Manchester Garden Clubs
Manchester Garden Clubs in Manchester, CT

Perennial Planters

The Manchester Garden Club is proud to support their sister club, the Perennial Planters. Every two years the Perennial Planters conducts Manchester 's premier garden tour, Through the Garden Gate. Proceeds from the tour help the group maintain public gardens (including Munroe Park at the intersection of East Center and Porter Streets) and to contribute to local and national charities and scholarships.

Although the tour varies somewhat every two years, those who attend the tour benefit from the diverse and creative efforts of Manchester gardeners. In 2007, the tour featured nine private gardens, representing:

  • A three generation historical homestead
  • Two versions of shade gardens that started with hostas and went far beyond!
  • Water gardens and rock gardens
  • St. Bartholomew's Church Garden and Labyrinth (one of only six hard-scape labyrinths in Connecticut !)
  • The restored home and gardens built in 1918 by Mark Cheney
  • And much more.

The tour typically takes place on a Saturday in June and the gardens are usually open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Approximately five hundred people visit these gardens during the event! The program acts as both the entry ticket and a map of the tour, and is made available through local businesses and garden centers.

If you would like to suggest a garden for their 2009 tour, please email information to gardentourinfo@manchestergardenclubs.org.

Here is a list of the organizations that have benefitted from the Perennial Planters' contributions over the years:

  • Verplanck Nature Trail
  • Manchester Land Trust
  • Friends of Elizabeth Park
  • KNOX Foundation
  • Hockanum River Linear Park
  • Federated Garden Club Scholarship
  • Manchester Historical Society-Holiday Wreath
  • Manchester Main Street Planters
  • Habitat for Humanity
  • Hartford Blooms
  • Hillstead Garden
  • Children's Butterfly Garden
  • Wickham Park
  • M.A.R.C.H.
  • Perennial Planters Garden Tour Scholarship through the Manchester Scholarship Foundation
  • Home for the Troups Garden
  • Bennet Middle School Garden
  • Illing Middle School Garden
  • Martin Elementary School Garden
  • Waddell Elementary School Garden
  • Donating to the Memorial Tree Program in memory of deceased loved ones of members
  • Manchester Public Library - purchased garden related books

Because the Perennial Planters ' meetings take place in members' homes, the group maintains a small membership list. They are not currently accepting new members.

 


info@manchestergardenclubs.org