May 18th & 19th, 2013

THE NORTHEAST’s “Garden Party of the Year” – TRADE SECRETS -- KICKS OFF 13^th SEASON IN MAY

Trade Secrets charity event offers garden lovers the chance to indulge their not-so-secret passions while raising money to help end domestic violence.  

Sale event will now feature author signings at the Johnnycake Books booth! From 11-1 on Saturday, meet garden and design experts Kathryn Herman, Tovah Martin, Margaret Roach, Barbara Paul Robinson, Gil Schafer, and Matthew Patrick Smyth.

January 2013 (SHARON, CT) -- The ever-popular two-day event Trade Secrets, a rare plant and garden antiques sale followed by a day of garden tours that benefits Women’s Support Services (WSS), a non-profit organization founded in 1981 that provides services to persons in the northwest corner of Connecticut who have experienced domestic violence or abuse, is gearing up for its 13th annual event on May 18th and 19th, 2013. For garden lovers, Trade Secrets is a weekend to explore some of the finest gardens and to browse for a few of your favorite things!

“I look forward to this weekend every year,” said Bunny Williams of Bunny Williams Inc., one of the world’s largest and most prestigious design firms. Williams founded Trade Secrets 13 years ago when she offered to hold a small plant sale to support WSS.

“I have watched this event grow from a fledgling garden sale in my backyard to an event that includes 60 garden and antiques dealers. For a country event in the northwest corner of Connecticut to attract the number of people it does is wonderful. Trade Secrets has gotten better and better each year, and it’s never lost its momentum thanks to all its supporters and dedicated volunteers,” added Williams.

Trade Secrets brings garden lovers from around the world to the Litchfield Hills of Connecticut to discover new plants, topiary, and antiques for their gardens. Martha Stewart makes her annual trek to Trade Secrets, too.

“This event is always so special and is attended by some of the best gardeners,” says Stewart on her blog Martha; Up Close & Personal.  “There are always the most amazing and unusual varieties of plants to be found and extraordinary objects and accessories for the garden and home.” 

On Saturday, May 18th , approximately  60 plant vendors and garden antiques dealers from around the northeast region will set up their wares under the tents at Elaine LaRoche’s picturesque LionRock farm in Sharon, CT. With their truckloads of rare plants and unusual accessories – those kind of unique treasures that you might search a lifetime for – they will descend upon LionRock to offer garden enthusiasts a day of treasure hunting. Shoppers can find rare plant specimens from specialized growers and some of the nation’s best-known small nurseries, as well as furniture, antiques, cloches, wrought iron fencing, garden statuary, and so much more from the choicest purveyors of garden antiques.

Regular buying tickets for Saturday’s sale are $35 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For those early-birds on May 18th, “early buying” tickets are available for $100 and include continental breakfast and 8 a.m. admission to the event.

On Sunday, May 19th, four spectacular Connecticut gardens will be open for tours. Back by popular demand for the 13th year is Bunny Williams’ garden. This is a great opportunity for eavesdropping on Bunny Williams’ and John Rosselli’s affair with their house – and features their new “birdhouse village.”

From the exquisite 18th-century stone walls at Plum Creek Farm to the 200+ year-old Colonial house at Mudge Manor to the treasure trove of ideas from Lee and Fritz Link’s garden, this is a tour not to be missed. Tour the four gardens on Sunday, May 19th for $70 ($60 in advance).

For more information on Trade Secrets or to purchase advance tickets please call (860) 364-1080 or visit tradesecretsct.com.

Regrettably, we cannot welcome pets on either day of the event.