Hillwood’s Christmas Trees Celebrate the Seasons of the Garden

From Pumpkins to Cabbages to Roses and Orchids

**Autumn Tree in the Entry Hall – But first, you must pass under the kissing ball!**

Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens, set amid 25 acres at Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. is the crowning event of my holiday experience. I often visited early to breathe in the holiday spirit and capture a photograph or two with which to produce my own Christmas card. There is always something magical and attainable in their trees.

This year, Hillwood executive director, Kate Markert, published A Garden For All Seasons. In celebration of this beautiful book, the 2020 Christmas trees were themed on the four seasons of the Hillwood gardens as presented in the book. Each of the four Christmas trees in the residence depict a different season and feature the plants and fruits of that season that would have been available among the estate’s gardens. A little known secret about these trees is that the staff and volunteers had only two days to install and fully decorate all of the trees.

**Visitor Center Tree – Based on the Natural Beauties: Exquisite Works in Minerals and Gems**

In addition to the beautiful exhibits in the mansion, there are rotating exhibits at the accessory buildings. This time, the exhibition, Natural Beauties: Exquisite Works In Minerals and Gems, inspired the theme of enormous Christmas tree in the Visitor’s Center where “minerals” of lapis, amethyst, quarts, and malachite were hung amid the beautiful glass ornaments. The secret of these particular minerals is that they are actually soap that is available for sale in the gift shop! Being careful never to touch, the look and style certainly fooled me.

Hillwood was the Washington, D.C. residence of Marjorie Merriweather Post. She was the heiress to the Postum Cereal Company (later General Foods) fortune and assumed the CEO position at the age of 29 upon the death of her father. She was a capable businesswoman, a brilliant art collector, a philanthropist, a patriot, and above all, an optimist. Her optimism is quickly recognized in her gardens. Multitasking was second nature to her. While she hired exceptional staff to help, she knew what was going on and where all the time.

**Autumn’s bounty dazzles – look closely and see what hidden treasures you can find . . .**

The first tree to greet visitors is “Autumn.” Pumpkins decorate its chocolate colored skirt and small gourds are scattered throughout the tree’s branches. The predominant colors of oranges, yellow, and amber bring a warm glow to the tree. Because Hillwood is home to one of Washington, D.C.’s oldest gingko trees, the top of this tree sports cascading golden gingko leaves. A close look at this tree reveals mums, seed pods, oak, and maple leaves. The beauty of this tree is that it is visible from both the Entry Hall and in the Library because it stands in the doorway between the two rooms.

**Cabbages and orchids; sweatered ornaments all wrapped in a knitted shawl**

**The majestic gingko tree is in the cutting garden and is one of the oldest trees on the property. Winter cabbages and pansies brighten winter’s landscape.**

In the Pavilion, where the walls are upholstered in light lavender, next to the grand piano and beneath purple velvet swag draperies is the “Winter” tree. In winter, orchids flower profusely in the estate’s greenhouse and create the dramatic topper for this tree. Cabbages and kales grow throughout the winter and are well represented among the tree’s decorations. For a bit of whimsey, some of the ornaments are covered with knitted “sweaters” and to add a cozy warm feeling, the tree skirt is a hand knitted scarf. The velvet walls and draperies warm the tall space muffling loud sounds and creating the perfect space for this year’s Winter tree.

**Spring in the French Drawing Room echoes the room’s colors and theme**

Marjorie collected French tapestries, furnishings, porcelains, and paintings and can be enjoyed in the French Drawing Room. The room’s colors say, “Spring.” The tree in this room is decorated with the flowers of spring – cherry blossoms, peonies, roses, azaleas, and ranunculus. The color palette ranges from bright pinks to soft creamy peaches. The promise of rejuvenation is echoed by boughs of cherry blossoms at the top of the tree. The sparkle effect is magnified by the clear glass and fuchsia ornaments reflecting the tiny white lights.

**The Summer Tree in the Dining Room captures summer’s delightful flowers and greenery**.

The tree in the richly paneled Dining Room represents “Summer.” The profusion of roses, dahlias, carnations, hydrangea, and snap dragons, and tassels inspired my curiosity to explore further. The design brilliantly encompassed the opulence of the dining table with its warm summer colors in its place settings as well as the sumptuous floral arrangements. The sheer height and density of ornaments made me want to linger further. As a frequent visitor, I scrolled through my thousands of photos and found just the flowers so aptly represented.

Hillwood is my happy place where I can indulge my love of the arts, antiques, architecture, and gardens all in one place. While they will be closing for the seasonal cleaning and refreshing, every new year brings new exhibits and themes which make returning both an adventure and a treat.

While enjoying the beautifully styled trees reminiscent of the gardens’ bounties, below are some photos from my collection that I have taken while in awe of their character and beauty.