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The ever-popular Trade Secrets, a rare plant and garden antiques sale, that benefits Women’s Support Services of the Northwest Corner, is celebrating its 10th anniversary Saturday, May 15th and Sunday, May 16th, 2010 at LionRock Farm in Sharon, CT.

Thanks to founder Bunny Williams, one of the world’s leading interior designers; host Elaine LaRoche, owner of LionRock Farm; the many gardeners who’ve shared their gardens on the garden tours, the vendors, the local businesses, the volunteers, and the host of garden-lovers who attend each year, Trade Secrets has become the garden world’s most talked about event.

“I think it’s astounding that an event that started in my backyard as a small plant sale for Women’s Support Services has grown to the size it is,” said Williams, as she reflected on the past ten years. “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.”

For the past ten years, Trade Secrets has brought garden-lovers from around the world to the Litchfield Hills of Connecticut to discover new plants, topiary, and antiques for their gardens. This year is no exception with nearly 60 vendors and garden antiques dealers from around the northeast region coming to set-up their wares under the tents at the picturesque LionRock farm. With their truckloads of rare garden plants and unusual accessories – those kind of unique treasures that you might search a lifetime for – they’ll descend upon LionRock to offer garden lovers a day of pure treasure hunting! Shoppers can find rare plant specimens from specialized growers and from some of the nation’s best known small nurseries, as well as furniture, antiques, cloches and garden statuary from the choicest purveyors of garden antiques, wrought-iron fencing, textiles from select antiques dealers, and so much more.

New this year will be the Saturday afternoon lecture: “Abstraction; Art, Home & Landscape” with Tom Armstrong, director emeritus of the Whitney Museum of American Art, and chairman of the board of the Garden Conservancy. Armstrong has published and lectured widely on art and gardening.

Trade Secrets includes the antique and plant sale on Saturday, May 15 at LionRock Farm in Sharon, CT, from 10am to 3pm, for $35, and the tour of four gardens on Sunday, May 16 for $60 ($50 in advance). For those early-birds on May 15, “early buying” tickets are available for $100, and include early admittance with continental breakfast.

Women’s Support Services (WSS): Annually for the past ten years, the funds from Trade Secrets have gone directly to support the Women’s Support Services, a regional non-profit organization celebrating its 30th year in the northwest corner of Connecticut, and offering free and confidential services to victims of domestic violence. WSS offers a 24-hour Hotline, financial grants to clients for emergency needs, and sponsors violence prevention programs in the community.

“One of the few events that goes on to my calendar a year in advance is Trade Secrets Rare Plant and Garden Antique Show in Sharon, CT. Why? Because I find amazing varieties of plants, meet all kinds of extraordinary gardeners and find many antiques and tools for my own garden. It’s exciting, very beautiful and benefits the Women’s Support Services in northwest CT – a most worthy cause.” — Martha Stewart

Please click here for the 2010 Trade Secrets press release.

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Regrettably we cannot welcome pets on either day of our event.