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Cape Cod Gardens |
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It's rather surprising really, when you consider that Cape Cod is not exactly the most hospitable landscape for gardeners to work with. The high winds, sandy soil, and cold-to-raw spring season that often seems to last until July 4th make the Cape a very challenging environment for gardeners.
Yet, in spite of this, there are a plethora of glorious gardens that seem to flourish here. So if you and your significant other enjoy the idea of taking a romantic walk through a tranquil Cape Cod garden, here is our guide to the very best of the Cape's horticulture.
Heritage Museum and Gardens
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| Azalias in Full Bloom at Heritage Museums and Gardens |
Location: 67 Grove Street, Sandwich, MA
Hours: 10:00am-5:00pm Daily
Admission: Adults $12.00
Telephone: (508) 888-3300
Website: www.HeritageMuseumsandGardens.org
With 100 acres of gardens, wooded trails, three museums, and even a windmill, Heritage Museum and Gardens is the largest and most prominent of the Cape Cod gardens.
It is located just outside of Sandwich's town center, perhaps just a little too far to walk there from town, but close enough that it really is a “must-see” attraction if you happen to find yourself in the Cape's oldest town.
The gardens were originally known as Heritage Plantation when first opened in 1969, and in the intervening forty years, have become not just one of Sandwich's main tourist attractions but an integral part of the local community.
Offering everything from Yoga in the Gardens (Tuesdays at 8:00am) to a home base for the heritage Croquet Club, and regular concerts and movie nights on outdoor stage in the summer, there is usually something going on there. They even host the annual Cape Cod Sottish Festival (och aye the noo) in August.
The three museums offer an added attraction, particularly the Automobile Museum, which features a very cool collection of classic and antique cars, all housed within round stone Shaker barn. The American History Museum and the Art Museum offer alternative areas of interest.
But it's the gardens that really make the place so special. Late May to early June is prime time for the Rhododendrons, which seem to thrive in the Cape's sandy soil. But don't think there's any less reason to visit at other times of year. The gardens are designed to offer something for every season.
Click here for more information on Heritage Museum and Gardens.
Spohr Gardens
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| Hydrangeas at Spohr Gardens |
Location: 45 Fells Road, Falmouth, MA
Hours: Dawn-Dusk Daily
Admission: Free
Telephone: (508) 548-0623
Website: www.SpohrGardens.org
Spohr Gardens is certainly not the best known of the Cape Cod Gardens, but it's one of our favorites because, rather than being built by a millionaire philanthropist, it is the extraordinary legacy of a “regular” couple just like us, who shared a life together, as well as a lifelong love of gardening.
Charles Spohr was an engineer who worked for the town of Falmouth, while his wife Margaret was a registered nurse. They purchased the house on Fells Road in 1951 and started the gardens around their home soon after. Over time, they added to their holding by purchasing additional plots of adjacent land.
Over the years they planted thousands of daffodils (over 30 different varieties), rhododendrons that are now 40 over years old, and countless hostas, azaleas, daylilies and asters.
In keeping with their Cape Cod location, the gardens have a nautical feel, principally because Charles Spohr was a collector of anchors and ships bells. One of the anchors is said to be from the HMS Bounty.
While the Gardens are quite small, occupying just six acres, they really are beautiful at just about any time of year, and well worth a couple of hours to visit, relax and take in the tranquility and beauty.
Click here for more information on Spohr Gardens.
Cape Cod Lavender Farm
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| A Touch of Provence at the Cape Cod Lavender Farm |
Location: Weston Woods Road, Harwich, MA
Hours: 10:00am-5:00pm Daily
Admission: Free
Telephone: (508) 432-8397
Website: www.CapeCodLavenderFarm.com
Set on twelve acres of land in Harwich, the Cape Cod Lavender Farm is not so much a Cape Cod garden as a working farm (one of the largest of its kind on the east coast). Nevertheless, it's a quite unique and wonderful place to spend an afternoon, and attracts up to 10,000 visitors a year for tours.
The location overlooking Island Pond is certainly beautiful enough, and acts as a magnet to artists, writers and photographers looking for inspiration from the lovely landscape and scenery.
One of the highlights is the Enchanted Garden, which was recently expanded. The shade garden was designed and built by acclaimed local “fantasy stonemason” Eddie Foisy, and the hosta, fern, and sweet woodruff plantings surround a miniature stone replica of a fairy-tale medieval castle. Children often leave shells, pebbles, pine cones, or coins on the doorstep of the castle as gifts for the fairies.
The best time to visit is late June to early August when the lavender is in full bloom and the air is filled with their sweet aroma. Throughout the rest of the summer, the crop is harvested and much of it is sold fresh in the farm store. The rest is hung out to dry and sold throughout the remainder of the season.
Click here for more information on Cape Cod Lavender Farm.
Armstrong-Kelley Park
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| A Water Garden at Armstrong-Kelley Park in Osterville |
Location: Main Street, Osterville, MA
Hours: Dawn-Dusk Daily
Admission: Free
Telephone: (508) 548-0623
Website: www.ostervillevillage.com
Owned by the Cape Cod Horticultural Society, Armstrong-Kelley Park offers 8 and-a-half acres of beautiful Cape Cod gardens. Built in 1930, it is the oldest privately-owned public park on the Cape, as well as being the largest.
Highlights of the park include a D-Day memorial and the John Tolk "Grumpy Old Man" Water Garden. The park also includes a series of themed wooded walkways. The Garden of Verses is particulalry touching one.
Often used these days and a breathtaking backdrop for wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners and other family occasions, these gardens are a certainly romantic place to spend a tranquil afternoon. Admission is free and the park is open from dawn to dusk daily.
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