Do you love to work in the garden? Would you like to learn more about plants and gardening techniques? If so, consider joining the Museum’s Garden Angels.   
This group of volunteers, established in 2002, maintains the Museum’s colonial revival garden located behind the 1752 Joseph Webb House.

The garden is eight years old this year. Based on a plan created by Colonial Dame Amy Cogswell in 1921, the garden reflects what was grown in old-fashioned flower gardens during the early 20th century, which was mostly for aesthetics—

In May, the irises and peonies bloom. In June, the yellow climbing roses highlight the arched trellises. In July and August, the hollyhocks, daisies, veronica, delphiniums, phlox, and oriental lilies all show their faces. In September and October, the sedum, ageratum, and chrysanthemums appear. And that is just a sampling of what blooms in our garden.
   
A colonial garden in the 18th century would have included mostly vegetables and herbs. The herb garden outside the kitchen door of the Museum’s 1788 Isaac Stevens House is just that—a garden for eating and healing, featuring mint, chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, sage, mallow, and thyme. Master Gardener Rose Riley who leads the Garden Angels has been overseeing both gardens, as well as the front courtyard of Webb House, since 2003. Among Rose’s volunteer Garden Angels are three other master gardeners trained in horticulture, as well as gardeners not so experienced. Everyone is welcome to join the group.
   
The Garden Angels are looking forward to this year’s gardening season. Their goal is to keep the Museum’s flourishing gardens maintained once a month on Saturday mornings so that Museum visitors can enjoy the well-kept beauty of the place.

If you would like to be a Garden Angel, contact Ellen Goldberg, Garden Angels Coordinator, at vellengoldberg@cox.net. Or call the Museum at 860-529-0612.
      
The following is this season’s gardening schedule.
The Saturday workshops begin at 9 a.m.—

• Sat., April 14: Opening the garden.
• Sat., May 12
• Sat., June 2: Annuals are planted.
• Sat., June 23
• Sun., July 8: Connecticut Historic Gardens Day, when special, free gardening demos will be given by the Museum’s master gardeners, noon to 4 p.m.

• Sat., July 14
• Sat., August 11
• Sat., September 8
• Sat., October 13
• Sat., November 3: The garden is put to bed.

The sundial is keeping time on a sunny July morning, while Master Gardener Rose Riley and other Garden Angels work in the colonial revival garden behind
Webb House.