Congratulations to April Guilbault of Norwalk, CT, this year’s Connecticut’s Historic Gardens Poster Contest winner. Of her work, Guilbault states: “To read the history and know the plants and trees that were first planted there, such as the rose bushes and Tulip tree, is forever intriguing to a gardener and deepens its story. To learn about its beginnings and evolution and see what has been preserved contributes to its own ‘history lesson’, offering ideas that can inspire us in our own gardens. This striking salmon-hued cottage, an architectural gem, with its formal parterre garden is a joy to paint or visit any time of the year.”
April Guilbault graduated from Syracuse University with a BFA in Communication Design. She worked in broadcast graphics at NBC Chicago and NBC New York on the national news, Today Show, and Rosie O’Donnell shows, garnering several broadcast Emmys. In the years since, she has been a freelance illustrator, creating whimsical and nature-inspired visuals for invitations, stationary products, rubber stamps, as well as for print and digital magazines. A long-time gardener and plant lover, she acquired an herbalism certificate from the Rosemary Gladstar Science and Art of Herbalism program and is enjoying focusing her illustration work on the natural world.
The CT Historic Gardens Poster Contest gives local and regional artists a chance to showcase their talents while advertising CT Historic Gardens Day, an important, statewide event. The group began the contest to encourage Connecticut artists to visit and capture these historically significant homes with beautiful gardens. They hope that these sites will provide inspiring subjects for their art.
Along with a cash prize, the winning artist receives widespread exposure – at each of the 16 Connecticut’s Historic Gardens throughout the year and at Connecticut’s Historic Gardens Day, an event that attracts garden lovers from throughout the state and beyond. This year’s Historic Gardens Day takes place on Sunday, June 22, 2025; visit cthistoricgardens.org for details on activities offered at each site.