Advance: $25; Day of event: $35 ($25 for members)

Hidden behind the row homes and repurposed factories lining Hoboken’s streets are surprisingly lush green spaces that cool our urban heat island and freshen the air we breathe. They reflect the diversity of the city’s inhabitants; past tours have included Japanese Zen gardens, English cottage gardens and even a Moroccan courtyard. Indulge your curiosity and garden fantasies with the annual Hoboken tradition, the Annual Secret Gardens Tour, on Sunday, June 3, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Rain date is June 10.)

This year, 10 homeowners will share their “secret gardens” and their gardening secrets to support the Museum’s fund-raising efforts, with assistance from the Hoboken Garden Club and the long-time support of our title sponsor, Hufnagel Landscape Design and Construction Group. The Tour includes a wide range of garden designs by both dedicated gardening enthusiasts and professional designers, with clever solutions to such challenging issues as shallow soil and deep shade.

The tour is self-guided this year! Reserve your ticket in advance, then, on the day of the tour, simply pick up your tour booklet at the Museum between 9 am and 2 pm and visit the gardens at your own pace. The booklet will have a map and descriptions of each of the gardens, as well as some suggestions for brunch, lunch and tea options. Garden owners, Hoboken Garden Club members and Museum volunteers will greet you at each of the homes.

Click here to save $10 with advance purchase!

Tour goers should allow at least two to two-and-a-half hours to visit all the stops. Comfortable shoes and sun protection are advised. Tickets are $25 for HHM members and Hoboken Garden Club members, and for tickets purchased in advance at the link above. On the day of the tour, tickets are $35 for non-members.  You may also stop by 1301 Hudson St., or call the Museum at 201-656-2240. Volunteers are also needed; call the Museum at 201-656-2240 for more information, or email volunteer@hobokenmuseum.org

Get in the spirit for the tour with a special author appearance on Thursday, May 31, 7 pm, at Little City Books, 100 Bloomfield St., by Marta McDowell, renowned gardening writer who will discuss her recent book, The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Click here for details. 

Gardening in Hoboken has a rich tradition, as Colonel John Stevens (1749 – 1838), who founded Hoboken, is credited with introducing to America the Chrysanthemum and the Camellia. His gardens were highly regarded as some of the most elaborate and scientifically cultivated of the day.