Planting Fields Foundation (“the Foundation”) and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (“NYS Parks”) are pleased to announce the upcoming Camellia Festival taking place at Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park, in Oyster Bay, New York on Sunday, March 1 from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Activities will take place in the Camellia House and Coe Hall. Built in 1917 by architects Guy Lowell and Andrew Sargent and expanded in 1922 by the Olmsted Brothers, the Camellia House contains one of the largest collections of camellias under a single roof in the northeast, with a peak blooming season from late January to early March. The Festival is a collaborative effort between the Foundation and NYS Parks.
The Quatrain Barbershop Quartet will perform live in the Camellia House throughout the day as visitors stroll through the stunning collection of over 200 camellia shrubs and trees. Guided tours will be offered at 1:00 and 3:00 PM. Entrance to the Park, Camellia House, Main Greenhouse and Hay Barn is FREE.
In Coe Hall, ($10 admission, FREE for members and kids under 12) visitors are invited to join a Tea Talk & Tasting at 12:00 PM, hosted by Ron and Pam Phipps. The talk will begin with a short introduction to the most famous member of the Camellia genus, Camellia Sinensis, and continue with an overview of the botanical history of tea, its diversity and charm, its role in the world and American history, as well its ecological significance and health benefits.
Kids can enjoy crafts in Coe Hall and a magic show with Robert Austin at 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 PM. Seating for each show is first come, first serve.
About Planting Fields Foundation
Planting Fields Foundation preserves and interprets Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park as the premier public garden and Gold Coast estate for today and tomorrow while creating enriching experiences for the visiting public. Founded in 1952 by William R. Coe, the Foundation is a not for profit public educational foundation chartered by the New York State Board of Regents and tax exempt under the status for a 501C3 organization.
Located in Oyster Bay, New York and originally landscaped by the Olmsted Brothers of Brookline, Massachusetts, the Arboretum grounds feature 409 acres of greenhouses, rolling lawns, formal gardens, woodland paths and outstanding plant collections. The original historic estate buildings remain intact including Coe Hall, a 65-room Tudor Revival mansion designed by Walker & Gillette. The interior of the house is a showcase of artistry and craftsmanship and features a distinctly American aesthetic through original ironwork commissions by Samuel Yellin and murals painted by artists Robert Winthrop Chanler and Everett Shinn. Planting Fields is included in the National Register of Historic Places, the official list of the Nation’s historic sites worthy of preservation.
To learn more about Planting Fields Foundation, please visit our website at www.plantingfields.org.
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, which are visited by 74 million people annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.parks.ny.gov, connect with us on Facebook, or follow on Instagram and Twitter.
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