“The purpose is to preserve Grandmothers’ Garden” located on land donated to Westfield by the late Albert Steiger in honor of his mother, Mary Steiger, said O’Connell.
8.9.10 Photo by Manon L. Mirabelli Grandmothers' Garden on Smith Avenue in Westfield .WESTFIELD – The Garden Committee for Grandmothers’ Garden has scheduled a tour of five private Westfield gardens as part of its annual fund-raiser to finance continued maintenance at the Smith Avenue Grandmother’s Garden created in 1929.
The 13th annual tour is scheduled for June 25 and 26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and keeping with tradition, the committee will not announce the specific locations of the gardens until that time, founding member Mary L. O’Connell.
“The five gardens, along with Grandmothers’ Garden, will offer participants with a wide variety of plant life, some including water attractions as well,” O’Connell said.
The tour and garden party is entitled “Sweet Summertime.”
The fund-raising events actually kick off on June 24 at 6 p.m. with a Garden Party and silent auction at the home of Robert M. and Sandra S. Watkins in Southwick.
“This is our sixth year of hosting the party,” Robert Watkins said last week.
“It is fun and it raises money for Grandmothers’ Garden. That funding source is important to the continued upkeep and maintenance at the garden,” he said.
The party will feature entertainment by Curran & Company and will be catered by Westfield’s School Street Bistro. Tickets for the party are $40. Tickets for the two-day tour are $20, $15 for seniors. A combined party-tour ticket is $55.
Tickets can be secured by contacting the Watkins at (413) 569-5562 or Bernadette Toomey at (413) 562-9404.
Several gardens on the tour include ponds and waterfalls; one is a Mediterranean garden that includes grape vines and another stonework and art pieces.
A 2011 Heritage Garden is also on the tour. That garden is a repeat from one toured five or more years ago, providing an update on maturity and expansion of the garden.
Annually, the garden committee raises an average of $25,000 from the tour to benefit Grandmother’s Garden, O’Connell said.
“The purpose is to preserve Grandmothers’ Garden” located on land donated to Westfield by the late Albert Steiger in honor of his mother, Mary Steiger, said O’Connell.
Friends of Grandmothers’ Garden has worked since its founding in 1994 to restore the garden.
Information about Grandmothers’ Garden can be found online at