'The Gilded Age' Floral Exhibition Takes Over Greystone Mansion

By Marcus Bennett

More than 15 floral installations built from thousands of fresh flowers will fill Greystone Mansion & Gardens in Beverly Hills from Oct. 28 to Nov. 4. The eight-day exhibition, "Fleurs de Villes: The Gilded Age," is created in partnership with HBO Max and timed to the period drama's Season 4 premiere on Nov. 1.

Local floral designers will arrange the flowers into life-size mannequins inspired by the show's characters, costumes and late-19th-century setting. The characters receiving the floral treatment include:

• Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon), known for her extravagant wardrobe
• Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski), the formidable guardian of old New York society
• Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson)
• Peggy Scott (Denée Benton)

The setting carries its own weight. Built in 1928, Greystone Mansion has long ranked among Beverly Hills' most recognizable estates, with grand interiors and manicured grounds that offer a West Coast counterpart to the New York mansions of Julian Fellowes' series.

What can visitors actually do there?

Beyond walking the grounds, visitors can watch live floral demonstrations and vote for their favorite designs. The practical question — what does this change for a fan of the show? — has a concrete answer: it is a rare chance to step inside architecture that mirrors the series' world while the new season is airing, with Season 4 landing midway through the exhibition's run.

The Beverly Hills stop is the fourth on a six-city national tour organized by Fleurs de Villes. The company previously partnered on floral exhibitions with "Downton Abbey," Fellowes' earlier series.

Evening events and ticket prices

The exhibition adds two separately ticketed evening events:

• "The Gilded Age at Sunset," Oct. 30 — champagne, live music and charcuterie
• "A Gilded Age Halloween Affair," Oct. 31 — cocktails, dinner and dancing

General admission starts at $34 before fees. The exhibition runs daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission includes a complimentary shuttle from the Crescent Drive Parking Garage, because Greystone Mansion offers no on-site parking. Tickets are sold through Fever.

For a series built on spectacle of décor and dress, the tour's West Coast stop now gives Los Angeles audiences the closest thing to walking onto the set — fresh flowers included.