Some students of the human
condition would tell you it’s all about getting back to
the garden, and meeting planners have little cause to object, when
the gardens under discussion are as beautiful and versatile as the
ones on the following pages. Spanning arid deserts and urban
hotels, these lush examples from the United States and Canada are
perfect settings for unforgettable events.
The Fairmont Olympic Hotel, Seattle: In
the 450-room Fairmont Olympic Hotel, a 5,400-square-foot venue
called, simply, The Garden offers floor-to-ceiling windows, a
fountain and, of course, plenty of foliage. The room holds 120 for
sit-down dinners or 250 for a reception; 26,000 square feet of
meeting space is available in the rest of the hotel. (206)
621-1700; www.fairmont.com/seattle
The Cuneo Museum & Gardens, Vernon Hills,
Ill.: Tucked away in Vernon Hills, approximately 30 miles
northwest of Chicago, the Cuneo Museum & Gardens offers a
retreat from the urban. Gorgeous enough to be featured in Julia
Roberts’ My Best Friend’s Wedding, the luscious grounds
and Venetian-style house/museum maintain an elegant Gilded Age
flavor from the period of their founding. The property’s pavilion
tent can hold 350 for dinner. (847) 362-3042; www.cuneomuseum.org
Winterthur Museum & Country Estate,
Winterthur, Del.: Formerly the home of horticulturist and
Americana collector Henry Francis du Pont, the Winterthur Museum
& Country Estate is conveniently located halfway between New
York City and Washington, D.C. The terrace surrounding the
property’s Reflecting Pool, once the family swimming pool, can host
an event for 200, while the Copeland Lecture Hall and the Galleries
Reception Area can accommodate 330 and 200, respectively. (800)
448-3883; www.winterthur.org
Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix: For
the hottest garden venues, look to the desert. Spanning 50 acres,
the Desert Botanical Garden hosts a diverse collection of prickly
plants and party spaces. Webster Auditorium, with its signature
southwestern adobe structure, seats 100 for dinner. Additional
options include Ullman Terrace, a tiered outdoor patio that holds
150, and Dorrance Hall, a 4,600-square-foot venue that can seat
300. (480) 941-1225; www.dbg.org
Montreal Botanical Garden: In a city
known for refinement, the Montreal Botanical Garden carries the
flower torch. Offering a collection of 22,000 plant species, 10
exhibition greenhouses and approximately 30 thematic gardens, this
party planner’s paradise is ripe with possibilities, particularly
the Main Exhibition Greenhouse, which can accommodate 225 standing
and 70 for sit-down events. Chinese gardens, courtyards and a
pavilion also are available for rent. (514) 872-1400; www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin