Fueling America’s passion for gardens, the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days program annually celebrates the country’s most exciting, creative, and innovative private gardens. This year, SCHS’ shade garden at Brouwer House Creative will be open, along with several others in Schenectady and Niskayuna.

Sited in New York’s first historic district and hidden behind one of the area’s oldest homes awaits a reimagined and ever-evolving green space designed for pollinators. What started out as just a basic clean up and weeding gig soon evolved into a growing collection of both native species and rare ornamentals with attracting hummingbirds and other pollinators in mind. Visitors should be on the lookout for hummingbirds, along with various types of butterflies and bees before being smitten by the secret shade garden only revealed by ducking under an archway smothered by our native “Dutchman’s Pipe.” This garden’s estimated size is ¼ acre.

Open Days 2024: Saturday, July 20
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Details and registration at https://www.gardenconservancy.org/open-days/garden-directory/50-shades-of-green