19th Century Gardening Lecture

The Garden City Historical Society's spring lecture, "19th Century Gardening," will feature a presentation by Vivienne Gurfein, a 28-year volunteer at Old Westbury Gardens. This free lecture takes place on Thursday, March 29, 7 p.m., at the Historical Society Museum, 109 Eleventh Street. Light refreshments served.

Vivienne Gurfein will discuss influences on 19th century gardening, including the architecture of the day, the grand tours of gardens held at the estates of the wealthy, and the Industrial Revolution.

In England at the time, gardening was "a man's work," she says. After a day in the factory, he would till the ground, plant, nurture and harvest vegetables and fruits to sustain the family's diet. The small "common man" gardens were in contrast to the grandiose "walks" at the mansions of the wealthy who invited their peers to see the wide variety of plantings they had. Gardening developed a social aspect, and soon women took an interest in gardening and formed the early "Garden Clubs."

Gurfein will also highlight new introductions to the 19th century garden, like varieties of coleus, use of rocks as decorative pieces, and "glass houses," or hot houses.

Born in England, Vivienne Gurfein was studying to be a dress designer when the English government began to focus on the World War II effort. She trained and served as a surgical operating room nurse. Later, she and her husband settled in the United States. She lived in Garden City for 10 years, and her three daughters attended the Cathedral School of St. Mary. She was a founding member of the Cathedral Women's group, active in the Cotillion, and was past president of the Garden City Theater Group. She has a Master's degree in art from Adelphi University and owned her own interior design business. Gurfein is a member of Memorial Gardens, an organization keeping alive the memory of Brits who died on September 11. Artist and restorer, Gurfein leads specialized tours at Old Westbury Gardens for visitors interested in textiles, furniture and architecture.

This lecture is graciously underwritten by Brian A. Pinnola of NAI/Long Island, a full service commercial real estate brokerage firm. Brian currently serves as president of the Historical Society and is a resident of the Mott Section.