Princeton Garden Tour
Saturday, June 13, 2026
11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Tour will take place rain or shine.
Presented in partnership by the Historical Society of Princeton and Morven Museum & Garden, this self-guided tour invites guests to explore the historic landscapes of both institutions—alongside rare access to private gardens not typically open to the public.
From formally structured grounds to intimate, nature-forward retreats, the curated selection of gardens showcases the breadth of Princeton’s horticultural character. Guests will encounter thoughtfully designed gardens that balance beauty with environmental stewardship, as well as creative approaches to hardscaping, native species, sustainable plantings, and seasonal color. Each stop offers fresh ideas and practical inspiration—often found just beyond your neighbor’s gate—demonstrating how landscape design can reflect both personal style and a deep sense of place, all while supporting two pillars of local history and preservation.
Tickets
Garden Tour Admission — $55
Spend a delightful afternoon exploring a curated collection of beautiful gardens at your own pace. This self-guided experience invites family and friends to enjoy time together while visiting the gardens in any order you choose.
Knowledgeable staff from HSP and Morven, along with many of the garden owners themselves, will be onsite to share the inspiration, history, and personal stories behind these remarkable landscapes and to answer your questions.
Garden Contributor — $100
Before the tour begins, guests are invited to enjoy a light breakfast in the HSP barn from 10:00–11:00 a.m. Seating is limited, reserve early to save your spot!
Commemorative Tote Bag — $30
A beautifully embroidered keepsake with the Princeton Garden Tour logo — both practical and collectible. Made of sturdy canvas, great for your laptop or the farmers market. Approximately 18.5″W x 13.5″H x 3.5″D.
Reserve Your Tickets Today
Spaces are limited — join us for an inspiring celebration of horticulture, history, and community.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Local businesses and community partners are invited to support the Princeton Garden Tour through event sponsorship. Sponsors receive recognition across event promotions and the opportunity to connect with an engaged audience of garden enthusiasts and homeowners.
Explore Sponsorship Opportunities
Gardens on the 2026 Tour
The following gardens may be visited in any order.
Drakes Corner Road
This lush estate was featured in Princeton Magazine and represents the finest work of landscape designer Ronni Hock, who will be onsite during the tour. Beginning in the backyard in 2018 — with little more than a bluestone patio in place — Ronni and the owners fashioned a delightfully ambitious vision to create an outdoor living space for a growing family and an intimate circle of friends. The entrance of large brick walls, connected by a refurbished iron gate, leads into a magnificent pergola covered with flowering vines adjoining several patios, a pool, pool house and greenhouse. Expansive perennial gardens of evergreens, redbuds, dogwoods, and crabapples (all intended to attract pollinators) surround, embellish, and soften each of these structures, enriching the family’s experience with all the transformative sights and smells that Mother Nature can provide.
Olden Lane
This stately home, built c. 1906, sits on property once part of the Morven estate and is surrounded by gardens designed and planted by its original owner, Rev. Joseph H. Dulles, of the Princeton Theological Seminary. The current owners, both respectful of tradition and seeking to revitalize the grounds, have spent more than twenty years designing, updating, building and planting, harmonizing with the symmetry and gracious proportions of the house and its luxuriant surroundings. Hardscape features, including a completely reimagined pool, spa, and dining terrace, are complemented by perennial borders, yew hedges and slate walkways. Large holly trees frame vistas across the property, while a shade garden was thoughtfully designed in the rear. Diverse perennials attract pollinator species while augmenting the colorscape of the grounds across all four seasons.
A Secret Jewel Box Garden
This jewel box garden behind a gate incorporates NJ native plants and non-invasive perennials into a traditional design. Its small footprint is the surprising home to the fifth largest American Elm tree in NJ, along with an array of perennials that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. The garden was designed with family dinners and neighborhood parties in mind. It features a small lawn and gravel driveway, surrounded by trees, flowering shrubs, and perennials. The lawn area in the front yard was dramatically reduced by the addition of several large planting beds. The garden constantly evolves over the season, making it an ever evolving source of joy!
Boxwood Cottage
The gardens at Boxwood Cottage are composed of five distinct garden “rooms”, each with its own design, style, and purpose: the Front Garden, the North Garden, the White Garden & Croquet Lawn, the Working Garden, and the Studio Garden. Designed to provide habitat for wildlife and a peaceful setting for visitors, the gardens feature birdbaths, birdhouses, feeders, and multiple lounging areas, blending formal and natural aesthetics. The property’s name reflects the owner’s love of boxwood, with 18 species and cultivars present throughout the garden, totaling 379 plants, arranged to appear as if growing naturally.
A Haven on Hawthorne
This Spanish Colonial Revival home, located in the heart of Princeton, was built circa 1930 and features a charming combination of formal and lush plantings. Designed for a small city plot, the garden delivers instant impact. Changes in level, and intentional focal points featuring tuteurs, a sweet garden shed, and other focal elements create a sense of depth and richness. A variety of entertainment spaces allow for guests to enjoy the serene views.
Grande Anima
Walk through the shiny green gates past this circa 1924 house into a verdant and private backyard. The space takes its cue from formal European gardens but adapted to a more contemporary and casual home with an eye to creating cozy nooks to dine, chat, read or congregate in both sun and shade. A stately wall of 25’ Carpinus trees encloses multiple focal elements that create a sense of panorama and vista. There are raised beds for both a cutting garden and kitchen garden constructed from repurposed granite curbing, a serene pool, English lead fountain, Italian bronze statue, and a magnificent pergola all interconnected by bluestone and pea gravel terraces and pathways. The lush greenery, formal hedges and blooms in soft tones contrast effortlessly with the hardscaping to provide a serene and luxuriant backyard.
One more garden to be revealed!
With Gratitude to Our Sponsors
We are grateful to our Founding Sponsors
David Schure and Grant Wagner of…
Dogwood Sponsor
Tamara Franklin
In Partnership with
