The Special Events Committee & Bayard Taylor Home and Garden Day Tour
The Library’s Special Events Committee was organized in 1991 to raise funds for library projects. The Committee’s major event is the very popular Bayard Taylor Home & Garden Tour, held annually on the first Saturday in June. Proceeds benefit the Children’s Programs and Adult Literacy.
Planning for this event starts in early fall when the committee
selects a variety of homes and gardens in a particular area of southern
Chester County. The self- guided tour showcases unique homes
representing a mix of styles from historic homes and estates to charming
cottages to sleek modern residences. Gardens range from large, lush
professionally maintained to pocket sized patches of brilliant flowers
some with sculptural accents, from the simple, but endearing, to the
elaborate and extravagant.
In addition to visits to these fascinating settings, tour-goers
enjoy food tastings from local restaurants and fabulous flower
arrangements from
local florists. Visitors also get to watch the
area’s finest plein air artists in some of the gardens. Every detail is
attended to, leading to a beautiful, carefree day of explorations into
homes and neighborhoods seldom seen by the public. Thanks to the
generosity of homeowners, local merchants and artists and especially the
visitors, over $600,000 has been raised since the tour’s inception.
These funds have greatly enhanced and enriched the experiences and lives
of Kennett Square area children.