Learn about volunteering at Hollister House Garden by attending one of the following information sessions:
Thursday, March 26 4:30- 6:00 pm
Saturday, March 28 1:00 – 2:30 pm
Questions? email linda@hollisterhousegarden.org
Join the Hollister House Garden Volunteer Team!
As a small not-for-profit organization, Hollister House relies upon the time, energy and expertise of our team of dedicated volunteers. Volunteers play a key role in our mission to engage our community by ensuring that all garden visitors and everyone attending our events is made to feel welcome and informed.
If you have not previously volunteered at Hollister House Garden please read about the specific opportunities available and fill out and submit the form at the bottom of this page to learn more about becoming a part of our team by attending an information session.
Garden Docents
Garden docents serve as the primary point of contact with our visitors during our open hours. Docents either staff the welcome shed or remain in the garden to greet our guests, answer questions and ensure a safe and enjoyable visit for everyone. An interest in gardening and general knowledge of horticulture is highly beneficial but not required. All volunteers receive annual training on information specific to Hollister House Garden. The 2026 training session will take place on Saturday, April 11 from 12:30 to 3:00 pm. and begin with a tour of the garden.
Barn Talk Volunteers
During the spring and fall, Hollister House offers a series of horticultural lectures on Saturday mornings. Volunteers manage guest check in and answer visitor questions. No prior experience required.
Special Event Volunteers
Throughout the season Hollister House Garden hosts special events such as Evening in the Garden, and Garden Study Weekend including an annual cocktail party, silent auction and garden tours in early September. Special event volunteers will help manage check in and collect payment among other duties. They may also assist with set up and break down for events, which requires some light physical activity.
Special Project Volunteers
Hollister House welcomes the opportunity to put volunteers unique talents and professional experiences to use in special projects. Please be sure to make note of any special skills you would like to contribute when you complete the volunteer form. If there is an upcoming project that would be a good fit for a volunteer’s background and experience, our team will be in touch.
Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Road
Washington, CT 06759
3/26/26
Volunteer Information Session
Art Workshop: Garden Journaling: Flowering Trees and Shrubs
10:00am – 3:30pm
Use your journal to capture the delicate beauty of early June. Combining pen and watercolor, we will create impressions of the beautiful flowering trees and shrubs abundant in the Hollister House gardens. We’ll start with a lesson in the barn on journaling tips and techniques, followed by a slow meander through the gardens to observe and note different buds and flowers, adding to our journals along the way. Your instructor will provide plenty of drawing and watercolor tips, both inside the barn and outside in this beautiful garden setting. All skill levels are welcome, and beginners are encouraged to join!
Bring a bag lunch. Water and snacks provided.
Required Materials: Journal and pen, $35, are required for all new garden journaling students and should be purchased with your reservation. If you participated in a Hollister House Garden journaling workshop previously and wish to use the journal and pen you previously purchased, please be sure to bring them to class.
Journaling Materials List
Betsy Rogers-Knox is a botanical artist fascinated by the full lifecycle of plants and the ecosystems they inhabit. She holds a Certificate in Botanical Illustration from The New York Botanical Garden and her work has been exhibited widely across the U.S. and internationally, including the ASBA International Exhibitions, NYBG Triennials, and the RHS Botanical Art Exhibit in London, where her paintings of Beckley Bog earned the Judges’ Special Award for their educational and ecological value. Betsy’s illustrations are held in the permanent collections of the RHS Lindley Library and the Hunt Institute.
HHG Members $90
Non-Members $120
Journal and Pen $35
Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Road
Washington, CT 06759
6/5/26
Garden Journaling: Flowering Trees and Shrubs
Art Workshop: Early Spring Bulbs: A Watercolor Workshop
10:00am-3:30pm
Enjoy a creative day using watercolors to capture the beauty of early spring bulbs. After a gentle walk through Hollister House Garden to observe color and form, you’ll return to the barn to create a watercolor garden vignette. Then, personalize your painting by adding an array of individual flowers – drawn from your own observations – to frame the vignette. Watercolorist Betsy Rogers-Knox will guide the group with a step-by-step demonstration and offer personal support throughout the day. All skill levels are welcome.
Bring a bag lunch. Water and snacks provided.
Materials List
Betsy Rogers-Knox is a botanical artist fascinated by the full lifecycle of plants and the ecosystems they inhabit. She holds a Certificate in Botanical Illustration from The New York Botanical Garden and her work has been exhibited widely across the U.S. and internationally. Examples include the ASBA International Exhibitions, NYBG Triennials, and the RHS Botanical Art Exhibit in London, where her paintings of Beckley Bog earned the Judges’ Special Award for their educational and ecological value. Betsy’s illustrations are held in the permanent collections of the RHS Lindley Library and the Hunt Institute.
HHG Members $90
Non-members $120
Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Road
Washington, CT 06759
4/24/26
Early Spring Bulbs: A Watercolor Workshop
Barn Talk: Better Together: Designing with Plant Combinations
10:00am-11:30am
Good design happens when individual elements come together to create something greater than the sum of their parts. Just as you coordinate clothing or pair food and wine for harmony and impact, thoughtful plant combinations can transform an ordinary garden into an unforgettable experience. In this lively session, we’ll explore how contrasting and complimentary colors and textures create successful plant pairings. Get hands-on experience using a gardener’s color wheel to build compositions that feel dynamic, intentional, and visually compelling all year long. Whether you’re working with containers, borders, or sweeping beds, expect to gain not only inspiration, but also clear, actionable tools for choosing plant partners that truly shine better together
Caitlin Francke is the founder of Dirt Diva Designs, a full-service landscape design firm in Chatham, New Jersey. A former journalist and social media executive — twice nominated for Pulitzer Prizes — she discovered that her true joy comes from designing outdoor spaces, or as she puts it, creating happiness from the ground up. Trained at the New York Botanical Garden’s School of Professional Horticulture, Caitlin writes for Fine Gardening magazine and her work has been featured on Martha Stewart. But she doesn’t take it all too seriously: she wrote a ‘Tiny Love’ column for The New York Times about breaking up with a plant.
HHG Members $30
Non-members $40 (includes admission to the garden)
Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Road
Washington, CT 06759
5/30/26
Better Together: Designing with Plant Combinations
Barn Talk: Secrets to a Successful Cutting Garden
10:00am-11:30am
Ready to grow your own gorgeous bouquets? Let flower farmer Elizabeth Brown, author of the brand-new The Beginner’s Cut Flower Garden, show you how to plan, design and cultivate a joyful cutting garden. Learn to build a cohesive color palette that looks great in the garden and in the vase. Discover “cut-and-come-again” varieties that truly earn their keep. Find out how succession planting techniques can keep your buckets full of blooms all season long. Elizabeth will also share her favorite tips for growing healthier plants, making the most of small spaces, and creating sustainable flower arrangements right from your backyard. If you’ve ever dreamed of harvesting your own fresh flowers, this session is the perfect place to start. You’ll leave feeling excited—and ready—to grow a cutting garden of your own.
Following the presentation, enjoy light refreshments and meet Elizabeth as she signs copies of her new book. To be assured of a copy, we recommend purchasing one with your reservation.
Elizabeth Brown is the owner of Foxglove Farmhouse, a regenerative cut flower garden in coastal Maine that brings fresh blooms to the local community. She believes flowers have the power to heal, connect, and bring joy—often when we need it most. Through Foxglove Farmhouse, Elizabeth offers in-person workshops and virtual learning opportunities for beginner gardeners via her digital hub. A Maine Master Gardener volunteer and certified therapeutic horticulturist, she is the author of The Beginner’s Cut Flower Garden, newly published by Timber Press.
HHG Members $30
Non-members $40 (includes admission to the garden)
Book $28
Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Road
Washington, CT 06759
5/16/26
Secrets to a Successful Cutting Garden
Barn Talk: Skip the Mulch! Native Ground Cover Solutions
10:00am-11:30am
Say goodbye to boring mulch and hello to a living carpet of flowers and foliage! Let horticulturist Dr. Duncan Himmelman introduce you to a versatile mix of resilient native plants—and a few well-behaved exotics—that act as living mulch, nourishing soil, suppressing weeds, retaining moisture, and attracting wildlife. He’ll show you how to select and combine the right plants for sun or shade, dry or damp, and care for them in ways that will boost both the beauty and long-term health of your garden. Learn how to kick the mulch habit and embrace a better alternative.
Duncan Himmelman, PhD, earned his doctorate at Cornell University and taught horticultural science at the college level for 24 years. He later directed adult education programs at the New York Botanical Garden and Mt. Cuba Center, a public garden in Delaware dedicated to native plant conservation. In retirement, he continues to share his passion for plants through teaching, landscape design, and advocating for ecologically sustainable gardening practices.
HHG Members $30
Non-members $40 (includes admission to the garden)
Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Road
Washington, CT 06759
5/2/26
Skip the Mulch! Native Ground Cover Solutions
Barn Talk: The Tasteful Garden: Kitchen Garden Favorites with White Flower Farm
10:00am-11:30am
White Flower Farm Nursery Manager Barbara Pierson shares her favorite plant selections for today’s kitchen gardens. Drawing from the farm’s extensive trial gardens, Barb will spotlight outstanding edible varieties—including proven All-America Selections (AAS) winners—that deliver great flavor, high performance, and reliability. She’ll share practical, low-maintenance growing techniques, along with smart choices for small spaces and patio containers. Essential cultural basics will also be covered, including soil preparation, fertilizing, spacing, managing insects and disease, and knowing when and how to harvest for the best flavor. Along the way, you’ll discover creative ways to pair edibles with ornamentals to create beautiful, productive combinations that not only look great, but also attract pollinators and support a healthy garden ecosystem.
Barb Pierson is celebrating 26 years as Nursery Manager at White Flower Farm in Litchfield, CT. Her responsibilities include greenhouse production of hundreds of species of plants including vegetables. As Kitchen Garden trial manager, she grows dozens of new and heirloom vegetables assessing their performance for vigor, harvest and taste. In 2025, WFF became an All-American Selections trial garden further expanding the selection of seed varieties for both ornamentals and edibles. Barb heads up the biological control program at WFF, and all edibles are grown using natural methods. She is a graduate of Cornell University and grew up in a family greenhouse business. Her passions include the fascinating world of plants and mentoring future gardeners.
HHG Members $30
Non-members $40 (includes admission to the garden)
Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Road
Washington, CT 06759
4/25/26
The Tasteful Garden: Kitchen Garden Favorites with White Flower Farm
Barn Talk: Signs of Spring: Connecticut’s Ephemerals and Early Risers
10:00am-11:30am
The first signs of spring appear in forms both subtle and spectacular. While the horticultural industry highlights familiar favorites like crocuses, snowdrops, and daffodils, it is our native flora that truly reveal the start of spring in Connecticut. Join field botanist Heather Liljengren for an engaging introduction to our local early risers – the enchanting native ephemerals, graceful sedges and flowering trees that are our true harbingers of spring. Learn what signs to look for on your own walks and woodland explorations as our New England landscape begin to wake up.
Heather Liljengren is the owner of LocalLand Consulting LLC and has over 17 years of professional experience botanizing throughout the Mid-Atlantic and New England. She works closely with land trusts, farmers, landscape design firms, and homeowners to support the management, conservation, and restoration of native flora and regional habitats. Her extensive knowledge of local plant communities is grounded in her experience managing native seed collection programs for government agencies and nonprofit organizations.
HHG Members $30
Non-members $40 (includes admission to the garden)
Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Road
Washington, CT 06759
4/18/26
Signs of Spring: Connecticut’s Ephemerals and Early Risers
Barn Talk: A Garden in Dialogue: Place and Practice
10:00am -11:30am
The 2026 Barn Talk season proudly opens with Bedford, NY-based landscape designer Leslie Needham, who invites us to embrace garden design as a continuous conversation. Every garden speaks through materials, familiar forms, and seasonal rhythm. Drawing from years of hands-on experience, Leslie will explore ways designers and gardeners can thoughtfully respond to place, sharing easy design strategies that bring clarity and intention to nature-inspired gardens. Join us and discover how loosening the pursuit of perfection can open space for joy, adaptability, and a deeper relationship with our gardens and surrounding landscape.
Leslie Needham is a gardener, landscape designer, writer, and lecturer whose work is grounded in sustainable, place-based design. Her home landscape, River Hills, was selected for the Smithsonian Institution’s Archives of American Gardens. Her work has been featured in Martha Stewart Living, The New York Times, and Gardenista, and she has been a guest on Margaret Roach’s podcast, A Way to Garden. She is the founder and principal of Leslie Needham Design, a landscape design firm based in Bedford, New York.
HHG Members $30
Non-members $40 (includes admission to the garden)
Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Road
Washington, CT 06759
4/11/26
A Garden in Dialogue: Place and Practice
You’re Invited!
Join Litchfield Montessori School for an evening of celebration and community at our Gala & Silent Auction on Friday, February 27, from 5:30–8:30 p.m. at The Litchfield Inn.
Enjoy delicious passed hors d’oeuvres, wine and beer generously donated by Clocktown Brewing Company, exciting silent auction items and door prizes, and live music by Myron and the Jam Fam.
Proceeds from the event support Litchfield Montessori School and its mission to provide hands-on, child-centered education.
Tickets: $75 early bird and $100 week of event
Guests must be 21+
We hope to see you there!
The Litchfield Inn
432 Bantam Rd
Litchfield, CT 06759
https://litchfieldmontessori.org/annual-gala
