08/06/2026
These Gilded Age gowns will wilt by next Monday! - Cheekwood Gardens in Nashville, TN
Perfect timing to ask — you're right in the middle of it. This is the world premiere of Fleurs de Villes THE GILDED AGE and it's only at Cheekwood for nine days.
The show runs Saturday through Sunday, August 1-9, 2026, from 9am to 5pm daily, with select evenings extended until 9pm. It's a partnership with HBO Max, and it's a fresh floral celebration that brings the opulence, ambition and iconic characters of HBO's The Gilded Age to life through floral artistry. 
What you'll actually see: a curated collection of one-of-a-kind fresh floral mannequins displayed throughout Cheekwood's Botanic Hall, Frist Learning Center, and Historic Mansion & Museum. Each one was built by Nashville floral designers interpreting a specific character. 
The lineup is about 12 mannequins plus large installations. In the Historic Mansion you get the Russells — Bertha by Rose Hill Flowers, George also by Rose Hill, Larry by Village Revival, Gladys by Studio Izrada, plus Mr. Bannister and Mrs. Astor — and in the Frist Learning Center you get Marian Brook by Abbj Design, Peggy Scott by By Gossamer, Dorothy Scott, Aurora Fane, Agnes van Rhijn, and Ada Brook. There are also installations like Opera in Bloom in Botanic Hall, The Gilded Floral Frame, and The Gilded Peacock. 
It's the second time Fleurs de Villes has been at Cheekwood, founded in 2015 they do large-scale floral exhibitions globally. The HBO show itself is set in 1880s New York where old money and new money collide, and Cheekwood leans into that with the historic mansion as backdrop. 
How to see it this week — since today is Wednesday, August 5th, you have through Sunday:
Hours are Tuesday-Sunday 9am-5pm as the base, that's Cheekwood's standard, but for this show they have extended evenings until 9pm on select nights. Thursday Night Out is happening Thursday August 6 from 5:30-9pm with music, food, drinks, and they had Cocktails in the Courtyard opening weekend, so check Cheekwood's calendar for any remaining evening slots Thursday-Saturday. 
Tickets: you need a Garden & Mansion ticket to see the full exhibition. For non-members that's $29 adults, $22 youth for Gardens + Mansion, or $23 / $16 for Gardens Only. Members are free 9am-5pm and discounted for evening hours. There's a $2 service fee per paid item and a $5 parking fee per order for non-members. 
Tip from Baxter — it's about 90 minutes to Cheekwood at 1200 Forrest Park Drive in Nashville. Reserve online in advance, it will sell out this final week, and go early morning for photos before the fresh flowers wilt in the heat, or do the Thursday evening for that golden-hour mansion glow. There's also designer talks, a Blooms of the Gilded Age workshop on Aug 8, and the Museum Shop has gilded barware, lace fans, and botanical bracelets for keepsakes.
