The Magic of Marvin Gardens

By Stacy Kunstel

Last spring I fell through the looking glass and landed in Marvin Gardens in Wilton, Connecticut. While it was still chilly and gray, I was transported to a beautiful, whimsical place filled with so many things I loved for inside and outside the home.

If you’re driving on Route 7 there is no way you can miss the giant red snail sculptures that they currently have on loan from Cracking Art Group (there are small ones for sale too). Outside, a carpet of succulents spread like a lap blanket across the top of an old pickup. Garden statuary, woodcarvings, pots of every type, obelisks, trellises, birdbaths, and painted animals cover every inch.

Photos by Stacy Kunstel

Inside, silver, linens, glass objects, paintings, coral, shells, mirrors, and dishes are artfully arranged or at least piled in a beautiful way.

Marvin Gardens is completely the creation of Amabel Chan, a chic former Texan, who opened the shop in 2002. It’s a destination full of inspiration.