Your guide to the heart of Litchfield County:
Discover local stories, hidden gems, and must-know events.

When Judy and Patrick Murphy founded Old Farm in 1988, they built something thoughtful and significant: a landscape business rooted in hard work, attention to detail, and a respect for the land that outlasts any single season. Decades later, their son Greg carries that foundation forward, not by replicating it, but by evolving it.

“It’s grounding and challenging at the same time,” he says of inheriting a legacy. “Carrying that forward means protecting that foundation while evolving my personal approach to landscape design.”

That evolution recently took a new turn. Two years ago, Old Farm closed its retail nursery and sharpened its focus entirely on landscape design, installation, and long-term project management. It’s a more personal, more design-driven operation now, carrying every project from concept through construction and into ongoing care. “You’re only as good as your last job and your last happy client,” Murphy says, and the model is built around that accountability.

The nursery stock hasn’t disappeared. The property maintains a significant inventory of specimen trees, shrubs, and perennials, sourced through grower relationships spanning nearly 40 years and serves the firm’s own projects. Plants are available to anyone who asks, and watching that material leaf out and grow through the seasons is, Murphy says, the most helpful preview a client could ask for when selecting a tree or shrub for a site.

The setting itself is instructive. Old Farm occupies an early 1800s farmstead in the Litchfield Hills, where acres of display gardens have matured over decades alongside the family that tends them. The cluster of old structures and barns, the spaces between them, the way the land sits within its surroundings, all of it informs the work. “It motivates me to always consider whatever I am designing as part of a greater context,” he explains.

Old Farm’s process begins with a site walk and a conversation about how clients want to live in their space. Some properties call for a full master plan organizing circulation, structure, and plantings. Others need focused attention in specific areas. “Establishing relationships with clients that are more than transactional is important to me,” he says. “There is something personal about landscape design, just as there is something personal about interior design.”

Litchfield County demands a particular kind of respect when it comes to gardens. The rocky, hilly terrain and unforgiving climate leave little room for plants that can’t cope with a variable environment. Much of that sensibility traces back to his mother. Judy, who trained as a landscape architect at Cornell, built an extraordinary reputation in the county through patience, intuition, and what her son describes as an adaptive quality that is invaluable in the field. “It starts with the balance between expertise and restraint,” he says, “and requires you to check your ego.” But the fun is getting to wear all types of hats as every project is unique.

As for the most common mistake he sees? Thinking in pieces instead of as a whole. “Without structure and purpose, a landscape can feel disjointed,” he says. “I encourage homeowners to understand their real goal with a clear framework. Everything else follows more naturally from there.”—oldfarm.com

Scott’s Nursery and Landscaping has been a well established part of the Litchfield County landscape for decades, but 2021 marked a new chapter for the community-cherished garden center. Three longstanding employees, Colleen, Jared, and Jose, were given the opportunity to take over the established business and have since grown it into an award winning operation–elevating the much-loved business to new heights. Colleen brings nursery and business expertise. Jared leads landscaping design. Jose has an artist’s eye for masonry. Together they have taken something already beloved and made it better.

The nursery prioritizes plants sourced from local growers, a decision rooted in both quality and sustainability. Shorter transportation times mean less stress on the plants and a stronger likelihood they are already adapted to the region. That regional nuance matters more here than most places. Litchfield County’s varied elevations, valleys, lakes, and forests create a patchwork of growing conditions that even federal climate mapping doesn’t fully capture. To account for this, all trees, shrubs, and perennials sold in the nursery or specified for projects are selected to withstand the coldest winters this region can deliver. Choosing the right plant for the right spot, as the team puts it, makes all the difference.

The selection is broad. Scott’s carries trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, and tropicals. Native plant varieties have been significantly expanded in recent years and remain among the most requested. Deer-resistant options, a perennial ask in this part of Connecticut, are well represented. Scott’s is also a Certified Proven Winners Garden Center, carrying a full assortment of that highly regarded plant line. Water gardening essentials, including pond plants, round out the inventory. New for 2026 is a stunning waterfall and pond display on the nursery grounds, well worth a visit on its own.

For those considering a landscaping or hardscaping project, the process begins with a property visit. The team meets with the client, analyzes the space, and talks through wants, needs, and budget. Estimates and drawings follow, with permits secured when required. Clients are invited to visit the nursery to see and weigh in on the materials being selected, keeping the process collaborative from start to finish. The result is an investment that grows in value over time, whether the goal is updated foundation plantings, a water feature, or a patio that extends the living space of the home.

Beyond installation, Scott’s offers fine gardening services for clients who want attentive, ongoing care. Weeding and mulching are the baseline. Perennial bed care, including cutting back, dividing, transplanting, and pruning, is available for those who want more. Seasonal planter displays, gardening programs, and fertilization services for both beds and lawns keep properties looking their best year-round. Proper, knowledgeable care, the team is quick to note, helps plants not just survive but thrive.

Organic tick spraying and deer deterrent programs are also available, for when what you have planted is exactly what the deer had in mind.

Scott’s Nursery and Landscaping is located in New Milford. —scottsnurseryandlandscaping.com.

Abbey Taylor’s path to founding Everything Botanical began long before the business did. A student of horticultural therapy who completed greenhouse internships and studied business, she noticed a persistent problem in the green industry: too many vendors, too little accountability. In 2008, she launched Everything Botanical in Washington with a simple premise: one point of contact for everything plant-related.

Patrick Taylor came into the picture not long after, drawn in by both the work and the woman behind it. A Marist College graduate who grew up in Syracuse, he joined the company in 2011 and has since become a Board Certified Master Arborist, Registered Consulting Arborist, and licensed arborist in Connecticut.

Together, they’ve built a business that extends well beyond a traditional landscape company, combining custom plant production, advanced arboricultural consulting, and a software platform designed to bring clarity and coordination to the green industry.

The name Everything Botanical sets high expectations. How do you define what the business is, and what does it cover?
It started as a way to explain our services: we handle all things plant-related, but not construction or non-plant services. Over time, it has evolved into a full-spectrum partner, spanning custom growing, landscape stewardship, arboricultural consulting, and the systems we’ve developed to manage that work more effectively.

Abbey, you clearly have a deep love of plants. How did that passion develop, and what does it mean to you to build this business from the ground up?
When I was eight, I planted tomato seeds in an egg carton. Almost 200 germinated. My mom took me to Maple Bank Farm, where they showed me how to transplant them and even gave me pots and soil. My parents signed me up for a craft fair to sell them. I loved everything about it: the anticipation, the care, and sharing them with others. I always knew I wanted to build a company. Even now, it’s not static. It’s an ongoing process of finding better ways to serve our clients, our team, and the environment.

From feeding and pruning to cabling, Patrick’s work is about keeping trees healthy for the long term. What are the most common issues facing Litchfield County properties?
While invasive pests tend to receive the most attention, the majority of tree issues we see begin in the soil. Our approach starts with understanding the site, through soil testing, evaluating compaction, and reviewing pruning practices and prior treatments, thendeveloping integrated care plans.

Litchfield County is home to some extraordinary gardens and estates. What does precision care of a large property actually involve?
It comes down to attention to detail. We prioritize quality over growth and often maintain a waitlist to uphold that standard. This includes soil testing, proper amendments, correct mulch use, and thoughtful plant placement. We focus on long-term health and problem-solving, supported by a high-quality team and systems that allow us to manage properties consistently over time.

What do you wish more people in Litchfield County knew about Everything Botanical?
Many people still see us through a fairly narrow lens, but our scope of work is broader. We custom grow plant material and are deeply involved in tree care and consulting, particularly in situations that require long-term planning or evaluation. We’ve also developed a software platform, now used by other companies in the green industry, that supports how this work is managed, bringing together client communication, task tracking, and decision-making in a way that reflects how complex these properties really are. —EverythingBotanical.com

Barbara Pierson has shaped the legendary White Flower Farm nursery in Morris for 26 years, bringing deep expertise and genuine passion to one of Litchfield County’s most beloved institutions. Here, she shares her five favorite edibles from the farm’s kitchen garden. She uses the word “edibles” intentionally, since tomatoes and other food crops are technically fruits, not vegetables.

FRENCH TARRAGON
One of the best-tasting and easiest herbs to grow. It is perennial, so it returns year after year to give you fresh tarragon for your favorite recipes. It thrives in full sun to partial shade and loves to be cut.

DILL ‘BOUQUET’
Dill is easy to grow and returns via seedlings each year. Not only is it wonderful in recipes and as a garnish, it also attracts swallowtail caterpillars, a favorite sight in any garden.

TOMATO ‘CHOCOLATE SPRINKLES’
Every year this tomato produces dozens of cherry tomatoes that are beautiful to look at and even better to eat. With a flavor similar to ‘Cherokee Purple,’ they are savory, sweet, and disease-resistant.

CUCUMBER ‘PATIO SNACKER’
An incredibly productive variety that thrives in a raised bed or container. Easy to grow and can be picked at any stage for multiple uses.

PEPPER ‘PICK AND POP YELLOW’
A new favorite and an All-America Selections winner, this pepper really delivers here in Connecticut.

Amid the Litchfield Hills, No. 1 New York Times-bestselling author Gabby Bernstein has found a sanctuary, one where she embraces life’s gentler rhythms with her husband and son and the quiet that nourishes the soul.

“Litchfield County holds a really special place in my heart,” reflects the long-time resident, renowned motivational speaker, and self-help guru behind the “Dear Gabby” weekly podcast. “It’s where I slow down, surrounded by nature and a sense of peace that’s hard to find elsewhere. It brings me back to what truly matters and reminds me how powerful it is to create space to just be, reconnect, and listen to my inner guidance.”

Growing up in New York, Bernstein’s path hasn’t always been tranquil. “Years of struggling with anxiety, addiction, and deep disconnection” took their toll and shaped her early life. Through perseverance and spiritual practice, she discovered tools that transformed her inner world and now shares them with millions worldwide via her website and TV appearances, including “The Drew Barrymore Show,” “Good Morning America,” and Oprah’s “Super Soul” podcast. Currently on “The Time To Trust Live Tour,” she empowers audiences from New York to London and Vancouver. The event marks a decade since the release of The Universe Has Your Back, which sold more than 1 million copies, paving the way for more than another dozen best-sellers.

Her approach, rooted in “lived experience,” resonates with audiences, making them feel less alone and more hopeful.

At the heart of Bernstein’s teaching is Internal Family Systems (IFS), a therapy that sees the mind as composed of different “inner parts” needing understanding and healing. After discovering its power in her own life, she completed IFS Institute practitioner training and explored the framework in her book Self Help, which guides audiences “back to their own sense of safety within.” “I believe that everyone has the capacity to heal, but healing doesn’t mean erasing the past,” she says. “It means changing your relationship to it.”

By abandoning self-judgment, avoidance, and “the need to control,” individuals can “witness their thoughts and feelings with compassion” and loosen the grip of negative mental habits, Bernstein reflects. “That shift, from judgment to compassion, is everything,” she says, explaining that in everyday life, healing shows up quietly but meaningfully: pausing instead of reacting, and “choosing to respond from compassion rather than fear.” “In relationships, it looks like taking responsibility for triggers instead of projecting them onto someone else,” she notes. “In your career, it’s trusting intuition instead of over-controlling outcomes. It’s not perfect, but over time, those small shifts create big change.” Prayer, meditation, and simple rituals, a hand on the heart, a deep breath, or a mantra of gratitude, anchor Bernstein in chaotic moments. These “inner luxuries” are accessible to everyone, whether on a Litchfield County trail, a country road, or a city train. “Living your dream life is feeling at home within yourself,” she says. “Your inner world creates your outer experience. When you feel safe, supported, and aligned within, your life begins to reflect that.” —gabbybernstein.com

By Clementina Verge
Photographs by Rana Faure

Step inside George Home, a space where Mid-Century Modern, vintage, and antique treasures come together. Part of the Titus Road Design Collective in Washington Depot, the store is a design lover’s dream, offering thoughtfully curated furnishings, art, lighting, and accessories to infuse elegance into any room.

Since its founding in 2017, George Home has been celebrated for its eclectic and ever-evolving selection. When it recently went up for sale, it was a perfect fit for Peter Nichols and Greg Domres, former New York residents who have called the Litchfield Hills home for nearly a decade.

When the store reopened in March, it unveiled new collections reflecting Nichols’ and Domres’ decades of experience in fashion, retail, and home design, while continuing to honor its reputation for quality and distinction.

“We want to uphold the legacy and trust that customers have in George, but also evolve, adding more whimsy, color, and a bit of unexpectedness,” says Nichols, who spent more than 20 years as a buyer in the luxury sector, working in London, Hong Kong, and New York with globally respected names including Michael Kors and NET-A-PORTER.

The sentiment is echoed by Domres, his business partner and husband, whose decades-long career spans some of the most influential names in the home industry, including a ten-year tenure at John Derian Company and work with Nickey Kehoe Collection in New York City.

Domres, a longtime chenille stem artist, shares with Nichols a deep love for beautiful, thoughtfully curated pieces, ensuring every item in the collection has style, character, and timeless appeal.

George Home mixes sensibility, fashion, and global perspectives, ranging from Mid-Century Modern English antiques to handcrafted bowls and the work of local artists. From Qing Dynasty tea tables and lacquer chairs to traditional American folk art and glazed pottery spanning the hemispheres, the store caters to every corner of the home, from Italian mirrors to hand-stitched linen pillows, glazed vases, candles, and hostess gifts.

Expect to find limited-edition, oneof- a-kind Dumais Made lamps designed in Bantam, Woodward Weave rugs– handmade and inspired by historical designs–abstract paintings by local artist Heather Neilson, and other exceptional finds.

Now offering extended hours, George Home is also participating in Second Saturday, a monthly event sponsored by the Titus Road Design Collective that offers an inspiring afternoon of design, art, and fashion. Guests can stroll, sip, and shop while exploring new collections, exhibitions, and collaborative showcases at George Home and fellow members KMR Arts, Pasquale et Maurice Home, Eckert Fine Art, and The Pinnacle CT.

From rare antiques to statement lighting and bespoke works of art, George Home is a destination where elegance and eclectic charm converge. In an age defined by passing trends, Nichols and Domres are committed to offering something far more lasting: new layers of inspiration where storied objects and contemporary design intersect, inviting clients to create spaces that feel personal and effortlessly refined.—georgehomect.com

There’s a particular  kind of paralysis that comes with owning a beautiful second home in Litchfield County. The house sits empty between your visits, sometimes for weeks, sometimes months, and somewhere in the back of your mind, you know it could be earning. But the mental image that follows tends to stop the conversation cold: strangers in your kitchen, a booking platform that treats your 1790 farmhouse like a commodity, a 2 am phone call about a broken pipe.

Martin and Emma, the founders of Hearthstone & Co., have heard every version of this hesitation. They built their company precisely around it.

“We kept seeing the same thing,” says Martin. “Stunning Litchfield County second homes sitting empty while their owners dreaded the idea of renting. We knew there was a better way, one that was genuinely hands off, trustworthy, and built around the character of this county.”

That better way looks, in practice, like a full-service management partnership that handles everything from the first listing photograph to post-checkout care: dynamic pricing, guest vetting, 24/7 support, vendor coordination, and what Martin calls “local concierge care.” What it doesn’t look like is a platform. “We’re not a platform,” he says. “We’re a partner.”

The distinction matters. Short term rental management, done properly, is a 24/7 operation, a real business with real protocols, not a side hustle dressed up in good photography. Hearthstone operates with more than 3,000 stays of experience behind it, which means their systems aren’t theoretical. “Our protocols are built from real situations,” Martin explains. “Every type of guest, every challenge, every curveball.”

The company is deliberately selective about which properties it takes on. Hearthstone’s portfolio is application-only: historic farmhouses, restored barns, lakeside estates, homes with what Martin describes as “the soul of Litchfield County” baked into their bones. The right property needs to be in excellent condition, and owned by someone who cares about it as much as Hearthstone does.

For owners still worried about losing access to their own property, the answer is unequivocal: you don’t. Calendars are designed around owners’ lives, with full personal use built in. “Owners keep full control of their calendar and stay informed without being burdened,” says Martin. “Their home is always protected and always earning.”

That word, protected, comes up often. Hearthstone approaches every property as an asset worth preserving, not simply monetizing, and their maintenance standards are calibrated accordingly. The typical Hearthstone guest is a discerning traveler: couples and families out of the city who want privacy, authenticity, and a real home, not a hotel experience. Guests are vetted. Homes are staged. And the standard held is consistent enough that many owners see their property’s value increase over time.

In a county that draws high end travelers precisely because it feels rare and unspoiled, that alignment of incentives is, perhaps, the point.

Hearthstone & Co. is currently accepting applications for a small number of new properties in 2026.
—hearthstonestays.co

Charles Choi is not interested in making products that merely work. For Choi, the founder of Korean skincare brand mimmua!, efficacy is the floor, not the ceiling. What he is after is something rarer: a product that feels worth wanting before you even open it.

“We think about the full arc of the customer experience,” he says, “from the moment the product arrives in the mail, to the first time someone sees the packaging, to the moment the formula touches their skin. That is what customers are paying for.”

It’s a philosophy that sets mimmua! apart in a crowded market, and one that Choi has built into every decision the brand makes. The mission, as he describes it, is built around a single idea: kissable skin. The daily ritual mimmua! offers is designed to give people a boost of confidence and self-love, while doing away with everything he finds clichéd about the beauty industry, the recycled formulas, the interchangeable packaging, the quiet assumption that functional is enough.

The brand’s best-selling product, the Volume UP Time Block Serum, is proof that the formula- plus-experience approach resonates. Its star ingredient is Volufiline, a patented compound developed by the French cosmetic ingredient maker Sederma. The formula combines a synthetic oil, an herbal extract called Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract, and vitamin E. It’s the saponins in the herbal extract that do the heavy lifting: lab testing shows they help differentiate at cells in the dermis, plumping skin from the inside out and softening fine lines, wrinkles, and sunken areas of the face. Testing also found that the ingredient performs best at a five percent concentration, which is precisely what the serum and moisturizer contain. The toning essence, by design, contains one percent, making it an ideal entry point for those who want to introduce Volufiline gradually.

The serum’s second active is Beta Glucan, sourced from Schizophyllum commune, a type of split gill mushroom. Long used in oral supplements for its health benefits, Beta Glucan is prized in skincare for its moisture retention and soothing properties. Studies suggest it is 20 percent more hydrating than Hyaluronic Acid, and it has no known side effects, suiting all skin types. That last point was not incidental to Choi. “Volufiline might not work for every skin type, just like any active ingredient,” he says. “I used Beta Glucan specifically to offset any irritation it might cause.” The pairing reflects a philosophy that runs through the entire line: proven ingredients, thoughtfully balanced, chosen not for trend but for function.

Even with limited marketing after launch, the serum found its audience quickly. Within two months, mimmua! was doing $10,000 in daily sales on Amazon, most of it driven by this single product. The Volume UP line has since grown to include a moisturizer, toning essence, and a 100 percent Volufiline oil.

Choi is also forthright about what he sees as a failure of imagination in the broader Korean skincare market. Most brands, he notes, trend toward minimal packaging, colorless and clinical, often dressed up as a kind of rigor. He finds it frustrating. “Being minimal has nothing to do with being clinical,” he says, “and too often it is simply a way to cut manufacturing costs.” His counterargument is right there in the name. Beauty should be beautiful. Not pretty (that’s subjective, he’s quick to note) but purposeful and desirable. Customers are not only paying for the formula. They are paying for the container and the experience. It’s a distinction that keeps mimmua!’s manufacturing costs high and, by all accounts, keeps its customers coming back.

The road ahead is ambitious. Mimmua! is currently in the process of entering Ulta, with a longer-term goal of moving into all major retail. The brand is already live on Amazon Canada, the UAE, and Australia, with Amazon Saudi Arabia launching next month and Europe to follow in June.

What is perhaps less expected is the philanthropic thread running through it all. Mimmua! currently supports single mothers in Korea through the Salvation Army, and Choi is candid about wanting to do more, particularly for children, not just in Korea but around the world. His goal is to donate a portion of profits from each country back to people in need within that country. The brand has always been about how you feel in your skin, he says. It seems right that it should also be about how other people feel in theirs.—mimmua.shop

On view from May 23 – July 5 , a new exhibition at Geary Contemporary in Salisbury, A Line, A Shape, A Tool, explores the possibilities of contemporary sculpture, from the conceptual and diagrammatic to the almost-figurative. Geary Contemporary will present the work of Sun You, Pooneh Maghazehe, Russell Maltz, and William Corwin in their newly expanded gallery spaces in Salisbury.

The exhibition’s title is drawn from the short story by Will Heinrich, who has envisioned a series of stories inspired by the artists’ works. In this story, he recreates an evolutionary process (think the first sequence in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey) in which a humanoid creature comprehends tools, memory, beauty, and utility, and begins to produce art. Conceptual sculpture is never without its visual and aesthetic aspect, and abstract and figurative sculpture will always have one foot in conceptual considerations; you can never exclude any of these ideas no matter how hard you try.

Geary will exhibit the works in dialogue with each other, allowing the viewer to juxtapose the simple inevitability of the geometries of Russell Maltz’s wall and floor-based installations with the writhing viscerality of Pooneh Maghazehe’s composite objects, and the light and colorful yet subtly dangerous assemblages of Sun You with the heavy, brooding cast-iron Art-Brut symbolic objects of William Corwin. Heinrich’s story will act as a primer for the show, attempting to follow (in a fictionalized interpretation) the line of reasoning that evolves into each sculptural subgenre. Opening reception May 23, 4–6 pm. Geary, 14 Main St, Salisbury—geary.nyc