Tag: Historic New England

  • Sunday, June 26, 12:00 noon – 4:00 pm – Connecticut’s Historic Gardens Day

    Celebrate the nineteenth annual Connecticut’s Historic Gardens Day at Historic New England’s Roseland Cottage, chosen by Connecticut Magazine as Connecticut’s Best Public Garden. Amanda Shaw, Roseland Cottage’s gardener, will be on site to discuss our formal parterre garden, including the history, significance, and theory behind the garden layout and design; how Andrew Jackson Downing’s theories are reflected in that design, and any other questions you have about our historic garden. Visit https://my.historicnewengland.org/13915/ros-hist-garden

    Free. Please call 860 928-4074 for more information.

  • Sunday, June 19, 12:00 noon – 4:00 pm – Juneteenth Event and Rhode Island Slave History Medallion Unveiling

    Join Historic New England on the Juneteenth holiday to honor the contributions of people of color to the growth of Casey Farm and to Rhode Island. At this family-friendly day, explore the farm on foot or on a hayride. Listen to music by the Nettukkusqk Singers, the URI African Drummers and Dancers, and Sidy Maiga & Afrimanding. Hear Lorén Spears of Tomaquag Museum, Casey Farm’s historians, and R.I. Black Storytellers speak about Indigenous and African American culture. Learn about the region from the Narrow River Preservation Association. The highlight of the day is the unveiling of a R.I. Slave History Medallion on the front lawn. Bring your chairs or picnic blanket and enjoy lunch purchased from local BIPOC-owned food trucks.
    Please dress for the weather and leave pets at home.

    Free Please call 401-295-1030 ext. 5 for more information. Casey Farm is located at 2325 Boston Neck Road in Saunderstown.

  • Friday, June 3 – Sunday, June 5, 9:30 am – 4:00 pm – Hosta and Perennial Sale

    Lyman Estate Greenhouses, 185 Lyman Street, Waltham, Massachusetts, will host its annual hosta and perennial sale on June 3 – 5 from 9:30 – 4. Plants of all shapes, sizes, and colors are available, including many new and hard-to-find varieties. Our knowledgeable staff can help you choose the right hostas for your garden. Historic New England members save 10% on purchases. Free admission to the sale.

    Please call 617-994-5913 for more information.

  • Saturday, March 12 – Save the Date: Historic New England Benefit Gala

    Historic New England is honored to announce, as inaugural recipients of The Historic New England Medal, Elizabeth B. Johnson and Elizabeth H. Owens, for their leadership in preservation and longtime support of Historic New England. Celebrate them at the presentation of the medal at the Historic New England Benefit Gala on March 12 at the Four Seasons Hotel, Boston. Established as Historic New England’s most prestigious annual award, The Historic New England Medal is bestowed upon individuals whose philanthropic and civic leadership and generosity have made a significant impact on saving and sharing our history and advancing the importance of historic preservation. To purchase tickets, become a sponsor, or place a personal message in the Tribute Book, visit www.historicnewengland.org

  • Tuesday, June 29, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm – Threads Through the Landscape: Stone Walls, Online

    Stone walls are an iconic landscape feature of New England. They once served a functional purpose, but today they are threads through time, defining the region’s historical identity. Join Leigh Schoberth, senior preservation services manager, for this virtual program exploring the history of stone wall building in the region through examples from Historic New England’s properties. Audience members will come away with a framework for identifying types of stone walls and assessing repair efforts.

    Tickets are free; donations are encouraged. Become a member today to help us continue to offer free programs for all to enjoy. Please call 617-994-6678 for more information. Register at https://my.historicnewengland.org/11338/stone-walls The link for the webinar will be included in the order confirmation for this program.

  • Thursday, November 12, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm – Gardens of the Arts & Crafts Movement, Online

    Thursday, November 12, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm – Gardens of the Arts & Crafts Movement, Online

    Join the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, New England, on November 12 at 11 am for a Zoom webinar with Judith B. Tankard on Gardens of the Arts & Crafts Movement. Free with registration HERE.

    English gardens from the Arts & Crafts era are jewels of early 20th Century design. Part of the same design movement that flourished in Europe and North America between 1880 and 1920, these gardens emphasized medieval and romantic styles. Designed on an intimate scale, they blurred the distinction between indoors and outdoors, and emphasized the symbiotic nature of the house and garden as a unified landscape. Many contained a series of distinct outdoor ‘rooms’ often delineated by hedges and embellished with whimsical topiary. Most had lavish plantings of perennials, ornamental shrubs, bulbs, and annuals—all massed for color, textural effect, and seasonal impact. Small structures, such as pergolas, arbors, sundials, and other traditional ornaments produced storybook-like gardens that referenced Old English manor house surroundings of the 17th Century.


    In this illustrated lecture, Judith Tankard will give insight into the minds of the movement’s creative giants such as William Morris and Gertrude Jekyll, as well as lesser known designers such as Avray Tipping, Thomas Mawson, and Robert Lorimer. She will illustrate gorgeous National Trust gardens such as Hidcote, Standen, Snowshill Manor, Red House, and Kellie Castle, among others, and give visual tours of other stunning gardens, such as Hestercombe, Great Dixter, Gravetye Manor, and Munstead Wood. Tankard will show how these English models created a lasting impact on gardens across the pond, as American designers took inspiration from their British contemporaries.


    Judith B Tankard is a landscape historian, award-winning author, and preservation consultant. She is the author of 10 illustrated books, including Ellen Shipman and the American Garden, winner of the 2019 J. B. Jackson Book Award. Her book, Beatrix Farrand: Private Gardens, Public Landscapes, was named an Honor Book for the 2010 Historic New England Book Prize. She taught at the Landscape Institute of Harvard University for twenty years. Judith is a Garden Conservancy Fellow, a Heritage Circle member of The Royal Oak Foundation, and a Stewardship Council member of The Cultural Landscape Foundation. She lives in Boston, is a member of The Garden Club of the Back Bay, and gardens on Martha’s Vineyard. www.judithtankard.com

    For information on other upcoming ICAA New England Chapter tours and lectures, please visit: www.classicist-ne.org/calendar

  • Sunday, November 1, 10:00 am – 11:00 am – Eustis Estate Landscape Tour

    Get a new perspective of the Eustis Estate as you enjoy the seasonal splendor walking through this beautiful property abutting the Blue Hills Reservation. This guided tour explores fields, woodland, and gardens as you learn about the landscape and history of the property. The tour also examines the exterior architecture of the house and other original buildings built between 1878 and 1902. 

    Bring comfortable walking shoes and be sure to dress appropriately for the weather.

    Tickets are available for the November 1 tour. Click here to register for this tour.

    Advance tickets required. Landscape tours do not include admission to the house. (Note that guided tours of the mansion require advance tickets. You can register for house tours here.)

    Masks are required and social distancing will be practiced. The address is 1424 Canton Avenue in Milton. Please call 617-994-6600 for more information. 

  • Friday, September 9, 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm – Online Orchid Growing Workshop

    You don’t need a greenhouse to grow orchids. On Friday, September 9 at 4 pm, learn the essentials to achieve success on your windowsill, from selecting the right plants to proper lighting, watering, fertilizing, and re-potting.

    This online workshop is taught by Historic New England’s Greenhouse Manager Lynn Ackerman. The session will conclude with a Q&A.

    Registered participants will receive a discount on plants at Historic New England’s Lyman Estate Fall Orchid Sale, scheduled for September 11-13.

    The link for the Historic New England webinar/workshop will be sent to registered participants in a separate email.

    $20. Register at https://my.historicnewengland.org/6792/10815

  • Tuesdays – Saturdays, July 21 – 25, July 28 – August 1, August 11 – 15, August 18 – 22, and August 25 – 29, 9:30 am – 4:00 pm – Lyman Greenhouse Open Air Marketplace

    This summer, come outside to shop our wide selection of house plants. We have hundreds of plants for every home, from succulents to citrus to exotic foliage. Plant sizes range from small windowsill plants to hanging baskets and larger floor plants. Our expert staff will be on hand to offer advice, care instruction, and contactless service.

    All guests must wear a face covering. The address is 185 Lyman Street in Waltham. Please call Historic New England at 617-994-5913 for more information.

  • Sunday, July 19, 12:00 noon – 4:00 pm – Connecticut’s Historic Gardens Day

    Historic New England and Roseland Cottage invites you to come visit our parterre garden, one of the only gardens in New England that maintains its original intricate 1850 pattern. Our gardener will be on hand to answer your questions about the historic nature of our landscape, and specially prepared handouts will be available. Groups will be limited to five guests, masks will be required, and preregistration is highly recommended. 

    Pre-order a book (one co-authored by our own member Judith Tankard) to pick up on your tour:

    Everything for the Garden

    Garden Tourist

    All visitors are required to wear a mask and maintain 6 feet of social distance.

    Advance tickets recommended at https://my.historicnewengland.org/6851/7133. Please call 860-928-4074 for more information. The address is 556 Route 169, Woodstock, Connecticut.