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Community Corner

Horticultural Society of Maryland 23rd Annual Garden Tour - From Manor to Modern: Garden Design in Columbia and Ellicott City

Focusing on one of Howard County’s oldest communities and one of its youngest, this year’s walking and driving tour takes visitors to seven private gardens that range from a tranquil arboretum and formal plantings surrounding an 18th century country estate to innovative contemporary gardens tucked away in suburbia.

Whether it’s the creative repurposing of crumbled ruins, the thoughtful integration of dramatic water features, or the challenge of transforming a standard issue backyard into an one of a kind oasis, the wide variety of intriguing garden designs provide inspiration to everyone from novice gardeners to master landscapers These carefully created spaces feature a wide variety of rare trees, spectacular flowers and unusual plants in settings that show them to their best advantage. 

An exciting new addition to this year’s tour is an opportunity for guests to get a bite of breakfast or lunch at food trucks along the way. Beans and Buns will be serving up coffee, hot tea, chai and hot chocolate as well as muffins, scones, Danish, and Babka ,while Shapiro’s Café & Deli will be offering a full cafe menu that includes lobster rolls, falafel and Israeli salads.

Members of the Horticultural Society of Maryland are admitted to the tour without charge. General public tickets are $35 when purchased in advance online by May 31st at www.mdhorticulture.org or at locations in Howard County including Clark’s Ace Hardware, River Hill Garden Center, and Randy & Steve’s New General Store . 

Tickets may also be purchased in Baltimore County at Graul’s Market in Ruxton, Green Fields Nursery on Falls Road in Baltimore City, Lovely Manors Garden Design Center in Phoenix, The Perennial Farm in Glen Arm, and Watson’s Garden Center of Lutherville. Tickets may also be purchased the day of the tour for $40 at the first garden – see website for garden address. Additional support for the tour is provided by the media sponsor, WYPR-FM.

Tour will be held rain or shine. 

Directions to the first two gardens can be found at the Horticultural Society of Maryland website. 

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