First Fridays At Hollister House & Gardens | Connecticut Charm

Welcome to the secret garden of Connecticut. The Hollister House and Gardens is a privately owned historic home and property nestled in the hills of Washington. Although it is a private residence, the owner George Schoellkopf, entered into an irrevocable agreement in 2005 to ensure that the property becomes a part of the Hollister House & Garden, Inc., a non-profit organization that will continue to be open to the public to ensure that the public may enjoy his forty-year garden project for years to come. You can visit the gardens every Wednesday and Friday from 1-4 p.m. and every Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The gardens are inspired in the English tradition and fit well into the natural New England landscape.

The end of June and beginning of July was a hard time for me this year with the loss of my paternal grandmother, my nana. Knowing that I needed some tranquility and nature in my life, my husband Matthew surprised me with a visit on a Friday evening for their First Friday event. Every first Friday of the month, Hollister House and Gardens is open to the public. For a $10 entry fee you can enjoy your time exploring and sipping a glass of wine, provided by the Hollister House staff. The next First Friday is coming up August 2nd. It was a much needed peaceful and local adventure after a long week.

Although the gardens became packed with guests, there were plenty of hidden gardens and inlets to explore.