Gracious Gardens
of
Shaker Heights
Celebrating 10 Years of Gracious Gardens
It’s almost time for the Shaker
Historical Society’s annual
rendezvous with all things garden.
The tenth annual Gracious Gardens
Extravaganza Weekend will be held
Saturday and Sunday, June 14-15.
Landscape designer Ann Cicarella,
and Margaret Ransohoff, gardener
extraordinaire, are the co-chairs of
the weekend.
“Ann and I explore Shaker
Heights every year looking for the
right mix of gardens, from larger
managed properties to smaller do-ityourself
gardens,” says Ransohoff.
“Tour-goers are treated to elegant
hidden swimming pools, stone
terraces, shady pergolas, sunken
gardens, bocce courts, and romantic
garden rooms.”
The tour is Sunday, June 15,
from 1 to 5 pm, and will feature eight
beautiful gardens, including a Japanese
garden on Parkland Drive. Tickets are
$20 in advance and $25 on tour day.
The tour is self-guided; maps are on
each ticket. Lolly the Trolley and the
Euclid Beach Rocket Car will ferry
garden visitors to each garden for $25.
The kickoff event is Twilight in
the Garden, an evening benefit party
(Great Gatsby-style) under the stars
on Saturday, June 14, from 6 to 10
pm. This year, Twilight in the Garden
comes full circle with the party being
held at the first home to host the
party 10 years ago – a magnificent
South Park Boulevard residence
designed by Meade and Hamilton in
1913. The house was commissioned
by W.J. Cashman, secretary for the
Grasselli Chemical Company.
Tickets to Twilight in the Garden
are $175. The event includes drinks,
hors d’oeuvres, live music, valet
parking, and dinner catered by J.
Pistone Market and Gathering Place.
All proceeds from the tour and
party support the educational programs
of the Shaker Historical Society.
The third event in the weekend
trifecta is the return of last year’s
successful Gracious Gardens Fair on
Margaret Ransohoff & Ann Cicarella
the grounds of the Shaker Historical
Society, 16740 South Park Boulevard.
The fair is Saturday, June 14,
from 10 am to 4 pm, and Sunday
from noon until 5 pm. The familyoriented
event features handmade
crafts, garden antiques, unusual
plants, permaculture, food, kids
arts and crafts, alpacas, chickens,
upcycled goods, and live music.
Gavin the blacksmith will be back
to create another beautiful decorative
garden gate for a raffle. The Society
of Northeast Ohio Brewers, one of
Ohio’s oldest home brewing clubs, will
also be on hand to demonstrate how
to make your own craft beer.
Call 216.921.1201 for information
or go to shakerhistory.com. SL