Tractor Tour of Hildene Farm in the dene
Explore Hildene Farm in the dene on a guided tractor-drawn tour through this beautiful working landscape. The “dene,” Old English for a valley with a stream, is where Hildene’s agricultural traditions continue today.
Offered the first three weekends in October as an add-on to your Hildene day visit.
Bouquet Cutting and Greenhouse/Garden Tour
Offered Monday through Friday at 11:00am or 1:00pm
Note: A general admission ticket or active membership is required along with your Guided Tours ticket. Please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled tour time.
Step into Hildene’s greenhouse and cutting garden for a behind-the-scenes look at how flowers are grown, cared for, and harvested at the dene.
Begin with a guided greenhouse tour and learn about the seasonal work that supports Hildene’s gardens. Then head into the cutting garden to select and cut flowers for a bouquet of your own.
This hands-on add-on offers a closer connection to the gardens and the people and practices behind them. Flower selection will vary with the season, making each visit a little different.
Your experience includes a guided greenhouse/garden tour and the opportunity to cut flowers for one bouquet.
Pollinators in Action: A Guided Garden Walk
Offered Thursdays and Fridays this fall as an add-on to your Hildene day visit.
A general admission ticket or active membership is required along with your Guided Tours ticket. Please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled tour time.
Join Hildene’s beekeeper and educator for a guided walk from the Kitchen and Cutting Gardens through the Pollinator Meadow and into the Formal Garden. Along the way, discover pollinators in action as they prepare for winter and learn about the vital role these remarkable creatures play in our gardens and ecosystems.
As temperatures cool and frost approach, bees, butterflies, and other pollinators are busy gathering the last of the season’s nectar and pollen. They are fueling migration, building winter fat reserves, and stocking their homes for months ahead.
Bird Walk: Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal
Saturday, October 10th
8:00 am – 9:30 am
This program is free and does not require admission. Please register. Appropriate for teens and adults.
Meet at the Welcome Center parking lot. Join local birders to gather long-term data on the presence of birds, their abundance, and changes in populations. Appropriate for birders of all skill levels, the walks traverse uneven terrain on forest and meadow trails and around the main house. Meet at the Welcome Center parking lot. Free. No registration is required.
Bird Note: Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal
Although fall migration is in full swing, it's not so much the passerines (perching birds) we see as it is hawks, ducks and geese. Both Blue-winged Teal and Green-wing Teal are among the many species of ducks seen in Vermont. The Blue-winged Teal arrives later in the Spring and departs earlier in the fall than the Green-winged. Most Blue-wings have left by October with Green-wings at their peak of movement.
Both teal are small, fast-flying ducks, the females a non-descript brown. But the breeding male Blue-winged sports a distinctive white crescent shape behind the bill. In flight the wings flash light blue on the leading edge of their wing.
Green-winged males have a dark red-brown head with a wide green eye comma. At a distance a white, vertical strip forward on the body is diagnostic on a sitting bird.
Identifying fall teal can be difficult, however. The time of year helps. A Blue-winged Teal in flight is easy, but all the male and female fall birds on the water are garbed in drab browns. The Greens are our smallest dabbling duck with thinner bills and show a vertical buffy streak at the tail.
Pressed Flowers with Artist Ellie Roden
Sunday, October 11th
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Registration is required. This program does not include admission to Hildene for the day.
Preserve a little of the garden to enjoy all year long.
Join pressed flower artist Ellie Roden for a creative autumn afternoon at Hildene. Ellie will share the art of flower pressing and demonstrate techniques for preserving the color, form and delicate details of flowers and foliage.
Working with a beautiful selection of pressed botanicals, participants will create their own one-of-a-kind floral artwork, cards and bookmarks to take home. Along the way, Ellie will share tips and techniques for pressing flowers and foliage from your own garden and using them in future projects.
No experience is necessary, and all materials are provided.
Come enjoy a relaxed afternoon of creativity and discover a beautiful way to keep the garden with you through the seasons.
Members-Only Guided Walking Tour of Historic Dellwood Cemetery
Friday, October 23rd
9:00 am - 10:00 am
This program is for members only. You must have an active Hildene membership to register.
Members, please join us for a Members-Only Guided Walking Tour of historic Dellwood Cemetery with Manchester Historical Society Curator Shawn Harrington. During this informative tour, we will visit the resting places of prominent citizens and friends of Robert Lincoln, explore Manchester’s storied past, and learn about the people who helped shape the community.
Drawing on Shawn’s extensive knowledge of Hildene and Manchester history, these walks are filled with fascinating facts, stories, and connections. Dress for the weather and prepare to be amazed by Shawn’s engaging storytelling and the many connections he brings to life along the way!
Exploration Backpack Program
June – October
10:00 am - 4:30 pm
This program is free with admission.
Looking for a fun way to nurture your child’s appreciation for the natural world? Check out our self-guided Into the Woods exploration backpack which contains all the essential tools and activity cards for discovery. Through a series of stops along a Hildene trail, children will engage in hands-on forest activities. Suggested for ages 5 to 10, the adventure is intended to take between 1- 2 hours. The pack is designed for 1 to 3 children, but more could participate if they are willing to share tools. This experience is free with admission. While packs may be checked out from The Museum Store, it is recommended that you reserve one in advance by contacting Stephanie at (802) 367-7960 or click here.
