Garden 1 | 2425 DRUMMOND
Some things old some things new but mostly blue
Master gardener, Tracy Tersigni has lived in old Orchard since 2003. This year the house is celebrating its 100 birthday. The house has the original slate roof, solid oak wooden floors throughout and original wood windows. The yard started out as a blank slate. She was able to develop a garden that she loved throughout the years. Her space includes five trees: Kwanzaa Cherry, two service berries, a redbud and a flowering pear. Multiple hydrangeas frame both front and backyards. A “ flower bed” in the peninsula of the yard showcases multiple perennials and blue annuals, and many other accents of Vintage garden items.
Behind the garage is a hidden vegetable garden. Tracy went to the original Old Orchard school from kindergarten to eighth grade, and has many former and current friends from the neighborhood.
Tracy sends many thanks to her longtime friend and arborist, Kevin McGreevy, for all his help throughout the 23 years!
Garden 2 | 2365 DRUMMOND
I would characterize my gardening style as whimsical; playful, appealing and amusing. When I purchased my home in 2017, there were old bushes covering most of the house. Those were removed, and the gardening began! I add more perennials each year, though still love to use containers with vivid flowers and colors. My grandkids live just around the corner, and I try to involve them as well. My 8 yr. old granddaughter cannot wait for Spring so I can open the garden shed and she can start to create. So, you will see a couple of areas that may not make sense to us adults, lol! I incorporate funny garden statues, a bee/butterfly/hummingbird hydration station, waterfalls, birdbaths, stepping stones, and lots of lighting for at night. To me, the most magical time to enjoy is in the evening when all of the yard lights come to life! Please enjoy my Whimsical Wonderland and Secret Garden, just a smile makes it all worthwhile!
Garden 3 | 2415 MEADOWWOOD
Joe and I are so happy to be back in Old Orchard after moving around the area over the last couple of years. We truly love our 1927 Tudor home and backyard; it is a dream come true for me. While Joe initially worried the yard might be too much maintenance, I have been enjoying the time spent outside—even if it takes a bit longer than the ten minutes a day I originally promised! It is wonderful to be back in the heart of the neighborhood and to reconnect with our fantastic friends and new neighbors on Meadowwood.
We cannot take all the credit for the current state of the property, as the previous gardeners established such beautiful plantings and landscaping. While the pergola, rose obelisks, and gardens were already in place, we have thoroughly enjoyed making the space our own. We recently added a new greenhouse along with 157 new flowers, trees, and shrubs to further enhance the grounds. As an artist, I have a deep love for color, but green and white remain my favorites in the garden. We have added many white hydrangeas to provide height, weight, and visual interest to the landscape.
Our five grandchildren have also been involved in the process. Since they love to garden and dig, we asked them to select their own flowers. Joe purchased five pots for them, and they each chose their own color schemes. We are hoping this might even encourage them to help with a little weeding during their visits!
The landscaping has many layers, and something new is always popping up to surprise us. Every day here is beautiful, and we feel truly blessed and thankful to call 2415 Meadowwood home.
Garden 4 | 2423 MIDDLESEX
Built in 1926, our home and garden have witnessed a century of strength, hope, despair, perseverance, sacrifice, gratitude, and love. This yard has hosted life’s many moments: newlyweds, baby prams, childhood friendships, first loves, broken hearts, beloved pets, and even a pampered pony.
When asked to reflect on how our garden has evolved during the twenty-two years we have lived in Old Orchard, I was struck by the realization that, in many ways, it really hasn’t. It has always been what it is — a place that continues to perpetuate the moments above. Though the plants and their placement have changed over time, the garden’s skeleton remains much the same as it was a hundred years ago.
In the 1930s, white peonies and rose bushes were bordered by a stone retaining wall that eventually crumbled, only to be rediscovered decades later, hand-dug by us and repurposed as part of our own garden border. Even during a recent fence installation, we uncovered the original bricks that once lined the driveway. With each undertaking, we find ourselves connected to the past.
In 2004, we became the fourth owners of this home — a place where our family could grow within an eclectic, historic, and charming neighborhood. Over the years, we have intentionally kept our garden petite, valuing open yard space for milestone celebrations, Slip ’N Slides, swing sets, and running around with the dog. There has always been a balance between flowers and fun, so that at day’s end we could sit on the patio and enjoy the tranquility.
I would not consider us “real gardeners.” Rather, we were raised with the simple joy of being outdoors, an appreciation for flowers and vegetable gardens, and a desire to take pride in our home. Frugally, we rescue plants from clearance racks and nurse them back to health. Overwintering geraniums and saving mums at season’s end have become part of the experience. Everything has been — and continues to be — trial and error, like the year I planted a Monet-inspired garden and could hardly distinguish the flowers from the weeds.
So how do you “Frenchify” a Colonial home and garden? Influences from my French parents and upbringing appear throughout: fleur-de-lis, toile, lavender, geraniums, daisies, poppies, and the satisfying crunch of pea gravel underfoot.
Our home, garden, and neighborhood has been a link to rich history, generations past, and those before us who’ve loved it equally, The Old Orchard Garden Tour has connected us to those special people. Our tour is dedicated to Suzanne Streicher Speck, whose parents built this home and where she once played among the peonies — and with her pony.
Garden 5 | 3105 PELHAM
Built in 1926, the home at the southwest corner of Pelham and Middlesex was built in the French Tudor style and sits on a corner triple lot, with mature deciduous, evergreen and flowering trees. Original and previous owners were gardeners, made significant investments in plantings and architectural garden elements, including a wrought-iron fenced back yard. The home’s garden has been on numerous garden tours.
Owner Jeff Petit says that each of the three lots has its own unique garden theme:
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The first lot is the home lot, with a front garden, a side garden with three profusely flowering pink dogwood trees, a garden shed and a covered brick patio. A paved path at the rear of the home is bordered on both sides by floribunda, grandiflora and tea roses.
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The second lot is more formal, accessible through a garden gate or through the breezeway between the house and garage. From the patio, you see a 50’ X 75’ sunken garden accessible by three stone steps on all four sides. It is bordered by trimmed formal hedges that provide privacy, a crushed limestone path, a perennial garden, a wisteria-covered arbor with a swing, and a large stone planter. New this Spring was the addition of a cast-iron fountain, made from a reclaimed kettle originally used to boil sugar cane in Alabama. It’s now used as a fountain with water plants and goldfish. A mature Bartlett Pear tree produces hundreds of pears each summer.
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The third is more woodland area with meandering crushed stone paths, ferns and hostas, three seating areas (one around a firepit) and a hidden boulder fountain. Here you’ll find fragrant lilac bushes and rare Jacob’s Ladder perennials.
When the home was purchased in mid-2022, the first task was intense editing and trimming of overgrown areas and removal of several overgrown or dying mature trees. One surprise: Jeff did not know the paved arbor existed until he was trimming and removing overgrown wisteria vines. Bonus discovery!
Garden 6 | 2247 PEMBERTON
Built in 1923, the home originally featured a classic stucco exterior reflective of the architectural character of the era. In the early 1930’s, the property underwent a remarkable transformation that greatly enhanced both its charm and presence. This extensive renovation introduced the inviting front porch, elegant bay windows, enduring brick cladding, and the distinctive slate roof that still crowns the home today. A small brick marker to the lower right of the side door quietly commemorates this significant chapter in the home’s history.
Originally spanning two full city lots, the property offered expansive grounds uncommon for the neighborhood. In 2014, half of the side parcel was thoughtfully divided and conveyed to the neighboring property, while the home retained its generous sense of space and privacy.
Over the years, the gardens have been lovingly cultivated and enriched. A previous owner, an enthusiastic and dedicated gardener, established many of the planting beds, ornamental shrubs, and layered perennial borders that continue to shape the landscape today. By mid-summer, the grounds burst into color as hydrangeas, coneflowers, and cheerful black-eyed Susans reach their peak, creating a vibrant and welcoming display throughout the property.
Towering oak trees frame the home with a sense of timeless beauty, their broad canopies casting graceful shade across the house while still allowing the gardens to enjoy abundant sunshine. The result is a landscape that feels both sheltered and bright — an ideal balance for relaxation and outdoor living.
In recent years, the current owners have further enhanced the outdoor experience with the thoughtful addition of a sauna, hot tub, and fire pit gathering area. Together, these features create a private backyard retreat designed for comfort, entertaining, and quiet enjoyment in every season.
© 2026 Old Orchard Neighborhoods Association.
The Garden Tour will raise funds for the Old Orchard Neighborhoods Association (OONA) a 501C3 non-profit organization. The Old Orchard Neighborhoods Association (OONA) is comprised of people who live in, and love, the Old Orchard and Indian Hills neighborhoods. The organization promotes a safe and vibrant community by engaging with residents, the city and entities that impact the area. The Old Orchard Garden Tour will be a rain or shine event.