Flowers and greenery are an important part of the unique history of Greenwich.
This season, the Historical Society is thrilled to partner with the Greenwich Botanical Center to host a three-part family-friendly workshop series dedicated to the history and science behind floral arts that make Greenwich special.
Open to all ages, the first workshop is inspired by the vibrant floral arrangements and illustrations from the Cos Cob artists who once called the Bush-Holley House, or the Holley Boarding House as it was known to them at the end of the 1800s, home. These artists enjoyed the bright and vivid hues of both native and exotic flowers and incorporated them into their artistry. Documented in the Greenwich Historical Society collection, artists, such as Genjiro Yeto, brought Japanese ikebana floral arranging techniques to other Cos Cob artists of the boarding house. Boarding house owner Constant Holley-MacRae became a renowned floral arranger, while the floral paintings and carvings from her husband Elmer Livingston MacRae can be seen in masterpieces across the Historical Society campus.
Floral Arrangement of Ponderosa Lemons, 1930s Herbert Photos, photographer William E. Finch, Jr. Archives
Join us in the historic barn on the Greenwich Historical Society campus to learn about similar techniques that the artists of Cos Cob used and make your own colorful floral display to bring home.
For more information on the history of the artists at the Holley Boarding House, check out the newest exhibition at the Greenwich Historical Society, The Holley Boarding House: Inspiring American Impressionism, now on display through March 8, 2026.
Greenwich Botanical Center is a membership-based, volunteer-supported nonprofit 501(c)3 organization with a mission to connect people of all ages with plants and nature and educate our community about horticulture, botany, and conservation through programs, events, outreach, and field trips.
Please note, this is not a drop-in program. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Floral arranging materials included.