Exhibitions and Tours

Christmas at Kensington Mansion: The mansion will be decked out in period decorations. Guided tours are at 9:30 and 11 a.m. and 1 and 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday through Jan. 12, Highway 601 South, Eastover. Tickets are $5.50 for adults, $4.50 for seniors and $2.50 for children 10 and older. Children under 10 are free. (803) 353-0456

City Strolls, Robert Mills House and Gardens: Historic Columbia Foundation will host a guided tour of the Robert Mills Historic District on Jan. 11. See some of Columbia’s oldest homes. Tickets: $6 at the Museum Shop, 1616 Blanding St. (803) 252-1770, ext. 24

Dollar Sundays, Robert Mills House and Gardens: Take a guided tour of historic house museums 1-5 p.m. Jan. 20. Purchase tickets at the Museum Shop, 1616 Blanding St. (803) 252-1770, ext. 24, or email aposner@historiccolumbia.org.

W. Gordon Belser Arboretum: Monthly open house will be held 1-4 p.m. Jan. 20, 4080 Bloomwood Road. (803) 777-3934

Holiday House Tours: Enjoy the holidays with guided tours of the Robert Mills House, Hampton-Preston Mansion and Mann-Simons Cottage. Guides will provide stories of holidays past and discuss how families decorated and entertained during the 19th and early 20th centuries, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 1-5 p.m. Sundays. Tours are available through Monday. (803) 252-1770, ext. 24, or reservations@ historiccolumbia.org

Garden Tours, Robert Mills House and Gardens: This 60-minute guided tour is Jan. 17. Compare the visual aesthetics of late 18th- and 19th-century landscape gardening to an earlier-style English boxwood garden. Tickets $6. (803) 252-1770, ext. 24, or aposner@historiccolumbia.org

Workshops, seminars

Peter Hatch Discussion: Hatch, former Director of Garden and Grounds for Monticello and featured in Southern Living and Martha Stewart magazines,, will talk about his newest book, “A Rich Spot of Earth: Thomas Jefferson’s Revolutionary Garden at Monticello,” 6 p.m. Jan. 15, South Carolina Department of History and Archives, 8301 Parklane Road. Admission is free for all SC Midlands Master Gardener Members; $15 for non-members payable at the door. Reception with light refreshments and book signing to follow presentation. Books are $40. For reservations, email mariamarchant@sc.rr.com or call (803) 749-1905 and press 2 to leave a message.

Other

Grinding of the Greens Christmas Tree Recycling: Sponsored by Keep the Midlands Beautiful, drop off your live trees Dec. 26-Jan. 10 at 20 locations in Lexington and Richland Counties. Please remember to remove the tree from its stand. Remove all ornaments, lights, garland, wires, strings or ties. Trees only - no wreaths or other greenery will be accepted. Information and location list: (803) 733-1139 or keepthemidlandsbeautiful.org

Free Mulch: Mulch available from recycled Christmas trees will be available Jan 12 at Seven Oaks Park, 200 Leisure Lane and South Carolina State Farmers Market, 3483 Charleston Highway, West Columbia from 9 a.m. until it runs out. Information: (803) 733-1139

Send events and calendar items to homeandgarden@thestate.com.