MIDDLEBURY — Summer has finally arrived in Addison County and the gardens are in full bloom. On Saturday, July 11, from noon-5 p.m., the Sheldon Museum presents its fourth annual garden tour, this year titled “Lincoln Garden Vistas.”
The tour offers a unique opportunity to visit seven glorious garden vistas, all in Lincoln. In addition, look for local well-known artists painting en plein air in the gardens. The tour ends with a reception from 4-6 p.m. at WildWind on Orchard Road in North Lincoln. The garden artists’ paintings will be offered for sale at the reception.
Lincoln, known primarily for its beautiful natural surroundings, is situated at the foot of Mount Abraham and the village center rests on the banks of the New Haven River. Surrounded by forests and farms, the village values its scenic beauty and rural character.
Settled originally by Quakers and chartered in 1780, Lincoln Town, unlike the mountain, was not named for our 16th president, who had not yet been born. Colonel Benjamin Simmons, the holder of the charter, named the town after Maj. Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, under whom he had served and who had played a vital role in getting the Massachusetts Militia to Bennington to repel the British in 1777.
The Sheldon’s “Lincoln Garden Vistas”tour will feature the following gardens:
• Moose Pond Farm. The farm features white and wildflower gardens, vegetables, fruit trees and berries.
• South Lincoln Farm. Contrasts abound amid Green Mountain views and metal sculptures.
• Gadhue gardens. Beautifully constructed rock walls with perennials complement amazing views.
 • Elderberry Farm. The farm features horses, a rock garden, wetlands surrounding the pond, and panoramic views.
• WildWind. The property includes hardy perennial beds with old stone paths in a scenic setting.
• Allen gardens. The gardens cover five acres of varied terrain with multiple gardens and raised beds
• Fraioli/Nelson gardens. These gardens are defined by the stones, lawns, trees and the large planted masses.
The artists painting in the gardens are Joe Bolger, Gayl Braisted, Carol Calhoun, Mary Lower, Mike Mayone, Brenda Myrick, Reed Prescott, Norma Jean Rollet and Pat Todd.
Joe Bolger, Vermont plein air Impressionist artist, works mostly with oil in a representational style, maintaining an intense focus on color and changing light conditions. Mike Mayone’s acrylic and oil paintings reflect high realism and fine detail. Landscapes of Vermont are those he most prefers to capture, and his artwork is representative of his desire to preserve and share those moments of beauty we too often overlook.
Watercolorist Brenda Myrick is known for her landscapes, as well as her portraits of both people and animals. Pat Todd specializes in scenes of either the spectacular or the commonplace, often with an emphasis on barns, which provide a bridge for her between past and present and a connection to a shared rural tradition.
Tickets are $25. Proceeds benefit the Sheldon Museum. The gardens may be viewed in any order between noon and 5 p.m. on July 11, and the tour is rain or shine; be sure to wear walking shoes and be prepared for a variety of terrains. Tickets are available in advance at the Sheldon Museum and online at www.HenrySheldonMuseum.org or on the day of the tour, at the Sheldon and at the featured gardens. A copy of the tour brochure with map is available on the Sheldon’s website.
For more information, call 802-388-2117 or visit www.HenrySheldonMuseum.org. The Henry Sheldon Museum is located at 1 Park St. in downtown Middlebury across from the Ilsley Library.