Summer in Connecticut’s Great Outdoors

Now that summer has arrived it’s time to enjoy beautiful sunny weather, perfect for exploring the great outdoors: Connecticut is rich with nature trails, gardens, parks, beaches, and more!

At the Library, among our many cultural passes available to Bethel patrons, we still have a free day pass for use at Connecticut’s State Parks and Forests. For more details, please stop by or call the Circulation Services Desk at 203-794-8756, ext. 3.

Something new is in the air, too! In the past, we received the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Directory, printed on an annual basis. Now, the Garden Conservancy keeps these national listings online at their website.

But what exactly is the Open Days Program? According to the Garden Conservancy’s website:

The Open Days program is essentially a series of private garden tours around the country that begin in early spring and continue through the fall of each year. Each summer, gardeners are invited by local Regional Representatives to become Garden Hosts and agree to open their garden during a scheduled Open Day (or several days) in their area. The Open Days are self-guided tours. Visitors decide which gardens they want to visit and in what order.

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Plenty of Open Days are scheduled at locations all over the state, now through October, with gardens as close as Redding and Ridgefield. If you feel like making a longer trek, you can also find gardens in Manchester, Stonington, and West Cornwall, with plenty of gardens around the rest of the state, and elsewhere throughout the country. Be sure to call ahead to confirm whether a garden will be open on the day you’re planning to visit!

You can access the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days listings directly by clicking here. You can also access the Garden Conservancy website and other helpful resources by clicking here to visit our All Databases webpage.

Whether you want to enjoy a quiet rest, a gentle stroll, or an exciting expedition, you can do it all in Connecticut’s great outdoors.  Let us help you set a course for your best summer yet!