLISHED SHRUBS – Despite not being fond of yews, and their roots invading our sewer pipe, we did not want the expense & hassle of removing them and re-landscaping. So, we left them in place to deflect drainage off the roof.
And 5) COEXISTING WITH NEIGHBOR’S CHOICES – Occasionally we need to adjust to a neighbor’s plant choices that grow over/under the fence, or change the sun/shade in our garden.

Describe the nature and location of your planting beds: I enjoy creating micro-environments with plantings and taking advantage of volunteer plants.

The back yard is primarily a shade garden. In it are varieties of Hosta, Epimedium, variegated Solomon seal, varieties of ferns, wild ginger, woods anemone, trillium, Lenten rose (Helleborus), ‘ice dance’ Carex, peony, phlox, foamflower, strawberry plant, obedient plant, varieties of daylilies, bearded and dwarf iris, butterfly weed, varieties of sedum, asters, daisies, columbine, Jack-in-the-pulpit, bloodroot, mayapple, ‘Blue Ice’ Amsonia, ageratum, bleeding heart, Coreopsis sp., Brunnera sp., meadow rue, dwarf Solomon seal, varieties of coral bells (Heuchera sp.), and chocolate chip Ajuga.

The front & Franklin Street side beds are sunny spaces with daylilies, bearded iris, liatris, catmint, Stokes aster, varieties of Sedum, Allium, Plumbago, alpine broom, ‘Old English’ lavender, varieties of hellebore, jack-in-the-pulpit, blackberry lily, ‘Cedar Lane’ honeysuckle vine (Lonicera sempervirens), and butterfly weed.

Notable trees & shrubs:
Back yard: Pagoda dogwood, river birch, ‘Carleton’ weigelia, lilac, ‘Gold Flame’ Spirea, Leucothoe, Cranberry cotoneaster, John’s Find white pine, burning bush, hydrangea ‘Quickfire’ lace cap.
Along the driveway: hydrangea, forsythia, Spirea.
Side yard next to the neighbor: privet hedge, nannyberry (Viburnum lentago), red twig dogwood, rhododendron.
Franklin Street side yard: Serviceberry, yews, privet hedge.

Vegetables & fruit plants: Raised beds primarily for herbs

Garden structures, hardscaping, water features, or other decorative features: We worked with a landscaper to install the Goshen stone walkway in the back, and Goshen stone retaining walls for beds in front & along the sidewalk. The red metal rabbit sculpture is a keepsake from my mother’s garden.

Do you have a favorite place in the garden? What do you enjoy most about the garden? Sitting and reading in the Adirondack chair on the back porch surrounded by sun and dappled shade, or sitting at the picnic table for a meal. We have bird baths situated so we can watch birds from our kitchen window. I like to pop out the back door to clip some herbs from our metal Vego raised beds with solar lights. Gardening or sitting, we enjoy spontaneously engaging with people in the neighborhood as they walk by.

Driving 2026 Garden Tour Route

As we have offered in years past, here is a recommended loop:

From Forbes Library to Garden #1: 80 Emerson Way 8 minutes/2.8 miles
LEFT onto West St. In 0.5 mi, just past the stoplight, stay right onto Prince St., which becomes Burts Pit Rd. For about 1.4 mi, go past the community gardens, watch for speed bumps and turn LEFT onto Emerson Way. Then take the first left turn to circle round to garden.
Parking: The road is a circle. Please park on the right side only (even-numbered houses side).

From Emerson Way to Garden #2: 24 Diamond Court 2 minutes/0.4 miles
Return to Burts Pit Rd, turn RIGHT. Take next RIGHT onto Platinum Circle. Turn RIGHT onto Diamond Court. Follow the circling cul de sac around to the garden.
Parking: Available on both sides of Platinum Circle and Diamond Court.

From Diamond Court to Garden #3: 525 Park Hill Road 6 minutes/2.8 miles
Return to Burts Pit Road. Turn RIGHT. At the stop sign, turn RIGHT onto Florence Rd. In 1 mile, just past the stop light, turn RIGHT onto Park Hill Road. In 1.3 miles, the garden is on the right at the top of the road, before the turn.
Parking: Heading West (away from Northampton) park on the right side of Park Hill Road. Please don’t block the dirt road just before the gardeners’ house, or in any of the neighbors’ driveways! This garden is at a T shaped intersection. On exiting, use caution to turn around and head back towards Florence Road.

From Park Hill to Garden # 4: 71 Dryads Green 10 minutes/4 miles
Return to Florence Rd. Turn LEFT and then take the first RIGHT turn onto Rocky Hill Road/66. Continue 2.5 mi. to the stoplight just past the Forbes Library. Turn LEFT onto Elm/Rt 9. Pass Smith College on the left. In .2 mi, turn LEFT onto Paradise Rd. Then turn RIGHT onto Dryads Green. Garden is on the corner to your left.
Parking: Pay attention to parking signs and read them carefully! Parking is not available on Kensington. And limited availability on Paradise Road and neighboring residential streets. Or ask a volunteer at the garden – they might have parking suggestions.

From Dryads Green to Garden #5: 96 North Maple 8 minutes/3 miles
Return to Elm/Rt 9 and turn LEFT. In 2 miles, at the stop light, turn RIGHT onto North Maple Street. Garden is on your left.
Parking: Park on the odd-numbered side of North Maple Street. Be careful crossing the street to the garden! More parking is possible on Sheffield Lane and Bardwell Street.

From North Maple to Garden #6: 252 Prospect Street 5 minutes/2 miles
Follow North Maple 0.5 miles to the stop light. Turn RIGHT onto Bridge Road. In 0.5 miles turn RIGHT onto Prospect Avenue. Continue about 1 mile. Turn LEFT onto Prospect Street. In 0.5 miles, garden is on the right.
Parking: Limited parking is available on both sides of Prospect Street, and mostly on one side of Franklin Street. You might need to seek parking on nearby streets.