Distant Hill Gardens—Garden of Michael & Kathy Nerrie

At Distant Hill Gardens we consider the entire fifty-eight-acre property to be a garden, from the cultivated ornamentals and vegetables, to the native plants of our forest, fields, and wetlands. We use the term 'Garden' broadly to include the growing of any plants, and believe in the importance of plants, their cultivation and their use in the landscape to help foster an ecological balance between humans and the land. Some of the highlights of Distant Hill Gardens included cultivated gardens with more than 400 varieties of labeled plants, a large biodiverse variety of native plants and trees, and numerous vernal pools, swamps and wetlands. A boardwalk travels over a floating cranberry bog, and a large stone circle was built with stones from the property. The three-acre ‘Milkweed Meadow’ is for monarch butterflies and dozens of creative sculptures can be enjoyed throughout the gardens. Don't miss the new half-mile accessible nature trail. For more information visit: www.distanthill.org.

Directions: From the post office in downtown Walpole, go south on Main Street a few hundred feet from the post office. Turn left onto Prospect Hill Road (look for a 'Distant Hill Gardens' lawn sign at every major intersection from here on). Go 0.75 mile up a steep hill. Just past the Hooper Golf Course turn left onto Maple Grove Road. Go 0.75 mile. Stay left of Toles Automotive then bear right onto March Hill Road. Go 2.25 miles. The driveway is on left with a 'Distant Hill Gardens' lawn sign directly across from our mailbox, 507 March Hill Road (just past a large run-down arched roof barn on the right).

From the bandstand on Central Square in Keene take Court Street north out of Central Square 2.5 miles to your second traffic circle. (Note: Go straight through the first traffic circle at the Hospital.) Take the first exit out of the second traffic circle, a right turn, just past the entrance to a 7/11 convenience store on the right (its more like straight ahead). Look for a sign a bit down the road for Surry/Alstead. This is Route 12A North, but there is no sign. Go 8 miles on Route 12A. Turn left onto Walpole Valley Road (look for a 'Distant Hill Gardens' lawn sign just before the turn on the left). Go 2 miles up a steep hill. Turn left onto March Hill Road (another 'Distant Hill Gardens' lawn sign). Go 0.25 mile. The driveway is on right with a 'Distant Hill Gardens' lawn sign directly across from our mailbox, 507 March Hill Road.

From the intersection of Route 10 and Main Street in Gilsum, go south on Route 10 for 0.6 miles. Turn right onto Surry Road (at the beautiful and historic Stone Arch Bridge) Go 2.5 miles to the end of the road. Turn a right onto Route 12A North. Go 1.2 miles. Turn left onto Walpole Valley Road (look for a 'Distant Hill Gardens' lawn sign). Go 2 miles. Turn left onto March Hill Road (another 'Distant Hill Gardens' lawn sign). Go 0.25 mile. Driveway is on right with 'Distant Hill Gardens' lawn sign directly across from our mailbox, 507 March Hill Road.

Open Days 2018: June 17
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Admission to this garden is $7 for members and nonmembers without tickets purchased in advance.

Buy discounted admission tickets in advance! They can be used at most Open Days to make garden visiting easier.
Nonmembers get 6 visits for the price of 5 with advanced ticket book purchase.
Members get 50% off ONLY by purchasing ticket books in advance.