Hoboken, N.J. – May 21, 2013 – Behind Hoboken’s brownstones and former factory façades is a world of lush gardens and unusual courtyard spaces, as diverse as the city’s residents. Gardeners and non-gardeners alike are invited to indulge their curiosity and pick up urban gardening ideas on the Hoboken Historical Museum’s 16^th Annual Secret Garden Tour, Sunday, June 2, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Rain date: June 9).

This year, a total of 8 residential gardens (plus four bonus not-so-secret garden spaces) will welcome tour goers to support the Museum’s fundraising efforts. It’s the public’s chance to peek behind Hoboken’s late-19th and early-20th century row houses to see how gardeners’ creativity and landscapers’ skill can integrate nature into an urban setting.

Guided tours will start from the Museum every half-hour, and last about two to two and a half hours. At peak hours in the late morning, tours may leave every 15 minutes. Tour groups are limited in size and filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Comfortable shoes and sun protection are advised. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 day of tour. The tour is sponsored by Hufnagel Landscape Design and Construction Group, with support from other local gardening centers and business, and assistance from the Hoboken Garden Club.

The Secret Garden Tour includes a wide range of garden designs by both dedicated amateur gardening enthusiasts and professional designers, with clever solutions to such challenging issues as shallow soil and deep shade. A number of gardens are the result of years of trial and experimentation by devoted gardeners to overcome these challenges to coax an amazing array of unusual plants and old favorites to profusion. Others emphasize openness and entertaining spaces. This year, one garden shows off the skills of a transplanted Englishman, and another features a custom-made New Orleans-style cast-iron balcony. As a special treat, one of the most amazing gardens from previous tours is making an encore appearance; it features faux-gothic church ruins, a deep soaking pool and a low waterfall amid lush greenery.

To purchase tickets in advance and save $5 versus the day of the tour, visit our website, www.hobokenmuseum.org, for a link to buy tickets. Or stop by the Museum at 1301 Hudson St., or call 201-656-2240 to order tickets by phone. Tickets will also be available at several retail locations around town. On the day of the tour, tickets are $25, or $20 for Hoboken Historical Museum members and Hoboken Garden Club members. Children under the age of 13 may accompany a parent or guardian for free.

Volunteers are also needed; call the Museum at 201-656-2240 for more information, or email [email protected].

Gardening in Hoboken has a rich tradition, as Colonel John Stevens (1749 – 1838), who founded Hoboken, was a garden enthusiast, importing and cultivating new plants from all around the world. He’s credited with introducing to America the Chrysanthemum and the Camellia. His gardens were highly regarded as some of the most elaborate and scientifically cultivated of the day.

 

About the Hoboken Historical Museum

Founded 1986, the Museum’s mission is to educate the public about Hoboken’s history, diverse culture, architecture and historic landmarks. In 2001, the Museum moved into one of the oldest buildings on the waterfront, in the former Bethlehem Steel shipyard, at 1301 Hudson St., Hoboken, where it maintains a series of rotating exhibits. The Museum is open six days a week, 2 – 7 pm on Tues. – Thurs., 1 – 5 pm on Fridays, and noon – 5 pm on weekends. It offers special exhibits, tours, events and lectures, as well as educational programs for adults and children on a weekly basis. An updated schedule of events and an online catalog of many items in its collections are available at www.hobokenmuseum.org. The Museum is a nonprofit tax-exempt 501(c)3 entity.

 

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