Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum Announces New Season’s Events

The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum will reopen its doors in April for an eventful Spring season. This season, the Mansion will highlight Victorian era technology, a cutting-edge art movement called Steampunk, and a nod to the Mansion’s beginnings with its annual Victorian Tea.

What Is It? Technologies and Discoveries of the Victorian Era features 19th century technological and scientific marvels of the Mansion’s heyday that revolutionized the way people lived opens to the public on April 17th and runs through October 6, 2013.

Also in April, the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum presents an exciting short-term exhibit, Steampunk: Nature & Machine. At this, the first Steampunk exhibit in Fairfield County, visitors will catch a view of this bold new style, a neo-retro aesthetic that borrows imagery from the Industrial Revolution and Victorian eras and has influenced everything from literature and product design to fashion and fine art. The exhibit will feature the art of renowned Steampunk artists Bruce Rosenbaum, Katie Shima and Leslie Mueller. There will be an opening reception on April 25, from 6:00 – 8:00pm. The exhibit runs until June 15.

Rounding out the 2013 spring season is the Mansion’s Victorian Tea on Sunday, May 5 at 2:00pm. The family-friendly event features a formal English tea in the Mansion’s Rotunda, including a wide selection of desserts, sandwiches, the traditional scones and cream, as well as music and other entertainment. The Tea is sponsored by Cottages & Gardens Publications and King Industries.

The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum is a National Historic Landmark located at 295 West Avenue in Norwalk. Tours will begin in April and are offered Wednesdays through Sundays, at noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m.

For more information on tours and programs, visit www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com, e-mail info@lockwoodmathewsmansion.com, or call 203-838-9799. For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com.

GARDENERS CAN GARNER PRIZE PLANTS AT THE 12th ANNUAL TRADE SECRETS SHOW IN THE LITCHFIELD HILLS

Gardeners in the know mark their calendars a year in advance. The Trade Secrets sale in Connecticut’s Litchfield Hills is a rare chance to shop for treasures from nearly 60 important growers and vendors of unique plants and garden antiques. The sale, scheduled for Saturday, May 19th at LionRock Farm in Sharon, is followed on Sunday with a tour of four exquisite private gardens.

  Many celebrities are among the shoppers seeking the unique from specialized growers and some of the nation's best known small nurseries, as well as furniture, antiques, and garden statuary from the finest dealers in garden antiques, wrought-iron fencing and other exceptional decorations for the garden.

Visitors to the show will enjoy a presentation by owner, Marina Marchese of Red Bee Honey, a boutique farm known for a spectacular edible garden as well as its honeybees. 

The Sunday tour will feature two perennial favorites, the spectacular gardens of Bunny Williams and John Rosselli and the 41-acre futuristic estate of Jack Hyland and Larry Wente.  Two new gardens this year are the Linden Hill Farm owned by Richard deBart and Debra Blair, owner of Debra Blair Associates in New York City, and Hawk Hill Farm owned by Robert & Jane Keiter.         

For the 12^th year, all proceeds from the annual event go directly to Women's Support Services, an organization aiding victims of domestic violence.

Tickets for the rare plant and garden antique sale on Saturday are $35 for regular admission from 10am to 3pm and $100 for "early buying" tickets.  Tickets for Sunday's garden tours are $70 ($60 in advance).  Advance tickets will be available for order beginning April 1^st from the event web site, www.tradesecretsct.com.