Garden & Grounds

Garden Angels

Do you love to work in the garden? Would you like to learn more about plants and gardening techniques? If so, consider joining the Museum’s Garden Angels. This group of volunteers, established in 2002, maintains the Museum’s colonial revival garden located behind the 1752 Joseph Webb House.

The Colonial Revival Garden is ten years old in 2010. It is based on a plan created by Amy Cogswell in 1921 and reflects what was grown in old-fashioned flower gardens during the early 20th century. In May, the irises and peonies bloom. In June, the yellow climbing roses highlight the arched trellises. In July and August, the hollyhocks, daisies, veronica, delphiniums, phlox, and oriental lilies all show their faces. In September and October, the sedum, ageratum, and chrysanthemums appear. And that is just a sampling of what blooms in our garden.

A garden in the 18th century would have included mostly vegetables and herbs. The Herb Garden outside the kitchen door of the 1788 Isaac Stevens House is an accurate recreation of a garden of the colonial period that features plants for healing and eating—such as mint, chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, sage, mallow, and thyme.

Garden Angel at work Master Gardener Rose Riley, who leads the Garden Angels, has been overseeing both gardens, as well as the front courtyard of Webb House, since 2003. Among Rose’s volunteers are three other master gardeners trained in horticulture, as well as enthusiasts that are not so experienced. Everyone is welcome to join the group.

The Garden Angels are looking forward to this year’s gardening season. Their goal is to keep the Museum’s flourishing gardens maintained once a month on Saturday mornings so that Museum visitors can enjoy the well-kept beauty of the place. If you would like to be a Garden Angel, contact Ann Foley, Coordinator of Garden Angels at anndfoley@aol.com or call the Museum at 860-529-0612 and leave a message for her to get back to you.

The Saturday morning workshops begin at 9:00 a.m., with coffee, tea, water and snacks provided for the volunteers. Tools are provided or bring your own.

The 2010 Calendar of workshops is:

February 28 (Sunday) Reception for Garden Angels and New Volunteers
April 24 (Saturday) Opening the Garden
May 22 (Saturday) Planting of Annuals
June 19 (Saturday) Work Day
June 27 (Sunday) Connecticut Historic Gardens Day
July 17 (Saturday) Work Day
August 14 (Saturday) Work Day
Setpember 11 (Saturday) Work Day
October 2 (Saturday) Work Day
October 30 (Saturday) Closing the Garden