TOUR DETAILS SUNDAY, JUNE 8
Beyond the Garden Gate
Garden tourism is a time-honored tradition, bringing ‘hidden’ landscapes to public view, and offering a unique chance to experience the essence of a community — through glimpses of its extraordinary natural beauty, history, and heritage.
The 2025 Ridgefield Garden Tour, Beyond the Garden Gate, is the first tour of local Ridgefield gardens in over 30 years. Presented by the Ridgefield Historical Society and Ridgefield Garden Club, this special event features a tour of seven private Ridgefield gardens plus historic Ballard Gardens on Sunday, June 8. The event also includes a celebratory soirée, Hats Off to Spring, on Saturday evening, June 7.
Honorary Chair: Todd Forrest, Longtime Ridgefield Resident and Arthur Ross Vice President for Horticulture and Living Collections at the New York Botanical Garden.
Stay tuned for garden expertise and insights from Todd Forrest and enjoy the 2020 New Yorker piece on his NYBG pandemic operations.
THE 2025 GARDEN TOUR AND SPRING SOIRÉE ARE SOLD OUT. PLEASE SELECT THE ‘GET TICKETS’ LINK [TOP RIGHT] TO JOIN THE WAIT LIST.
DETAILS FOR TOUR TICKET-HOLDERS ARE BELOW:
TOUR TIMING
Sunday, June 8, 10:00am – 5:00pm
All gardens in Beyond the Garden Gate are located in Ridgefield, extending from upper Ridgebury to the southern Branchville area, representing the very best that Ridgefield has to offer! Maps with garden addresses and locations will be distributed at Tour Registration. Anticipate at least 20-30 minutes per garden, plus travel time from site to site. Gardens will open to guests at 10:00am and close at 5:00pm.
TICKETS
There are no paper tickets. At Tour Registration, you will receive a Tour Program which serves as your ticket to enter each of the gardens. The program will include the garden addresses — if you pre-register, please remember to bring it with you on Tour Day!
REGISTRATION
All Ridgefield Garden Tour guests must register prior to beginning the Tour.
Pre-Tour Registration (Recommended)
- Location: Ridgefield Historical Society, Scott House
4 Sunset Lane, Ridgefield CT - Dates:
Tuesday, June 3, 1pm – 5pm
Wednesday, June 4, 1pm – 5pm
Thursday, June 5, 1pm – 5pm
Day-of-Event Registration
- Location: Veterans Park Elementary School
8 Governor Street, Ridgefield CT - Date:
Sunday, June 8, 9:15am – 3:00pm
Please note: Ridgefield Garden Tour Registration is open 9:15am to 3:00pm on Sunday, June 8. Please come at your convenience. Registering after 10:30am (or at Pre-Tour Registration, details above) may help avoid lines.
PARKING
Garden Tour attendees may park at any of the following locations. Garden Tour signs will direct you:
- Ridgefield Town Municipal Lots on Governor Street
- RVNAhealth (27 Governor St.)
- Veterans Park Elementary School (8 Governor St, rear of school please)
- Boys & Girls Club of Ridgefield (41 Governor St.)
- Lounsbury House (316 Main St.)
TRANSPORTATION
Beyond the Garden Gate school buses will travel the garden tour route all day for easy hop-on/hop-off access to tour gardens with minimal fuss or waiting. Tour-goers may drive independently but parking is very limited, and walking is required. One garden, Cascading Vignettes, is only available by bus. Buses depart from and return to the Garden Tour Registration site, Veterans Park Elementary School. The first buses will begin their routes shortly after Registration opens.
DINING ON THE TOUR
Ridgefield has a wealth of wonderful dining options. For the Ridgefield Garden Tour, both Dimitri’s Diner and The Benjamin have special offers to make your Garden Touring as enjoyable as possible.
SPECIAL NOTES
- The gardens are natural landscapes and may include steps and uneven terrain. The Tour is not wheelchair accessible.
- Beyond the Garden Gate will go on rain or shine.
- Wear your walking shoes.
- Please no strollers.
- No dogs or pets.
- Smoking is not permitted.
- Restrooms are located at Veterans Park Elementary School and on one of the Gardens on tour. Portable restrooms are located at Ballard Park, one of the stops on the tour.
- Questions? If you have questions that have not been answered here, please contact the Garden Tour Administrator at [email protected].
BECOME A SPONSOR
Beyond the Garden Gate offers an exceptional opportunity to share your name and message with an attentive and invested audience.
Sorry, the Garden Tour and Spring Soirée are sold out. You can join the wait list here.
ABOUT THE GARDENS
Beyond the Garden Gate features seven private Ridgefield gardens and the four gardens at Ballard Park that are funded and maintained by Ridgefield Garden Club. Each garden is unique in style, scope, plantings, and design. Properties range from architect planned, manicured estates to small, owner planted and designed spaces. Tour goers will draw inspiration and ideas that they can apply to their own gardens.
