Hello gpoders!
Return to Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood and see more photos of Nancy Mellen in the hidden gardens of Beacon Hill’s annual tour (check it out here if you missed yesterday’s post: Part 1). Yesterday we took a peek into the incredible “secret” gardens featured on the tour. Today we have a glimpse into this beautiful area of Boston and the planting of containers that add more character and colour to the streets.
On May 15, 2025, Boston’s Beacon Hill Garden Club held its 96th tour of Beacon Hill’s Hidden Garden. My husband and I have loved it for a few years. I shared some photos this year. We hope your readers will take advantage of this tour in the future.
This photo allows readers to see the narrow, antique cobbled streets and brick sidewalks of Beacon Hill. The tour went up and down the hills and walked 4 miles that day.
This photo shows a narrow passageway for going to the garden. In fact, there are entrances from this one passage to about six gardens. It reminds me of something from Dickens’ novels.
Of course, Beacon Hill has plenty of window boxes. If planting space is limited, all surfaces will be utilized. Cat willow stems are always a nice accent and add a large height to your spring design.
But there are fewer New England screams than hydrangeas. Many seaside towns have giant shrubs in elaborate beds filled with colorful annuals. On the crowded streets of Boston, window boxes bring that classic beauty to the sidewalk.
Sidewalks are an opportunity to showcase creative containers. Spring often reminds me of a bright shade of cheerful yellow and a rather pink, but I love the moody spring combination with this soft spring herebor.
Another entrance pot, this time there’s a little more colour. The black ur leaves the container tied to the style of the building itself, while the bright flowers and leaves give this front a pop of colour that bends over.
And one of the last containers that suited the refined style of the garden I saw yesterday. The calm colour palette still looks sensational when planted in these nice texture and height layers.
Thank you for treating us to this incredibly unique garden tour, Nancy! There’s a lot to see in this little section of Boston, but it’s amazing to see more on the third Thursday of May each year. For those who don’t know it, it’s like a “hidden” geem. I’ve added a note to my calendar next May!
We know that many members of the GPOD community will use garden tours to visit incredible private gardens and welcome visitors into their inspiring spaces. If you’re taking a garden tour again this year, you’d love to see the photos you have to share, whether your garden is a featured stop or you are an attendee! Follow the instructions below to send a photo by email or DM via Instagram: @girlherdogandtheroad.
We want to see your garden!
Do you have any photos to share? We want to see your garden, a collection of specific plants you love, or an amazing garden that you have had the opportunity to visit!
To send, send 5-10 photos (Email protection) With information about the plants in the photo and the location where the photos were taken. We want to hear where you are, the time you garden, the successes you are proud of, the mistakes you have learned, hopes for the future, your favorite plants, or interesting stories from your garden.
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