Field Trip to the Lyman Estate!

The Lyman Estate, also known as “the Vale,” is a National Historic Landmark and one of the finest U.S. examples of a country estate following the principles of eighteenth-century English naturalistic design. In the 1700s and 1800s, Waltham was a popular location for country estates. In 1793 shipping merchant Theodore Lyman commissioned famed architect Samuel McIntire to design and build a Federal-style house for his family.

The family enlarged the house in 1882 in the Victorian style and then remodeled it in the Colonial Revival style in 1917. The thirty-seven acres include beautifully preserved gardens and historic greenhouses. Its architectural features include an elegant ballroom and graceful oval parlor, both pristine examples of Federal design.

The Lyman Estate Greenhouses are among the oldest surviving greenhouses in the United States. The complex includes an 1804 grape house, 1820 camellia house, 1840 orchid house, and a 1930 sales greenhouse where you can buy plants to take home. Our expert horticultural staff offers advice and assistance with plant selection and culture. No matter the season, a visit to these picturesque greenhouses is a treat.

Save the date! On Wednesday March 13 we are planning a trip to the Lyman Estate for a tour of the house and camellia greenhouse. This is peak bloom time for the camellias! We will meet there at 11:00 and the two tours will take approximately 1 1/2 hours total. Please organize your own carpools. The address is: 185 Lyman Street, Waltham MA. Please send your check for $15, made out to the Garden Club of Concord, to: Jane Rupley, 162 Westford Rd., Concord, MA. 01742. If you have any questions my email is Designjane@aol.com.