This past weekend was the annual Trade Secrets event in CT. Saturday is the plant and garden sale and Sunday is a day of garden tours. It is a weekend event I look forward to every year.
Bunny William and John Roselli's house is in Connecticut is on the tour every year and that alone is enough to make the day worth it. This year also included Middlefield; Gil Schafer's country house and Wethersfield gardens in Millbrook.
The garden tours are really amazing. I love to garden so I know what it takes to keep things in order and seeing these gardens is really awe inspiring.
I take 100's and 100's of pictures every year. Here are some of my favorites from Wethersfield. The property there is open throughout the summer for house and garden tours and it is so worth it. The views are amazing and the gardens are extensive and extraordinary. There is so much to study and take in. The structure is magnificent but there are also so many different layers and different spaces in the garden.
Bunny William and John Roselli's house is in Connecticut is on the tour every year and that alone is enough to make the day worth it. This year also included Middlefield; Gil Schafer's country house and Wethersfield gardens in Millbrook.
The garden tours are really amazing. I love to garden so I know what it takes to keep things in order and seeing these gardens is really awe inspiring.
I take 100's and 100's of pictures every year. Here are some of my favorites from Wethersfield. The property there is open throughout the summer for house and garden tours and it is so worth it. The views are amazing and the gardens are extensive and extraordinary. There is so much to study and take in. The structure is magnificent but there are also so many different layers and different spaces in the garden.
Next up was Middlefield. Gil Schafer is a superbly talented architect so it should come as no surprise that his house is set perfectly and surrounded by tailored and fitting gardens. This photo below is looking our from the square hornbeam enclosed lawn area.
While the houses aren't open, Gil Schafer allowed visitors to enter his porch. A more perfect porch I could not imagine! Everything and I mean everything was perfectly placed. I would spend all spring and summer sitting on that porch!
Dining table surrounded by a mix of vintage cafe chairs and set with three perfect topiaries.
The perfect sofa and wall decor.
This mix of plants had everyone is love. It just looked so lush.
A trio of chaise lounge chairs sitting in the lawn area behind the house placed at the most perfect angle.
I don't know exactly what these spires were but they were placed in a square section of lawn and were the perfect sculptural element.
This was one section of a small enclosed gravel garden to the side of the house. It was just so perfect.
Great urn in the center of the gravel garden.
Perfectly aged bench sitting next to the side door with just the right ornaments of potted plant and watering can.
Grass steps leading up to the side door.
Garage with espalier tree.
Bench and planters at the edge of the gravel drive.
Finally, we headed over to Bunny's house. I had been there before but had yet to see then new studio on her property which is just as fantastic as everything else.
Gravel entry outside of the new studio with trough fountain.
This is right inside the entry. The foyer is really wide and tiled with these great pavers. There is art covering the walls and this large bench on one side.
On the opposite side of the entry is this table vignette. Great color and texture with all of the natural elements.
Upstairs in the loft area there is one entire wall of built-ins with this display over the stairs. It's just overwhelmingly perfect.
One corner of the studio with piles of books and magazines artfully placed and antique column holding a giant agave.
Another perfectly composed area with this old cabinet and rolling cart each holding the right items.
Overall view of the rear of the studio with her desk looking towards the fireplace.
It ended up raining on us around the time we left the studio so we made our way quickly through the gardens and stopped inside the porch off of the barn. This space holds a great table and an assortment of plants and objects.
I loved this column tucked inside the jungle of greenery.
A composition outside with stone balls and planter.
I love this table with the scalloped edge on her side porch.
I literally have 100's more photos. All of the details at each garden and home were so amazing I just wanted to take photos of it all to memorize everything.
I can't wait for next year!
I can't wait for next year!