Vision & View: Creating a Classical Landscape on the Hudson

Blithewood Garden

Sun, Apr 23, 2023
2:00 PM- 4:00 PM

Take a step back in time with us for an afternoon at Blithewood’s historic mansion and garden at Bard College. Be the first to see the public debut of our documentary film about the rich preservation story here, featuring Bard Alumna and actress Blythe Danner. Explore the grounds with light refreshments, accompanied by live music inspired by Blithewood’s landscape. A panel discussion will look at the history of Blithewood Garden, the Vanderbilt, and other Gilded Age estates in the Hudson River Valley and their significance in the context of local and national history, including the challenges of preserving these spaces. 

Featured Speakers:
Speakers include historic preservation expert Kurt Hirschberg, Associate Partner of Jan Hird Pokorny Associates, Harvey Flad, Professor Emeritus of Vassar College, Dimitri Stratis of the National Park Service for the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, and Amy Parrella, Director of Horticulture & Arboretum at Bard College. James Brayton Hall, President and CEO of The Garden Conservancy, will lead the conversation.  

Program:
2:00 pm – 2:30 pm   Wine & Cheese Reception 
2:30 pm – 4:00 pm   Panel Discussion & Film Premiere
4:00 pm                     Self-Guided Garden Tours

For more information, please contact the Garden Conservancy by telephone 845.424.6500, M-F, 9-5 Eastern, or email preservation@gardenconservancy.org.