Pittsburgh Symphony garden tour features 12 urban sanctuaries

In the midst of Pittsburgh, homeowners create oases of calm and color in carefully tended gardens.

The public will have the opportunity to peek inside 12 of those gardens in Shadyside and Squirrel Hill during the Symphony Splendor Garden Tour, a benefit for Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

Hosted by the Pittsburgh Symphony Association, the tour is scheduled for 11 a.m.-5 p.m. June 27.

“The Symphony Splendor committee has selected a bumper crop of … urban sanctuaries that are ablaze with floral fireworks, lavish beds and borders, soothing spaces with splashing water and darting elegant fish, formal and informal gardens where wonders never cease — including one of the most talked-about botanical marvels: a Smithsonian Institution-designated garden,” said Jean Horne, the association’s chair of media marketing.

“There isn’t a single wallflower among them, and many have never been open to the public before,” she said.

Gardens on the tour have various sizes and themes, Horne said, with features including cozy Victorian touches, koi ponds and other water features, raised beds, patios and even a Greek-style temple imported from England that functions as a gazebo.

“These 12 gardens are just glorious pieces of real estate,” said Cathy Trombetta, event chair and association vice president. “You get a real sense of tranquility being in the midst of them.”

This is the first time the association has mounted a garden tour, Trombetta said, having previously presented six holiday home tours in support of the symphony.

An outdoor event made more sense in the aftermath of pandemic restrictions, she said.

Members of the garden tour committee reached out to their networks of friends and associates to find homeowners willing to open their gardens to visitors.

“We thought we’d start with Shadyside, because our first holiday home tour was in Shadyside,” Trombetta said.

The committee decided to limit garden locations to Shadyside and Squirrel Hill because they are centrally located within the city.

“I thought I’d have five gardens if I was lucky, and we ended up with 12,” Trombetta said. “All of our gardens are so diverse, and the (owners) are so proud of what they’ve created.”

Docents will be present in the gardens to direct foot traffic and to answer questions, Horne said. As a bonus, symphony musicians — solo or in small ensembles — will be playing in some of the gardens.

The self-guided tour will take place rain or shine. Registered tour-goers will check in using their receipts at the Mansions on Fifth Hotel, 5105 Fifth Ave., Shadyside, where they will receive their tickets and brochures listing garden locations and information about each.

No one will be admitted to a garden without the brochure.

Bus transportation is available to all 12 gardens for an additional $45, paid in advance. Seating is limited.

Details: 412-392-3303 or pittsburghsymphonyassociation.org