The Garden Conservancy is excited to announce a new yearlong online series based on the success of Troy Scott Smith’s Sissinghurst Through the Seasons in 2023. This Virtual Program explores the magic behind the creation of one the most popular Open Days gardens in America, Sleepy Cat Farm. Sleepy Cat embodies the vision of Fred Landman who, since acquiring a Georgian Revival house and six acres of neglected grounds in Greenwich, CT, has transformed his property into a magical thirteen-acre landscape that serves as a testament to his belief in the harmony between house and garden.
In four episodes over the course of the year, Sleepy Cat Farm: The Making of a Garden delves into the evolution of Fred’s vision from 1994 to today. It tells the story of how the talented architects, horticulturists and artisans he collaborates with have married landscape and architecture to create a series of highly personal sanctuaries that Fred delights in sharing with hundreds of visitors every year. Each episode features a different guest involved in the making of this contemporary wonderland.
Enjoy this wonderful video preview with Fred Landman as he takes a stroll through the garden in spring.
"Sleepy Cat Farm is a project that just had a life of its own," he says. "I started off trying to spruce up the backyard a bit, and 30 years later, here we are. And it's been a real joy doing this, and a greater joy sharing it with people who come to visit."
"Springtime is always a time of hope – and hoping for everything to come back alive."
Register at the links below!
SPRING EPISODE How the Garden Evolved over Time
Fred Landman, Founder/Owner, Sleepy Cat Farm Foundation
Thursday, April 24 | 2 p.m. Eastern
In the first episode of our series, Fred Landman himself will tell us how he transitioned from CEO of a global communications satellite company to a dedicated gardener drawing inspiration from his travels in Europe and Asia to envision a storybook world of garden spaces at Sleepy Cat Farm; how he assembled a creative team to help him realize such landscape hallmarks as the Golden Path, the Spirit Walk, the Celestial Pavilion and more; and how, as the property grew over time, his vision evolved to include a working organic farm that supplies produce to the community. Fred will provide plenty of before-and-after examples to illustrate the challenges and successes of the journey!
SUMMER EPISODE Pathways and Places
Charles J. Stick, Landscape Architect
Thursday, June 12 | 2 p.m. Eastern
In the second episode of our series, we’ll hear from Charles J. Stick, a distinguished landscape architect headquartered in Charlottesville, VA, who has been working with Fred Landman since Sleepy Cat Farm’s house and pool area were renovated in the late 1990s. Charles will take us through his design process, while considering the challenges he’s faced working with the property’s topography to achieve what he refers to as “pathways and places,” the enchanting design features that lend the magic of intimacy and surprise to Sleepy Cat’s gardens.
Details for the final two episodes will be announced later this year.
ABOUT SLEEPY CAT FARM FOUNDATION and FRED LANDMAN Sleepy Cat Farm Foundation, founded by Garden Conservancy Board Member Fred Landman, has been participating in the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Program for sixteen years. Starting with a modest attendance, Sleepy Cat Open Days now typically sell out with 900 visitors. Along with Open Days and various Garden Conservancy fundraising events, Fred’s wife, Seen Lippert, has hosted Farm to Table Cooking Classes, and Sleepy Cat Horticulturist Alan Gorkin has given Digging Deeper garden talks. Fred and Seen believe in sharing the beauty and bounty of their garden in many ways. They support the Greenwich Land Trust, Green and Clean, Greenwich Historical Society, and other local organizations and charities. They share the produce from their garden with a local food bank. In addition to Garden Conservancy Open Days, they host numerous Garden Clubs with private tours and special presentations throughout the year.
