Holidays at Hillwood November 23, 2007

Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens will be decked out for the holidays with garlands and floral arrangements from Hillwood’s own greenhouses. Throughout the Mansion, topiaries of poinsettia, herbs, and fruit create a festive atmosphere celebrating the season in the spirit of Hillwood’s founder, Marjorie Merriweather Post.

As fall turns to winter, the gardens at Hillwood reveal another aspect of their beauty. Conifers such as the blue atlas cedar and false cypress show off their evergreen boughs throughout the estate, while holly and witchhazel provide bright spots of color in the gardens. Visitors seeking respite from the winter wonderland outside can explore Hillwood’s greenhouse, home to an extensive collection of orchids.

In addition to flowers and greens throughout the estate, objects in the Mansion are also changed to reflect the holidays. The Dining Room table will be set with a service decorated with red enameled moiré silk ribbon that was ordered by Catherine the Great and used in the Winter Palace. The extraordinary eighteenth-century Russian chandelier in the Breakfast Room will be complimented by a Jacob Petit Paris Porcelain table service and poinsettia accent plants in the window bays.

Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm; Sunday, November 25, Sunday, December 16, and Sunday, December 30, 1-5pm; closed Mondays and most federal holidays.

Estate Donation: $12; $10 for visitors 65 and older; $7 for full-time college students; $5 for visitors age 6 to 18. Estate donation waived for visitors under age 6.

Official Website: http://www.HillwoodMuseum.org