Tuesday June 16, 2026:

Early morning departure. Meet your Garden host, Charlie Nardozzi, and trip director, Deb Flanders at the Williston Park and Ride. Board your private coach with stops in Middlebury and Castleton on the way to New York. A light lunch will be provided on the bus. Our first guided visit is to the beautiful Beatrix Farrands Garden at the Bellefield Mansion. The landscape is historically significant and is a testament to the combined efforts of a dedicated group of local gardeners and of the National Park Service. The “local gardeners” formed the nonprofit Beatrix Farrand Garden Association, a formal Park Partner, now charged with the stewardship of the gardens.

Enjoy a guided tour before moving on to visit Innisfree Gardens in Millbrook. Nestled on 185 acres just 90 miles north of New York City, Innisfree is a quintessential American stroll garden. A remarkable synthesis of Modernist and Romantic ideals with Chinese and Japanese garden design principles, the garden harmoniously blends elements of nature with a rare sense of economy and grace. After the garden visit, we will continue on to the quaint town of Beacon, NY, where we will stay the night at The Roundhouse boutique hotel.

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Wednesday, June 17, 2026:

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel this morning before checking out and loading bags onto the bus. Before we depart, spend some time shopping and exploring Beacon on your own. After lunch (individually), we will board the bus for a visit to Stonecrop Gardens. We will split into two groups for a guided tour of these extensive gardens. At its windswept elevation of 1,100 feet in the Hudson Highlands, Stonecrop enjoys a Zone 6a climate. The gardens cover an area of approximately 15 acres and comprise a diverse collection of gardens and plants, including woodland and water gardens, a grass garden, raised alpine stone beds, cliff rock gardens, and an enclosed English-style flower garden. Additional features include a Conservatory, display Alpine House, Pit House with an extensive collection of choice dwarf bulbs, and systematic order beds representing over 50 plant families. After the guided tour, we will depart for Vermont with stops in Castleton, Middlebury, and Williston.