Hidden Gems in Full Bloom: HONNA Garden Tour Returns
It’s the Old Northeast’s best-kept secret that’s not really a secret. The Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association’s (HONNA) Garden Tour was a smash from its start in 2023, when it sold out its 500 tickets almost immediately.
This year’s tour on Saturday, April 12, from 11 am to 3 pm, returns to its popular roots as it winds through home gardens in the ONE, with each stop featuring local artists in the makeshift outdoor galleries. In total, 15 artists will participate as a part of this biannual grassroots fundraising event.
The $50 ticket price benefits the HONNA Street Tree Replenishment Program, a local effort to keep the neighborhood’s tree canopy strong by planting trees, maintaining existing trees, and educating residents about tree care. It’s a cause made even more worthy after last year’s storms, and HONNA hopes to bring in $7-8,000 in proceeds after expenses.
“We really didn’t know what the response would be, if it would go over or not,” HONNA President Nick Bell said of the first event. “But people were interested, and while we had a lot of neighbors, surprisingly we got a lot of interest from all over the Bay area.”
For 2025, HONNA has upped the number of tickets to 600, still keeping the event manageable. “I mean, these are people’s homes and backyards, so we don’t want 1600 people stomping through,” Bell said. “But we want to showcase the neighborhood in the spring, and we want to celebrate our artists and musicians.”
The Magic is Back
Due to the intimate nature of the tour, garden locations are not released beforehand. And while the 15 artists aren’t necessarily a secret, part of the tour’s charm is the magical element of surprise. HONNA can reveal, however, that they’ve learned a few things since the last tour. “We got a great response from the first year, but we also got some feedback,” Bell said.
The big complaint? Bathrooms. Or lack thereof. The second: Lack of transportation. This year, the Garden Tour will offer portable bathroom facilities near the registration tables. However, HONNA organizers can’t provide trolley transportation, as some downtown events do, as it would cut too deep into the profits for the small tour. Bell assures that the tour is walkable, however, and he also encourages folks to bring their bikes or other small wheels if they choose.
As with any proper garden party, there will be some light refreshments from vendors offering St. Pete’s Hyppo Pops, wine, cookies, and more. Volunteer musicians will help set the mood, including the stylings of two guitarists, a harpist, and a vocalist. Want to offer your musical services? HONNA organizers would be happy to hear from you.
“I’ve seen a lot of garden and home tours in St. Pete, but this one is really special,” said Bell. “It has a festival-feel to it.”
A Sneak Peek at Garden Five
The first thing I noticed about Carol Stewart was that she’s not afraid to go barefoot. She posed next to her layered, sprouting Florida garden with no shoes, deadpanning, “I always look awkward when I pose.” The centerpiece of her Old Northeast home, however, is the garden.
Stewart’s garden parallels her art with color – and more colors to come in April, she tells me – and mismatched lines. Bright and largely vertical, the lovingly tended outdoor space leads to her towering, sunlit artist studio, previously the old detached garage. Originally from Ontario, Canada, Stewart paints like she lives: with very little tolerance for beige minimalism.
As part of the Garden Tour, Stewart’s stop is a must-see double act. Her home’s garden is featured, but you’ll also get an inside look at her working studio and the latest pieces from the life-long artist.
“I’m an observational painter. I love painting with sun, with color,” Stewart said. She is a still-life artist, and many of her paintings mimic her working space. At the golden hour, there are dozens of trinkets and vases set up on a table facing her canvas and oil paints, and a giant orange-and-red painting filled, edge to edge, with the tabletop props in the middle of her studio.
Give Stewart a google, or look through her home archives, and you can find her work has been in renowned galleries all over the word, namely in the Midwest. She’s been working and showing as an artist for decades, but she’s relative newcomer to the St. Pete scene.
“People don’t know we here yet. I’m excited to meet people and open up my studio,” she said. “I find my art does the best through personal connection.”
Meet all the participating artists on the April 12 tour. The must-see lineup features West “Skywayman” Evans, an artist who trained with one of Florida’s famed Black Highwaymen artists, as well as the myriad creative talents of Letisia Cruz, Peggy Wertheim, Robin Roth-Murphy, Susan Hess, Rebecca Zweibel, Rebecca Skelton, Don Silvestri, Julie Falzarano, Tracy Kennard, Linda Wilkinson, Marni Sherman, Saumitra Chandratreya, and Gregory Johncox.
Learn more or connect with HONNA at honna.org.
