Art in the Gardens Coming Up at Tollgate Farms

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The Heights of Novi is sponsoring an Art in the Gardens tour at Tollgate Farm in Novi from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 18.

This free event is located on the northwest corner of Meadowbrook Road and Twelve Mile, 28115 Meadowbrook Road in Novi, not far from Twelve Oaks Mall, but a world away.

Organized by volunteers who tend the gardens, this once-a-year garden open house is open to the public, and runs rain or shine, according to a news release.

There will be walking tours and short educational talks about some of the gardens and activities at Tollgate (probably the prairie or native plant area within the children’s garden, the rain garden, and the bees and/or the demo orchard), as well as hayrides to see the extent of the property beyond the gardens. Parking and refreshments are free.

Think of it as free garden walk, but you only park once.

Focal points include the Farmhouse Garden, Children’s Garden, East and South Xeriscape Gardens, Rain Garden, Demonstration Native Plant Garden, Castle Demonstration Garden, Constructed Wetlands, Rose Garden, Hosta Garden, Enabling Garden and Landscape Demonstration Gardens, which has a newly installed solar powered fountain. Volunteers in many of the areas to tell you about the garden and answer questions.

Plus, there will be a band playing, painters working and some quilts on display. Volunteers will be selling raffle tickets to win a quilt that they made over the winter to raise funds for the gardens. The winning ticket will be selected at the end of Art in the Gardens at 3 p.m.

The Garden Market in the centrally located corral will include flower crowns, gourd birdhouses, handmade four-season pottery, heritage seed jewelry, loose leaf tea, vintage glass garden art, welded garden art, wooden planters, woolen mittens made from repurposed sweaters, and perennial plants from Specialty Growers, plus other items.

Visitors will probably be comfortable if they dress for the weather, wear comfortable shoes ,sunscreen and a hat, bring a camera to take pictures of the beautiful gardens and farm grounds. Be sure to bring along cash and/or a checkbook to shop the Garden Market, as most vendors are not set up to take credit or debit cards.

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Photo via Michigan State University Tollgate Gardens