SARGENT HOUSE MUSEUM TO HOST CAPE ANN GARDEN FESTIVAL

Gloucester, MA’On June 20-21, 2009, the Sargent House Museum hosts the 10th Annual Cape Ann Garden Festival. The anniversary celebration features a full weekend of events, including a reception at Beauport, glorious gardens, workshops, an online auction and a free museum tour. All proceeds benefit the Sargent House Museum.

The festival kicks off with an evening reception and presentation on Friday, June 19, about the recently uncovered garden staircase at Beauport, the fantastical Sleeper-McCann house overlooking Gloucester Harbor.

On Saturday, June 20, ten of Cape Ann’s most scenic and beautiful gardens will be presented on a garden tour that includes the site of a private quarry, a sculpture garden and fabulous perennial and herb gardens. Several homes will be open for viewing.

Participants in the online auction could win a special ‘gardens from the sea’ tour aboard the Schooner Bald Eagle or a behind-the-scenes tour of paintings at the MFA with noted art historian Mimi Braverman. The online auction will feature noted Cape Ann artists like Robin Paine, Anna Vojtech and Leslie Wind. Paintings, jewelry, gifts for the home and other offerings will be available.

On Sunday three workshops are planned. Judy Hallberg, colonial gardener at the Ipswich Historical Society, will discuss 18th c. herb gardens. Kim Smith, Gloucester gardener and author will talk about people and pollinators and Peggy Flanagan, gardener, landscape designer and teacher will demonstrate antique rose propagation.

Those attending workshops or the garden tour may reserve a spot for a docent-led tour of the new exhibit at the Cape Ann Museum, ‘A View from the Terrace: Paintings of Charles Hopkinson.’ Call the Cape Ann Museum for reservations.

For more information and reservations, visit www. sargenthouse.org. or call 978-281-5801.

The Sargent House Museum was the Georgian-style home of Judith Sargent Murray, a philosopher, writer and an early advocate of social justice.