Martha's Vineyard Garden Tour

Survey the spectacular gardens of this stunning New England destination.

By: Jeff Stafford

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Photo By: Image courtesy of Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce

Photo By: Image courtesy of Polly Hill Arboretum

Photo By: Image courtesy of Indigo Farm, Inc.

Photo By: Image courtesy of Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce

Photo By: Image courtesy of The Garden Conservancy

Photo By: Image courtesy of Polly Hill Arboretum

Photo By: Image courtesy of Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce

Photo By: Image courtesy of The Donaroma Garden, Edgartown, photo by Janice K. Donaroma

Photo By: Image courtesy of The Garden Conservancy

Photo By: Image courtesy of Polly Hill Arboretum

Photo By: Image courtesy of Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce

Photo By: Image courtesy of The Garden Conservancy

Photo By: Image courtesy of Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce

Photo By: Image courtesy of The Garden Conservancy

Photo By: Image courtesy of Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce

Photo By: Image courtesy of The Garden Conservancy

Photo By: Image courtesy of Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce

Photo By: Image courtesy of The Donaroma Garden, Edgartown, photo by Janice K. Donaroma

Photo By: Image courtesy of Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce

Photo By: Image courtesy of Indigo Farm, Inc.

Photo By: Image courtesy of Polly Hill Arboretum

Photo By: Image courtesy of Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce

Photo By: Image courtesy of The Donaroma Garden, Edgartown, photo by Janice K. Donaroma

Photo By: Image courtesy of Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce

Photo By: Image courtesy of The Garden Conservancy

Photo By: Image courtesy of Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce

South Water Street Dazzler

This subtle example of the Greek Revival style on South Water Street in Edgartown looks even more striking when framed by hydrangeas.

Dogwood Delight

Known for their spectacular flowers that bloom from the middle of June into July, the Kousa dogwoods (Cornus kousa) at the Polly Hill Arboretum are a species native to eastern Asia.

By a Waterfall

Inspired by Japanese garden designs, this bucolic setting in West Tisbury features landscaping by Indigo Farm that includes a waterfall and a variety of striking ground covers and plants such as Juniper procumbens ‘Nana,’ Potentilla neumanniana ‘Nana,’ Rhododendron ‘Cat Boursault,’ and Azalea ‘Hino Crimson’ (the red flowers in the background).

Fall Comes to Cottage City

Small in scale and featuring a quaint but distinctive architectural style highlighted by bright, rainbow color schemes, the gingerbread cottages in Oak Bluffs, which is also referred to as “Cottage City,” is a popular tourist attraction that was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2005.

Open Days on Martha's Vineyard

Gardeners and nature lovers get a rare opportunity to view a handful of private gardens each year during the Open Days event, sponsored by the Garden Conservancy. Previously featured on the tour is the Helman Garden (pictured) with its many mixed beds of herbs, vegetables and flowers, accessible by crushed rock pathways.

Hydrangea Heaven

Beds of gorgeous hydrangeas line the deck of The North Water Street Garden, which also includes such well-maintained perennials as delphinium, gaura, agastache, Oriental lilies and certain phlox varieties. This private home in a historic district of Edgartown is open to the public only when it is featured as part of the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days program.

The Homestead Border

A wild garden of shrubs, perennials, bulbs and grasses, known as the homestead border, line the edge of this property which is part of the Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury.

Harvest Time

A scenic farm in West Tisbury displays its ample fields of pumpkins which will be harvested during the fall season.

Welcome to Donaroma's

Located in Edgartown, the Donaroma Garden consists of seven gardens playfully placed within their cottage compound, each with its own distinct character. All design and landscaping is done by their family-owned landscaping operation, the largest and oldest on Martha's Vineyard. The iconic rose-covered trellis on the guest cottage (pictured in the background) is a favorite in The Garden Conservancy's Open Days annual event.

The Folly Garden

The lush gardens of The Folly estate in West Tisbury are a delightful seasonal showcase for parterres, ground covers, ferns, and various shade and sun-loving plants and flowers, available for public viewing whenever The Folly is featured in the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days program.

Conifer Museum

Pines, spruces and firs are among the cone-bearing conifers featured at the Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury. On the lower right, a rhododendron in bloom adds a touch of purple and silver to the striking green composition.

Arbor Art

Nantucket roses create a glorious organic design for this garden arbor which provides an entrance for this residential home in Edgartown.

Daffodil Hill

These hardy yellow perennials are a common sight around the fields and gardens of Edgartown in the spring on Martha’s Vineyard.

Harbor View

Situated on a hillside overlooking Edgartown Harbor, the North Water Street Garden is at its peak in the late summer season with dozens of perennial species on display. This is a private residence which is only open to the public when the garden is featured in the Open Days program on Martha’s Vineyard, sponsored by the Garden Conservancy.

Iconic Ocean Park

Beds of hydrangeas and lilies thrive in the summer weather at Oak Bluffs where the gazebo at Ocean Park is a popular landmark and the site of open air concerts.

Helman Highlights

Globe alliums past the flowering stage and pink roses are one of the featured attractions at the The Hellman Garden in Edgartown, a participant in the Open Days program from The Garden Conservancy.

Gingerbread Style

The complex wooden scrollwork and decorative exterior trim are some of the distinguishing features of this historic gingerbread cottage in Oak Bluffs, which was once the site of religious camp meetings in the mid-1800s. The colorful garden area is representative of the many flower varieties that grow well in the Martha’s Vineyard climate.

Stone Walls and Arbors

An arbor covered in clematis steals the show at The Helman Garden in Edgartown. Featuring assorted beds of herbs, vegetables and flowers that are protected from the elements by a stone wall border, this private garden is occasionally open to the public as part of The Garden Conservancy’s annual Open Day program.

Endless Path

A nature trail boardwalk leads off into the distance at the Long Point Wildlife Refuge on Martha’s Vineyard which contains salt and freshwater ponds, rare plants and sand plain grasslands.

Mixing It Up

Originally used as a herb garden, this circular plot in the driveway of the Donaroma Garden is now a test bed for color combinations featuring annuals and perennials. The Garden Conservancy’s Open Days annual event has showcased Donaroma in the past.

View From a Daisy Bed

In the background, framed by daisies in the foreground, is a beautiful Oak Bluffs Victorian, a replica of the original historic structure—the Corbin-Norton House—which was destroyed by a fire in 2001.

Rustic Charm

Wildflowers border a natural stone wall and weathered shed in this scenic view from Allen Farm in Chilmark.

Purple and Yellow Bliss

A lovely country garden on the edge of the Edgartown Great Pond showcases beds of yarrow and Russian Sage in a landscaping design by Indigo Farm.

Polly's Play Pen

Fall colors accents this 286 foot rectangular garden known as Polly’s Play Pen on the grounds of the Polly Hill Arboretum. North Tisbury azaleas, lilac daphne (Daphne genkwa), Oconee bells (Shortia galacifolia) and other woodland perennials and trees thrive in this climate zone.

The Height of Summer

If you happened to walk through the streets of Edgartown in the summertime and peered into the gardens of the homes, this would be a typical example of the beautiful flowers and foliage you would see.

The Imposing Whalebone

Shades of pink, purple, white and green create a living tapestry of color at the Donaroma Garden in Edgartown. The whalebone (on the right) makes an impressive natural sculpture and serves as a reminder of the island’s seagoing culture that existed before the Donaroma Garden was established. Donaroma Garden has been featured in The Garden Conservancy’s Open Days annual event.

Pumpkin Invasion

A boy tries to determine which of these orange beauties will make the best Jack o’ lantern at this autumn display at Morning Glory Farm in Edgartown.

West Tisbury Jewel

With a landscape that recalls an Italian villa, The Folly estate in West Tisbury offers varied grades, contours and open space to create a restful, natural environment accented by stonework, statuary and a wisteria-covered pergola (in the background). The house and grounds are closed to the public and only open for visits when they participate in the annual Open Days program.

Border Attraction

A spectacular wall of yellow roses greet pedestrian traffic on this sidewalk in front of one of Edgartown’s classic homes.

Autumn Accents

Fall color comes to the untamed natural landscapes and marshes of Martha’s Vineyard.

Martha's Vineyard Garden Tour

Related To:

Shop This Look

South Water Street Dazzler

Dogwood Delight

By a Waterfall

Fall Comes to Cottage City

Open Days on Martha's Vineyard

Hydrangea Heaven

The Homestead Border

Harvest Time

Welcome to Donaroma's

The Folly Garden

Conifer Museum

Arbor Art

Daffodil Hill

Harbor View

Iconic Ocean Park

Helman Highlights

Gingerbread Style

Stone Walls and Arbors

Endless Path

Mixing It Up

View From a Daisy Bed

Rustic Charm

Purple and Yellow Bliss

Polly's Play Pen

The Height of Summer

The Imposing Whalebone

Pumpkin Invasion

West Tisbury Jewel

Border Attraction

Autumn Accents

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