I’ve been covering lots of “ground” in gardening lately, but there’s plenty more to dig into yet. For instance, I still need to mention the Annual Garden Festival at Ladew Topiary Gardens and provide you with all the details about attending this year’s event.
Now in its 16th season, the 2024 installment of the Annual Garden Festival at Ladew marks the ultimate springtime festival celebration for gardeners and garden-enthused individuals alike. It also doubles as Ladew’s longest-running fundraiser. All proceeds from the event go towards the continued preservation of the 22 acres of historic topiary gardens comprising the Ladew premises, its resident historic Manor House, and the onsite native Butterfly House. Additional support from the Garden Festival benefits the Children’s Environmental Education Program, which caters to nearly 4,000 children every year and provides for more than 100 community events and educational programs.
The Garden Festival will take place on Saturday, May 4, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Preceding the main event, though, on Friday, May 3, the special Garden Festival Preview Party & Shopping Event “Friends of the Festival” will open exclusively to Ladew Members. This serves as a first-dibs opportunity to shop around while enjoying cocktails and garden party fare. Click here to learn more about Ladew Membership.
While presented as a ticketed event requiring preregistration, the main festival provides the perfect opportunity for all to come out and experience the legendary lushness of Ladew Gardens while shopping around from among 40 onsite vendors hailing from all around the greater Eastern seaboard. Some of the exclusive vendors to be featured this year will include:
- Blackwell Botanicals
- Broken Arrow Nursery
- Harvesting History
- Lagniappe Antiques
- Orangerie Garden
- Pennoyer Newman
- Putnam Hill Nursery
- Star Bright Farm
- Waldor Orchids
The vast array of on-sale items will range in many different categories. From outdoor furniture to hard-to-find perennials, exotic plants to tree starts and ornamentals, most have a specific outdoor niche, although don’t be surprised by the numerous other unique finds to be displayed as well. This year also marks the debut of a new Festival Marketplace Tent featuring an array of indoor plants, antiques, and other great gardener provisions. Additionally, there will be a sale and showcase of artwork by current and past Ladew artists-in-residence, all part of Ladew’s Art in our Gardens program. Click here to learn more.
Once again, attending the Annual Garden Festival at Ladew requires purchasing tickets in advance. No tickets will be sold at the gate on the day of, and space is extremely limited. Tickets are offered in two-hour session increments throughout the day. Visit the link to get yours now.
Given the special event status of the Annual Garden Festival, Ladew will not be operating during normal business hours on this particular day. For information on all other events at Ladew Topiary Gardens, visit the calendar link on the main website.
Aside from special events, Ladew Topiary Gardens is a great place to visit any time during their public operational season, which runs from April 1 through October 31. The gardens and stately house gracing the grounds here were both established in the 1930s following the purchase of 250 acres a year earlier by Harvey S. Ladew—a well-known socialite.
Today Ladew operates as a nonprofit based in Monkton and relies solely on the support and contributions of generous donors. Visitors to the site are forever dazzled by the spectacular floral displays here, including 15 intricately designed “garden rooms,” with more than a hundred award-winning topiaries. These vary by specific theme, featured foliage, or color palette.
In addition to the versatile garden displays, visitors to Ladew can enjoy vast scenic walking trails, the previously mentioned butterfly house, and many other callouts. The grounds also boast a well-stocked gift shop and even a café where you can grab a bite to eat or quench your thirst with a refreshing beverage.
You will find Ladew Topiary Gardens at 3535 Jarrettsville Pike, Monkton, Maryland 21111. Learn more including the full history behind Ladew, onsite features, directions, hours of operation, and admission rates by going to www.ladewgardens.com.