Summer Events Are In Full Bloom At Gardens And Estates
Public gardens and historic estates offer a full roster of tours, classes, and other summertime activities.
Innisfree Garden
You can simply stroll through these magnificent outdoor spaces. But there are plenty of other activities on these grounds. Take a tour, engage in a yoga class, or soak up some Gilded Age history at these gardens and estates. Here is just a sampling of all the activities going on this summer. Check the websites for entrance and class fees, and registration information.
Berkshire Botanical Garden, Stockbridge, MA
Herbs for Lyme Disease June 21. Hannah Jacobson-Hardy a wellness coach and herbalist, will present a botanical way to prevent and treat Lyme disease using herbal methods and local plants.
July Golden Hour in the Garden: Horticulture Walks July 19. Get a golden hour tour of the garden hosted by the head of horticulture Eric Ruquist. This is a monthly event.
The Grow Show Aug. 20-21 Floral designers and backyard gardeners can enter this annual tradition. This a judged event featuring intricate seasonal floral arrangements.
The Mount, Lenox, MA
Audio Tours: Ongoing. Offered in Spanish and English, the audio-guided tour of Edith Wharton’s estate is transmitted via the visitor’s own device.
Private Library Tours Dates subject to availability. Visitors can participate in a private tour of Edith Wharton’s personal 2,700-volumen library, which is filled with personal notes, inscriptions, and markings from the famous author’s own hands, Email to make a reservation (two-week advance notice required).
Ghost Tours Ongoing. Guests can walk over creaking floors and through slamming doors in the ghost tour. The adult ghost tour, beginning in July, takes visitors through the dark halls of The Mount while a guide shares scary stories of ghost encounters reported in the house for years. Containing adult content, the tour lasts about two hours and includes about a half-mile of walking.
SculptureNow July 17, August 21, September 18, October 16. Delve into The Mount’s new exhibition of 30 outdoor sculptures erected throughout the grounds in partnership with SculptureNow. Each month, an exhibiting artist will guide visitors through the large-scale, outdoor sculptures while sharing the artists’ statements and stories, Reservations are highly encouraged.
Outdoor Yoga at the Mount May 24 - August 30.Every Tuesday The Mount and Lenox Yoga partner to provide an outdoor yoga class in a beautiful setting. Pre-registration is required.
Summer Bird Walks with Mass Audubon Tuesdays and Saturdays. Immerse yourself in the woods, wetlands, and meadows of Edith Wharton’s estate. Learn skills to bird by sight and sound and some tips for exploring different habitats to find swallows, woodpeckers, thrushes, and warblers. Led by Zach Adams, Dale Abrams, and other Mass Audubon naturalists.
Wethersfield, Armenia, NY
Trails and Horse Riding Ongoing. Traverse the many hiking and equestrian trails of the sprawling Wethersfield Estate. Visitors can partake in horseback riding and carriage driving on the equestrian trails.
Hollister House Garden, Washington, CT
Go Beyond the Basics: Smartphone Photography for the Garden June 24. Taught by Thad Kubis, a professional photographer with over 25 years of experience, this workshop aims to help any beginner become confident using their phone to photograph their gardens. A two-hour walk in the garden will give attendants the opportunity to put their skills to the test, followed by individualized feedback from Kubis.
Garden Journaling August 5. Open to all skill levels, this journaling class taught by Betsy Rogers-Knox will help participants grow their abilities to draw and watercolor their favorite plants and flowers inspired by the beautiful gardens. Rogers-Knox has had her work exhibited at the Royal Horticultural Botanical Art Show in London and a received certificate in Botanical Illustration from the New York Botanical Gardens. Participants must purchase some materials listed on the Hollister House Garden Material List.
Visit to Manor House followed by lunch September 11. Bunny Williams, creator of the gardens at Manor House for the last 30 years, is hosting a personal tour of the 15 acre gardens. During the tour the group will meet the head gardeners, see the woodland garden, the aviary, the formal sunken garden, the vegetable garden, and the greenhouse. Participation is free
Innisfree Garden, Millbrook, NY
Father’s Day Curated Tour June 19. This Father’s Day, Kate Kerin, a well-known landscape curator, is hosting a tour of the gardens, where she will curate a discussion of the inspirations, people and agricultural design that brings Innisfree Garden to life.
The Romantic Garden: Art, Design, and Nature | A Party in the Garden June 25. The theme for this year’s party, “The Romantic Garden,” highlights the beauty of the Innisfree’s landscaping timed for participants to enjoy sunset in the garden.
Awakening the Senses: A Meditative Guided Experience At The Gardens Of Innisfree July 17. For those interested in meditation, this is the perfect opportunity to enjoy an outdoor guided meditation in the gardens. Sandrine Harris will lead the group throughout the hour-long class. This opportunity is open to all adults in any stage of their journey to learn meditation.
Naumkeag, Stockbridge, MA
Garden tours Ongoing. The guided garden tour at Naumkeag allows visitors to walk through a landscape constructed over the course of 30 years by Mabel Choate along with landscape architect Fletcher Steele. The tour allows guests to stroll through the grounds on a 45-minute tour to witness everything that gained the garden notoriety, including the world-famous Blue Steps.
ViewEscapes:George Rickey Kinetic Sculpture Ongoing through November 1.Twelve of the famed kinetic sculptor’s large, outdoor sculptures were placed throughout the designed landscape to create ViewEscapes. Eight more sculptures and three works of art are found inside the 44 acre “cottage,” such as interior tabletop works, hanging pieces, artwork, and archival documents.
Date Night at Naukeag Recurring. Enjoy a romantic evening in a beautiful setting. Participants will have access to the eight acres of private gardens, live background music and drinks. Guests can reserve a table or bring a picnic blanket to sit out on the grass.
Backstairs Tour July 17. Step behind the blue velvet curtain that hid the servants’ staircase and discover what it took to run a Gilded Age country estate. The tour starts in the work yard and shows guests rarely seen areas of Naumkeag as they climb from the basement kitchens to the maid’s quarters on the third floor. The tour also makes stops throughout the estate to show linen closets and other areas used by servants.
Summer Solstice Meditation Walk Ongoing .Sandrine Harris is leading a guided meditation exploration through the gardens to welcome summertime warmth. This class will be a mixture of sitting, talking, sensing, and walking the gardens.
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