Planting Fields

✨ HISTORY. PRIDE. REVOLUTION. ✨ Join us for an unforgettable evening where revolutions past and present take center stage. 🌈🇺🇸 🎭 A live reenactment of General Baron von Steuben — the gay Prussian military leader who helped transform the Continental Army during the American Revolution 📚 A conversation and complimentary book signing with the creators of Washington’s Gay General – All guests get a FREE copy! @losthiskeysman @levihastingsart 👠 A fierce drag finale hosted by @thorgythor featuring some of Long Island’s most fabulous performers: @tiffgotpiff @alice.n0ir @awhora_borealis @tonihomeperm @thattomcatt @alishadayqueen @annie_manildoo @jason_v_babes PLUS cocktails, community, music, celebration, and all the revolutionary energy you could ask for. 💥 As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States, we’re honoring the stories, voices, and identities that have always been part of the American experience — because queer history is American history. 🌈 📍 Planting Pride: Revolutions on the Runway 📅 Saturday, June 6, 2026 🕔 5 – 9:30pm 🎟️ $35 per person 📍 Planting Fields | West Portico 🔞 18+ | Rain or shine Tickets are going FAST. Grab yours now through the link in bio! ✨

🌿 The Oudolf Garden is taking shape along its west border, and it’s already coming to life in beautiful ways! Fifteen trees will define the new edge of the garden (11 already planted, with one existing), all carefully selected for their naturalistic character, seasonal interest, and wildlife value. The mix includes red bud, dogwood, tupelo, birch, Carolina silverbell, witch hazel, viburnum, and Kentucky coffee tree. Designed by @pietoudolf and selected in collaboration with our team from nurseries Rivendale and @verderbernursery , each tree was chosen not just for beauty, but for how it helps shape a more immersive, layered garden experience. Planted in the proper season and installed by a collaborative crew including our Service Corps members, the Planting Fields Foundation horticulture team (Peter, James, and Kevin), @hannapackerdesign , and @austineischeidgardendesign – this is truly a shared effort in building something that will last for generations. A multi-season landscape in the making… we can’t wait for you to experience its fall color during opening this October 🍂 🌳Tree sponsorship opportunities are available. For available trees and more information, please contact Development Manager Maddie Schulz at [email protected]. 🎥 @d.a.v.i.d.a.l.m.e.i.d.a

Please join us for @plantingfields upcoming pride festival, Revolutions on the Runway on Saturday, June 6th in Oyster Bay, NY…about an hour outside of NYC. If you’re not familiar with our book, “Washingon’s Gay General,” it’s an epic graphic novel about the loves and legend of Baron von Steuben. He was a Prussian military genius who was recruited by George Washington to train the American army to fight the British. He was also flamboyantly gay, and led a life full of scandal, drama and adventure. We’ve been invited by the Planting Fields and @nystateparks @l.i.stateparksnature New York State Parks Department to participate in a panel discussion about the Baron, his complicated legacy, what it means to reclaim queer history from long-dead figures, and how it reframes our idea of American history as a whole. Even more exciting, our event will be followed a drag show hosted by @thorgythor , and a crew of incredible NY-based queens, so it’s gonna be an incredible party, at a gorgeous historical venue. Tickets are on sale now, and each purchase includes a complimentary copy of the book, which Josh and I will be signing at the event. We’d love to see you. Please share with your friends, family and allies! #pridefestival #queerhistory #nystateparks #plantingfieldsarboretum #baronvonsteuben

Did you know this tree has BIGGER leaves than any other native to North America. (The flowers are pretty amazing too!) 🌼 There are hundreds of different species of magnolia! This one is Magnolia tripetala, native to the eastern USA. The leaves can reach up to two feet long! It’s growing at Planting Fields in Oyster Bay 🌳 Magnolia macrophylla is my favorite native tree. The leaves can get 3 feet long. I love big leaves!

You don't want on miss this vibrant display. The Azalea Walk is in bloom NOW. Run, do not walk! ⁠ ⁠ 📸 @d.a.v.i.d.a.l.m.e.i.d.a

Let’s Botanize 🌿 ⁠ ⁠ A movement to combat the climate crisis by spreading curiosity, knowledge, and appreciation about plants, Let’s Botanize invites us to slow down and truly notice the natural world around us—yes, even to stop and smell the roses. ⁠ ⁠ Botanizing can take many forms: taking an extra moment to observe nature, or creating art inspired by your environment—like the artist behind the double weeping cherry tree branch above. ⁠ ⁠ But here’s where it gets interesting… ⁠ ⁠ We don’t know much about the artist of this and other stunning, hand-colored bookplates of flowering trees in our archives. However, a handwritten note on the cover reads: “E. Costich, Hicks Nurseries, Westbury, Long Island.” ⁠ ⁠ And now we’re wondering—who was E. Costich? ⁠ ⁠ Help us solve this archival mystery. If you have a talented E. Costich in your family tree, we’d love to hear from you 🌸

This Mother’s Day, we’re celebrating Mai Coe 🌹 ⁠ ⁠ Often thought of as the heart – and “mother” – of Planting Fields, Mai helped shape not just the estate, but the spirit of beauty and creativity that still defines it today. ⁠ ⁠ Her love of design, entertaining, and elegant living continues to inspire everything we do,from the gardens to the stories we share. ⁠ ⁠ If you’ve ever wandered the Main House or admired the details within, you’ve experienced her legacy firsthand. ⁠ ⁠ ✨ Want to step a little closer into her world? ⁠ Join us for Creative Spirits: Gold Coast Glamour & French Design in the Gilded Age on June 17 from 6-8pm. Explore Mai’s bedroom and dressing room, enjoy a signature cocktail inspired by her, and discover how she and other high society women brought French style to life on Long Island’s Gold Coast. $35 per person. Click the link in bio to learn more! ⁠ ⁠ A heartfelt thank you to all of the mothers and maternal figures out there ❤️⁠ ⁠ Image: Mai with William, Robert, and baby Henry, 1907, Planting Fields Foundation Archives.

Color like this won’t last long. Consider this your sign to treat the mothers and mother-figures in your life to the walk of the season 🌸 ⁠ ⁠ Wander down the Vista Path this weekend, designed by the Olmsted Brothers over 100 years ago and still made for slow, beautiful strolls together. ⁠ ⁠ This video was taken just yesterday! ⁠ ⁠ 📸 @d.a.v.i.d.a.l.m.e.i.d.a

🌈✨ A revolutionary night of history, identity, and drag — just an hour from NYC. ⁠ ⁠ Planting Pride: Revolutions on the Runway ⁠ 📍 Planting Fields, Oyster Bay | Sat June 6 | 5–9:30 PM | 18+ ⁠ ⁠ Escape the city for a one-of-a-kind evening featuring: ⁠ ⁠ 👑 Hosted by Thorgy Thor (RuPaul’s Drag Race) (@thorgythor ) ⁠ ⁠ 📖 Author, illustrator talk + graphic novel signing: "Washington’s Gay General" (@losthiskeysman & @levihastingsart ) ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ 🎭 Live historical reenactment of General Baron von Steuben ⁠ 💅 A full drag performance lineup closing the night ⁠ ⁠ This isn’t just an event — it’s a journey through revolution, from the American founding to modern queer culture. ⁠ ⁠ 🍸 Cocktails under the stars ⁠ 📚 Complimentary graphic novel for all guests ⁠ 🔥 Performance meets history meets Pride ⁠ ⁠ 🎟 $35 per person | Limited capacity | Rain or shine ⁠ 👉 Register now, click the link in bio! ⁠ ⁠ Artwork by Levi Hastings, 2026.

Attention Garden and Landscape Lovers 🚨 Did you see us in Gardens Illustrated? The upcoming Oudolf Garden at Planting Fields, designed by Piet Oudolf @pietoudolf , is gaining international attention before it’s even fully planted! With work now underway, there’s so much more to come – we can’t wait to keep sharing updates with you 🌿 Grab a copy of their April edition to get a first look. Learn how you can play a part in the Oudolf Garden at Planting Fields by visiting plantingfields.org or clicking the link in our bio!

A new landscape is beginning to emerge at Planting Fields 🌿 ⁠ ⁠ This is the future Oudolf Garden, designed by world-renowned landscape designer Piet Oudolf @pietoudolf , celebrated globally for his naturalistic landscapes that transform how we experience gardens. ⁠ ⁠ At the moment, it’s earth, form, and structure… and already full of possibility! Swipe to see the vision → ⁠ ⁠ What will emerge here is a one-acre living landscape of more than 24,000 plants—carefully composed in Oudolf’s signature style to evolve, shift, and reveal new beauty in every season. ⁠ ⁠ Opening in 2026. We can’t wait for you to experience it! ⁠ ⁠ Click the link in bio to learn more and to get involved.

Summer learning is in full bloom 🌼 ⁠ ⁠ 🕊️ Hooray for Hummingbirds (7/3) ⁠ 🥕 Veggie Garden (7/17) ⁠ 🐝 Busy Bees (7/31) ⁠ ⁠ From speedy birds to garden-grown veggies and buzzing bees, children learn how nature works, up close and hands-on. Experiences like these can only happen here, and they stay with families for a lifetime! ⁠ ⁠ Little Learner Classes ⁠ ⏰ 10 – 11am ⁠ 📍 Education Center at Planting Fields ⁠ 🎟️ $15 per child ⁠ 📌 Reservations required ⁠ ⁠ 🔗 Click the link in bio ⁠ ⁠ 📸 @francescarnyc