Photo by Defining Studios
The Phelps wing’s front door is decorated elegantly for the holidays.
‘Twas the week before Christmas … the Phelps-Hatheway House is bustling with holiday preparations. Join us, December 1 through 3, and experience the season’s splendor at the Phelps-Hatheway House decorated by the Suffield Garden Club. Everything looks and smells grand – fresh flowers and spices scent the air!
The weekend begins with an opening night preview party, Cocktails at Hatheway, on Friday, December 1, from 6 to 9 p.m. where attendees will enjoy catered hors d’oeuvres, wine, a champagne toast, and a silent auction. Individual tickets for Cocktails at Hatheway are $60/$50 for Connecticut Landmarks[O1] and Suffield Garden Club Members; Patron Tickets are $100. All proceeds benefit the Phelps-Hatheway House & Garden. For tickets, contact Jamie-Lynn Fontaine Connell at (860) 247-8996 x 23 or visit www.ctlandmarks.org.
On Saturday and Sunday, December 2 and 3 from 1 to 4 p.m., enjoy tours of the festively decorated house, children’s activities, and light refreshments. Weekend Tour tickets are $15 for adults, and $10 for children ages 6-18 (5 and under free). Tickets can be purchased at the door or by calling (860) 247-8996 x 23.
On Saturday, December 2, bring your beloved bear for a sweet treat and celebration of all things Christmas with a special children’s Teddy Bear Tea Party at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Christmas cookies and a tasty herbal tea will warm the heart and body, and a short story dedicated to the bear you love will finish our time together. Tea Party tickets are $5 per child, $10 per adult, or $20 for families (two 2 adults plus children). Reservations requested, call (860) 668-0055 or email phelps.hatheway@ctlandmarks.org to register.
The Suffield Garden Club was established in July 1934. The club’s purpose is to promote the knowledge and love of gardening and the art of flower arranging, the protection of trees, plants and birds, civic beautification and respect for the environment.
The club’s presence is felt in all aspects of Suffield life; the members proudly maintain public gardens throughout town. Since 1965, the organization has also presented every fourth grade student in the Town with a tree sapling on Arbor Day. Members guide elderly and challenged individuals in the art of floral design, provide library flowers, and hold an annual May Market outside the Phelps-Hatheway Barn.
The Phelps-Hatheway House has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with the Suffield Garden Club. Since 1963, club members have been instrumental in the planning, planting and maintenance of the formal beds, the peony and rose collections and the herb garden. They have generously donated funds to restore the Summer House and to purchase benches for public seating. On Monday and Tuesday mornings, from May through October, dedicated ladies of the organization gather to tend to the beds, which were designed to reflect the late 18th-century English and French garden design.
Each December, club members turn their attention to the interior of the Phelps-Hatheway House as they decorate for the annual Home for the Holidays celebration. Using local plant natural materials, they transform the first floor of the historic museum and the exterior into a Christmas wonderland. Proceeds from this gracious endeavor directly benefit the museum’s maintenance and programs. Arrangements created for the event will be sold on site.
The Phelps-Hatheway House & Garden is located at: 55 South Main Street in Suffield, Conn., and is open for regular tours from May – October. For hours and more information, visit www.ctlandmarks.org, www.facebook.com/PhelpsHathewayHouseAndGarden, or call 860-668-0055.