Gardens by the Sea: Tour, Marketplace, Artists, and More!

This post is sponsored by the Stonington Garden Club

FRIDAY, JUNE 10 & Saturday, june 11

Gardens by the Sea 2022

Since the first Gardens by the Sea took place in 1993, the Stonington Garden Club has hosted a walking tour of gardens in the Borough every three years. After two postponements due to the pandemic, the 14th Gardens by the Sea will welcome visitors on June 10 and 11 to view rarely seen gardens behind the walls and gates of Stonington’s historic properties. This popular event is well known throughout New England and New York and draws several thousand visitors over two days.

Gardens by the Sea will offer a diversity of waterfront vistas, flowering borders, intriguing stonework, and charming patios surrounded by lush and unusual plantings. Visitors will explore eight residential gardens, ranging from formal perennial plantings to intimate pocket gardens. Also on the Tour is the COMO Children’s Learning Garden, the club’s primary community project, which features regenerative gardening techniques. Labels and garden plans will highlight plantings for identification in all the gardens, and knowledgeable Garden Club members will be on hand to answer questions.

*Gray Park is among the highly regarded artists that will be painting “Plein Air” in selected gardens*

Artists in the Borough

A unique feature of Gardens by the Sea is “Artists in the Borough,” a showcase of juried “Plein Air” artists from New England. The artists will be painting in selected gardens and other locations in the Borough, drawing inspiration from our seaside village landscapes. Their work will be available for purchase at the Artists in the Borough Pop-Up Gallery, which will be open to the public at the La Grua Center 10 am – 4 pm on the days of the Tour.

Celebrity Speaker Series

New this year is our Celebrity Speaker, Charlie Nardozzi who will speak on both days of the Tour at 1:00 pm at the Stonington Harbor Yacht Club. Charlie is a regional Emmy® award-winning garden writer, speaker, radio, and television personality. He has worked for more than 30 years bringing expert gardening information to home gardeners and delights in making gardening information easy, fun, and accessible to everyone. The June 10 topic will be “The Pollinator Garden,” and on June 11, he will speak on “The Cottage Garden.” These talks are ticketed separately, and space is limited.

*Charlie Nardozzi is our Celebrity Speaker*

Preview Party

A special Gardens by the Sea Preview Party will be held on Thursday, June 9, at 6:00 pm at the La Grua Center. Attendees will get an exclusive preview of the tour gardens and see our featured “Plein Air” artists’ work on display for sale. Plus, anyone who has purchased a Tour ticket will receive their Tour Guidebook, so no waiting in line on Tour day! Preview Party tickets are limited, so first-come, first-serve.

Marketplace in Wadawanuck Square

A tented Marketplace located on Wadawanuck Square will feature a wide variety of vendors, offering garden-inspired items, clothing, jewelry, gift items, and home decor. The Marketplace will be open to the public on June 10-11, 10 am – 4 pm.

*Visitors enjoying a garden in full bloom*

Other Activities

Also on hand in Wadawanuck Square will be four Community Partners to answer questions about regenerative gardening techniques, conservation, plant health, composting, and volunteer opportunities. These include the Coogan Farm Giving Garden, Avalonia Land Conservancy, the UConn Master Gardener Program, and the UConn Master Composter Program.

Actors and poets from Mystic Paper Beasts will delight attendees with their colorful flower-inspired masks and costumes and poetry reading in both Wadawanuck Square and the COMO Children’s Learning Garden. The Mystic Paper Beasts is a non-profit masked theatre/education company based in Stonington Borough.

Ticket Information

Gardens by the Sea will be open June 10 and 11 from 10 to 4 pm, rain or shine. Tickets are $35 online or $40 if purchased on-site the days of the Tour. Tour tickets are valid for both days. The two Celebrity Speaker talks are $25 each, and space is limited. Preview Party tickets are $50 each, also space is limited. All tickets are non-refundable. The Marketplace and Artists in the Borough Pop-Up Gallery are open to the public. To order tickets, visit www.stoningtongardenclub.org/garden-tour/ or for more information, contact sgctourinfo@gmail.com.

Don’t miss this beloved Stonington Borough tradition, and walk with us in June!