Gardener's Eden

The Garden Conservancy's Open Days are a once a year opportunity for anyone to visit some of America's best private gardens, and this Saturday, June 23, you can see some of the finest local gardens at their peak. There is, of course, Bunny Williams's magnificent estate, which gardener-in-chief Eric Ruquist has groomed to perfection. You can visit my next door neighbor Nancy McCabe's personal and intimate garden with its mesmerizing espaliered fruit trees. You can go to Sharon and see the lush, romantic gardens of the inimitable Lee Link (who has become an honorary Falls Villager, which is a designation you earn after eating 100 lunches at Toymakers). And if you want to be surprised, confounded, delighted and transported to another time and place, visit Michael Trapp's terraced gardens (above photo) behind his antiques shop in West Cornwall.

There is a $5 admission (cash only) at each garden, and there are more on the schedule, but these are the four that I am privileged to know. They're all enlightening, endearing, and enchanting.