By: Sarah Wright | Troy Times | Published June 16, 2026
TROY — On July 8, participating residents will open their private gardens for the Troy Garden Walk, now in its 51st year.
On that day, anyone with a ticket can visit the gardens from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and again from 5 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. The tickets include a map of participating venues.
Prior to the event, tickets will be sold for $15. Tickets will be available at Bordine’s in Rochester beginning June 19. Starting July 1, they will also be sold at Auburn Oaks Garden Center, Telly’s Greenhouse, the Troy Historic Village and Uncle Luke’s, as well as at a booth at the Troy Farmer’s Market. Tickets are also now available online at troygardenclubmi.com.
On the day of Garden Walk, tickets will be sold for $18, cash or check only, at the Troy Historic Village, 60 W. Wattles Road, until 6 p.m.
The event serves as an annual fundraiser for the Troy Garden Club and raises money for the horticultural programs of various nonprofits. The walk also supports a college scholarship for horticultural studies.
This year, five gardens in Troy and one garden in Bloomfield Hills will be featured.
Among them is the garden of Becky and Mike Thornton, making its first appearance here. The Thorntons have lived in Troy for around eight years. Becky has been interested in gardening since her early 20s.
“My thought is they’re either gonna love this garden or they’re not, because it’s not manicured — it’s very rustic. We’ve got clover growing in the grass,” Becky said. “(The site has) been certified as a wildlife habitat since 2023, and part of that is because we’ve got wetlands behind us, and when you have to answer all their questions about the bees and birds and everything, you have to have met certain requirements (with your property) because that’s where a lot of the animals bed down. … So, I was very proud of that.”
Her garden decorations include flowers made from glass plates, LED light fixtures, bikes with baskets, old sinks and tree stumps. Many of her decorations are handmade, while others come from flea markets, secondhand stores, or were found at the curb. Most of her plants are potted or in other containers, which allows easier access for their care.
“It’s difficult when you’re planting on cement. Nothing of mine goes into the ground because I can’t get down anymore, so everything is in containers,” Becky said. “When we moved, there were hostas all around and they’re still there, but I’d bring my trusty walker over there and sit down and plant in the containers.”
The garden of Susan and Paul Orlando will also be featured in the Garden Walk this year, and it will be their first time participating, as well. The couple have been into gardening for more than 30 years, dating back to when they lived in Berkeley. Susan’s family also has a heavy interest in gardening.
“My sister is gardener, and she took me to the first (Troy Garden Walk) … but when we check on the houses, (Paul) would say, ‘Well, you should see our garden,’ and I would give him a nice nudge — ‘Knock it off!’ — because it’s a lot of work,” Susan said.
The garden has a spot to plant vegetables and other areas to grow flowers and other plants, as well as fountains and a waterfall feature near the deck. There are also numerous DIY elements featuring repurposed materials for a whimsical “fairy garden” touch.
“Family is a very important theme throughout my garden,” Susan said. “I have a fairy bench where all the little fairies in it represent my children and my grandchildren. And I have pots that are my grandfather’s — they’ve got to be 80 years old.”
The same day as the Garden Walk, Troy Historic Village will host its Midsummer Arts & Crafts Boutique, which will include the Troy Garden Club Plant Sale from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Garden Walk attendees will also receive free raffle tickets at each garden visited, as well as from THV vendors following a sale, and from the plant sale with each purchase.
For more information, visit troygardenclubmi.com.