Chatham Garden Club
Hydrangea Festival
Friday, July 12, 2024

 The Chatham Garden Club presents five spectacular gardens as part of the Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival sponsored by the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce. These private gardens, some hidden and tucked away, offer unmatched views and display the beauty of the ocean, making Chatham one of the loveliest places on Cape Cod.

 

The gardens offer not only the favorite Nikko Blue Hydrangeas, but many unique varieties, plus other shrubs, flowers, trees and waterfront views. This one-day-only tour supports the Chatham Garden Club Scholarship Fund and the town beautification projects.

You can pay in advance here for all five gardens. 

Your Square confirmation email is your receipt to gain entry to all five gardens!!  Make sure to bring your phone with Square email receipt to gain entry.

 Each garden is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, July 12th only.

All garden tours are rain or shine and non-refundable. Listed below are the gardens participating in the Chatham Garden Club Hydrangea Festival.

Garden # 1 --  82 Uncle Albert’s Drive

 

This property has been lovingly designed with an artist’s eye and vision.  At the front stone walls on either side of the driveway are white, coral, pink and red azaleas.  Rhododendrons carry the eye to the center island planted with three River Birches, azaleas, and variegated euonymus, Emerald Gaiety.  As you proceed to the left toward the garage, there is a magnificent many-trunked oak tree. Climber Eden Rosa (pink/white) line the fence leading to the backyard, which is a profusion of color.  Purple lavenders, peach day lilies, Shasta daisies, and multi-colored perennials feed the summery pallet.  The area is a profusion of yellow and peach daylilies, white shasta daisies, and blue, red, yellow and gold perennials. Hydrangea varieties include Annabelle, Lanart White, Blue Prince and paniculata, Vanilla Strawberry.  As you walk down the steps toward the infinity pool, surrounded by liberty granite from Connecticut, you will delight in the views of the Oyster River.  The owners removed the invasives and planted inkberry, Siberian Cypress, and beach plum to encourage wild life and pollinators.  Large arborvitae and grasses provide privacy.  Taxus yews and melon colored hemerocallis screen the pool equipment.

Garden #2 -- 141 Absegami Run

 

Upon approaching this property there is the feel of a park-like setting with three Siberian elms and a Linden tree which serve as a canopy with a row of Annabelle Hydrangeas bordering the road.  A bluestone path awaits as you enter with classic gardens on all sides.  Flanking the lawn are Red Horse Chestnut tree, London Plane tree, and a Katsura tree.  Keeping the privacy of the yard are Camellia Japonica, Japanese Umbrella pine, Viburnum, Pink Magnolia, and your classic blue Hydrangeas.  The front foundation has two tree anchors on each side, a Pink Japanese Snowbell, and a Pink Cornus Kousa.  Additionally, to balance the color, are a red twig dogwood, various unique shrubs, two different varieties of City Line Hydrangeas, standard paniculata hydrangeas set amidst beautiful evergreens.  The side patio is enveloped by Serviceberry hedge and Blushing Bride hydrangeas.  The South side is replete with species such as Caryopteris, Abelia, Duetzia, Crepe Myrtle, Vitex, Lavender, Gaura, Colorado blue spruce, and many additional hydrangeas.  Leaving the back yard, you will pass by espalier pear trees, Honeysuckle and David Austin roses.  The garden design and care is provided by Shayne Sibley, Bedworks Design of Chatham.

 

Garden #3 -- 103 Shore Road

 

This much-admired home sitting atop a knoll was redesigned and renovated by Boston architect, Patrick Ahearn.  The spacious green lawn draws the eye to the hedges that surround the perimeter.  Dwarf Fountain Grasses also serve as borders.  The front foundation highlights Endless Summer Nikko Blue Hydrangeas.  There are welcoming porches on each end of the home with additional Endless Summer Nikko Blue Hydrangeas on the right.  For additional curb appeal there are three window boxes by the front entryway filled with annuals.  The back of the home is an oasis of calm, enclosed by hedging of Sky Pencil Japanese Holly and Northern Privet.  It boasts a beautiful pool, soaker pool, and firepit edged in stone.  Behind the home, sits a gambrel-roof guest cottage, game room, three car garage, and iconic picket fences.  The rear foundation of this gracious home features raised bed perennials including pink echinacea, Shasta daisies, roses, hibiscus, and Russian sage.  A magnificent Japanese Zelkova tree canopies the yard.  Looking at the right of the property are pear trees along the fence.

Garden #4 -- 126 Shore Road

 

From the mailbox at the top down the right side of the driveway is bordered by white rose shrubs.   The left side of the driveway has Nikko Blue hydrangeas bordering the way to the home.  At the bottom of the drive sits a former grandchildren’s tea house now storing water skis.  New Dawn roses quintessentially climb the guest cottage.  In front of the guest cottage, a rose garden adds the soft shades of summer with multi-colored tea rose blossoms.  Next to the house is a perennial garden with an abundance of white specimens.  The many pots are filled with white geraniums, blue lobelia, and some tall white climbing mandevillas.  At the back of the home, featuring a breath-taking view of the Chatham harbor, is a cutting garden with many sizes and colors of dahlias, zinnias, and white daisies.  On the left side of the house is a small vegetable plot with tomatoes which the children love to pick.  The view of the ocean is both tranquil and dramatic depending on the weather and seasons.

Garden #5 -- “Riptide” 132 Shore Road

 

Beginning on Shore Road this property ends by the sea.  This classic Colonial Revival home is easily recognized by its white marble sculpted Whale’s Tail, which is a favorite site on Chatham’s Shore Road.  The front perimeter hedges are created by both privet and Green Giant arborvitae.  The driveway entrance and front foundation features Nikko Blue hydrangea.   Around the driveway parking court entrance, Endless Summer hydrangea, and Green Gem Boxwood hedges delineate the driveway.  To the right are Annabelle and Endless Summer hydrangeas, Shasta daisies, Little Lime Paniculata and Green Gem hydrangea.  The Whale’s Tail’s beds are planted with boxwoods, Hinoki Cypress, and three varieties of hydrangeas.  The Compact Japanese Holly and Little Lime Paniculata hydrangea sit around the rear foundation.  The perennials in the garden are Shasta daisies Dwarf Russian sage, Rozanne geranium, and catmint.  Blue Prince holly surround the generator.  The property is designed by Adrienne Mitchell of Chelsea Gardens.