Pocket Gardens of Portsmouth Garden Tour

The 22nd Annual South Church Pocket Gardens of Portsmouth Garden Tour takes places this year in Portsmouth's historic South End.

The tour will focus on gardens in neighborhoods in the Strawberry Banke area - bounded by Court Street and Marcy Street in Portsmouth, and reaching along New Castle Avenue to Pleasant Point Drive.

A unique feature of the tour will be the presence of local musicians performing in several of the gardens. Listening to the music while rambling through the gardens is self-indulgence of the best kind. You are also likely to see a painter or other artist creating in the shade of a lovely garden.

The gardens on tour are a study in contrasts, from expansive, professionally landscaped gardens to lovingly tended works in progress.

Tickets, $17 in advance and $20 on the days of the tour, will be available starting May 1 at South Church, (603) 436-4762.

Tickets include descriptions of the gardens, the official tour map, and other useful information.