May 6, 2025
Trade Secrets, Finding the Roots of a Renowned Garden Event
Photos by Anne Day
By Cynthia Hochswender
Trade Secrets draws thousands of plant enthusiasts from all over America each year for curated tours of Litchfield and Dutchess County gardens, and a massive Rare Plant and Garden Antiques Sale.
But 25 years ago, when it was founded by New York City designer Bunny Williams, it was a tiny sale held on the Falls Village estate where Williams and husband John Rosselli make their home.
“It’s hard to believe that 25 years have flown by since the first Trade Secrets was held on our property, the brainchild of myself and Naomi Blumenthal,” Williams recalls. “We had extra plants we decided to sell; and I suggested that we ask some antique dealer friends to join. The sales, if there were any, would benefit Women’s Support Services (now called Project SAGE).
“Every year now from November to May, “with the help of Deborah Munson and countless helpers, we work to create an event that will be so organized it will be a pleasure for all who attend, as well as for the vendors who work so hard to bring their merchandise and set up their booths.”
About 600 people attended Trade Secrets in 2001; more than 2,000 turned out for the 2025 sale, held for the third time at the racetrack at Lime Rock Park. In 2001, there were 30 vendors at the Rare Plant and Garden Antiques sale. This year there will be close to 50.
Garden enthusiasts travel each year from as far away as California and Texas to shop the tents featuring garden design items from New England artisans and famed design retailers. The plants are also, as the name suggests, usually rare variations on beloved plants, with some vendors specializing in a specific bloom such as peonies or daffodils.
The sale has changed locations over the years and is now held at the Lime Rock Park racetrack, on Sunday (when there is no racing); the garden tours are Saturday.
One tent at the Sunday sale this year will be an information center about Project SAGE, a nonprofit domestic violence agency that serves several Litchfield County towns. The services that the organization offers are wide ranging, with everything from a 24-hour crisis hotline to legal advocacy and help with finding housing. The community in towns served by SAGE in Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts steps up, serving on the board, offering support to clients, and literally rolling up their sleeves each year to plan and execute Trade Secrets.
“Months of work happen before the event weekend,” Williams says. “Organizing vendors, tents, catering, underwriting. On the days of the actual events, hundreds volunteer to host gardens, and to coordinate and run the many aspects of the sale. It is this dedication by the whole community working together that has made Trade Secrets such a success. We are also grateful to Lime Rock Park for providing us with such a perfect location.”
At the opening night cocktail party this year, Trade Secrets will honor Williams along with founding gardeners Blumenthal and Munson; as well as Judy Sheridan, former executive director of Women’s Support Services / Project SAGE.
Saturday will be a return to the garden tour’s roots, with some of the earlier featured gardens among the five locations. Williams’ gardens will, as always, be included; returning this year are the garden of Douglas Thomas in Salisbury; the West Cornwall garden of Michael Trapp; and the Millbrook garden of Christopher Spitzmiller and Anthony Bellomo. Also featured this year are the gardens at Innisfree in Millbrook.—tradesecretsct.com.
