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Gardens In Winter:
Old Westbury Gardens Shows Its Other Face
By Karen Bloom
Old Westbury Gardens is a favorite spot for many during the warmer months. Traditionally closed during winter, now visitors have an opportunity to experience the Gardens in a new way, when it opens to the public as a special January treat for the first time."Winter can be a magical time at Old Westbury Gardens," said spokesman Patricia Speciner, "but only Trustees, staff and a few others (UPS and Fedex drivers, for instance) ever get to see it.""It can be a long time for people, especially those who love to visit often, to wait between mid-December and April (when the Gardens opens for the season), so we decided to try something new this year," Speciner said, explaining the decision to welcome visitors this weekend.The Gardens is participating in The New York Times' Arts & Leisure Weekend, one of several Long Island attractions to do so (including Nassau County Museum of Art, Heckscher Museum and Walt Whitman's Birthplace). Weather permitting, visitors of all ages will have an opportunity to take a brisk scenic walk through the grounds and visit Westbury House, at a discount. During this weekend only, Jan. 10-11, visitors may buy one admission at regular price and get a second admission free. There will be scheduled activities, designed to showcase the uniqueness of the Gardens during winter, on both days.
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Winter Conifer Walk - Visitors of every age are invited to join Old Westbury Gardens volunteers for a half mile to 1.5 mile brisk walk to discover the majesty of the winter landscape. See the various shapes, sizes and colors of conifers and other evergreens. Children may collect natural winter treasures-such as pinecones and evergreen needles-to bring back to Westbury House for a craft activity. The walk takes visitors around East Lake, through the Walled Garden and Rose Garden. "It is quite fascinating to see the structures of the trees and empty perennial beds," Speciner noted. "Walls become important, woody vines, shrubs, deciduous and evergreen trees become the stars. You notice things you don't appreciate when the gardens are in bloom." The walk is offered Saturday, Jan. 10, 1-2:30 p.m.
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Westbury House Guided Tours - Both Saturday and Sunday, throughout the day, visitors can experience the Chinese New Year, Old Westbury Gardens-style. Special tours of Westbury House (which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places) will focus on the motifs of Chinese culture found in the former home of John S. Phipps and his family. These include Chinese Chippendale furniture, artifacts such as porcelain dogs, cricket boxes and figurines, along with the handpainted Chinese wallpaper adorning many of the rooms.
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Storytime At Westbury House - Young children, preschool through kindergarten age, can take part in a cozy winter story followed by a related craft project, Sunday, 1-2 p.m. Parents may stay with their children or explore the grounds while the children are supervised by Old Westbury Gardens volunteers.
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Photography Workshop - Learn about "Photographing The Winter Landscape," with local photography expert James Large. Find out how to capture nature's stark beauty through the camera lens as winter envelops the landscape. The session is open to both adult and youthful camera buffs who know how to use equipment, Sunday, at 2 p.m. Bring any format camera, lenses and film, including a tripod, if available."This place is so beautiful, even in winter," Speciner said, "that we want to share it with our visitors. This is an opportunity to experience a completely different way of looking at the gardens."For those who are unable to make it to the Gardens this weekend, there will be a second opportunity for a winter visit. Old Westbury Gardens is opening again next month for "President's Week of Discovery," Monday through Sunday, Feb. 16-22. During that week, when many schools are closed, there will be a full schedule of activities, for adults and children. Once again, visitors can participate in invigorating walks through the winter landscape. Guests can tour Westbury House to discover "secrets" about the house and its collections (along with a scavenger hunt), receive a lesson in winter shrub pruning, and prepare for spring by taking part in a gardening workshop. Children can learn basic sewing skills by participating in a simple sewing project and can get ready for spring with their own gardening session. In addition, the Gardens will show some 40 rarely-seen watercolors by John Russell Smith (1932-2000) at the Westbury House exhibit "Floral Still Lifes," throughout the week. Born in Paris, he studied at the Art Students League of New York and collaborated with brothers Moses, Raphael and Isaac Soyer, and Japanese artist Yasou Kunyoshi. The exhibit features his work from the late 1960s through early '70s. In case of inclement weather, Speciner noted, particularly icy conditions, winds or heavy snowfall, Old Westbury Gardens will remain closed. Visitors are advised to check before attempting a visit.
Old Westbury Gardens "Arts & Leisure Weekend"
Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 10-11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission: $8 adults, $5 over 62 and children 6-16, children under 6 and members free. Most activities free with admission. 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury. Call 333-0048 before visiting to make sure Gardens is open.
