Each June, the Wakefield Estate welcomes visitors to celebrate the annual blooming of hundreds of Polly Wakefield's kousa dogwood trees. Starting Sunday, June 14th, Dogwood Days is a week full of special events, including open hours, guided tours, a bonsai workshop, a "Wine, Cheese, and Trees" tour, tree sale, and a special Father's Day version of "Dogs and Dogwoods," complete with a local craft beer sampling! The grounds will be open daily for self-guided walks around the formal gardens where hundreds of kousa dogwoods will be at their peak bloom. Admission to all events is a $5 suggested donation. In 

Program highlights include:

Sunday, June 14: Garden Conservancy Greater Boston Open Day 

Each year hundreds of exceptional gardens nationwide are selected to participate in The Garden Conservancy's Open Days program. Once again this year, the Mary M. B. Wakefield Charitable Trust is partnering with The Garden Conservancy to organize "Greater Boston Area Open Days." Begin your day at the Wakefield Estate, pick up a map and head out to see five other remarkable gardens which also have rich historical pedigrees as family estates, most with ties to two great "gardenmakers" of the early twentieth century: Fletcher Steele and the Olmsted Brothers firm of Brookline. For more information about Greater Boston Open Day, visit the Garden Conservancy's Open Days Program website. A guided tour of the Wakefield Estate will be offered at 1:00 pm, rain or shine.

Monday, June 15 - Saturday, June 20

During Dogwood Days week-long celebration, the estate will be open to the public daily from 10am-4pm for self-guided garden tours and plant sale. Stroll about the estate grounds and formal gardens to view hundreds of breathtaking kousa dogwoods at their peak bloom. Plein air artists are invited to capture the blooming dogwoods on canvas. If your garden club or organization would like a private guided tour, please call us at (617) 333-0924.

You won't want to miss these special events:

Thursday, June 18 - 6:00-7:30pm:  Wine, Cheese & Trees Tour

Enjoy light refreshments while strolling the formal gardens and learn about the history of the estate's signature trees.  Donation suggested; RSVP at 617-333-0924.

Saturday, June 20 - 11:00am: Bonsai Workshop

Learn how to create your own bonsai during this one-hour session. Self-taught veteran bonsai maker Fred Trusten will guide participants in creating their own bonsai. All materials will be provided. $25/members; $35/non-members.

Registration required; call 617-333-0924 x22.

The week-long celebration winds up with our Dogs and Dogwoods Day, and this year it falls on Father's Day, so it will be Dads, Dogs, and Dogwoods! Families are invited to visit with their four-legged family members in tow and join in an informal dog show at 1:00. For more info, click here. At 2:00: Local Craft Beer Sampling - Bring Dad out on Father's Days to sample some great locally brewed craft beers. 

Copyright The Patriot Ledger/Gary Higgins.