A TOUR BY GARDENERS, FOR GARDENERS.
For 27 years, the American Hydrangea Society, based in Buckhead, has hosted its annual garden tour, showcasing gardens of private homes around Atlanta. This year’s tour from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 11 features five gorgeous gardens of all styles and sizes. Founded in 1994, the AHS is the first hydrangea society in the country, and anthophiles from 17 states are expected to attend the event for the region’s botanical bounty, according to AHS President Eva Kinney.
“The gardens are all very different,” Tour Chair Dorte Wohmann-Schmieta says. “One is near the Chattahoochee on a country estate consisting of several acres. They even have a chicken coop and use the manure in the garden. Another is set on a hillside, and there’s a greenhouse and a stone wall.”
Kinney adds, “Almost all of the gardens are done by the owners themselves. They all feature hydrangeas since our whole purpose is to teach more people about hydrangeas, but there are many other plants as well.”
AHS’s three annual meetings in February, April and October at the Atlanta History Center are free and open to the public, but the garden tour is for members only. But not to worry: You can become a member through the website and even on the day of the tour. The first garden’s address is published online two days before the event. When you buy on the website or pick up your tickets at garden No. 1, you’ll receive a list of addresses.
“From the first to the fifth garden, it is 28 miles and takes about 45 to 50 minutes to drive,” says Wohmann-Schmieta. “Visitors can view the gardens in any order convenient to them.”
Membership, which includes tour admission, is $35 per person for one ticket or $50 per household for two tickets. Submit your own garden or a friend’s to be considered for future tours.
americanhydrangeasociety.org
@americanhydrangeasociety
BY Denise K. James
