Waterford - Friday afternoon, workers in head-to-toe hazmat suits scraped away at peeling, lead-based paint clinging to the rusted, glassless frame of the 100-year-old greenhouse at Harkness Memorial State Park.

It was hardly the scene of elegance that existed when Edward and Mary Harkness lived in the mansion on the property.

A few dozen yards from the greenhouse, members of Friends of Harkness prepared for their annual plant sale, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at the former estate's Carriage House. This year, the fundraiser has special meaning for the volunteers because of the work going on at the greenhouse.

The 800-member group's plant sales and other fundraisers, coupled with the state's rentals of the mansion for weddings and receptions, finally have generated enough to start the long-awaited greenhouse restoration project.

It's the largest restoration project as yet undertaken by the Friends, whose efforts also have helped purchase furniture for the mansion, restore and maintain the gardens and repair garden fences. The Friends also played a major role in lobbying the state for restoration of the mansion, Eolia.

"We've been at it 17 or 18 years, raising money," said Eileen Grant, a Friends of Harkness trustee and head of Friends of Connecticut State Parks. "We're a patient group."

The plant sale is their major fundraiser, but they've also hosted wine tastings, concerts and other events to reach their goals, Grant said.

The Friends group and the state each are contributing $475,000 toward the restoration, which will include removing all the old framing and rebuilding the central greenhouse, complete with cypress doorway canopies and other historic details.

The east and west wings, one of which includes a stone-lined indoor fish pond and living Italian grape arbors believed to be the oldest in the state, will await a future phase of restoration, after another $600,000 or more can be raised.

"It's a historic structure, but we also look at it as a place to grow plants for the gardens," park Supervisor Mark Darin said.

Each spring, Darin estimated, about $15,000 is spent on annuals for the gardens. Another $20,000 is spent on trees, tree removal and mulch, he said.

Crews from the contractor, Kronenberger & Sons Restoration of Middletown, began working on the greenhouse last week and are expected to complete the work by November. The finished project will resemble - as closely as possible - the original structure, where the Harknesses grew all the flowers, fruits and vegetable plants for their gardens and household, with enough left over to plant in the wealthy couple's other homes and donate to the needy.

Darin and the Friends group envision using the restored greenhouse for educational programs about garden history, landscape design and horticulture. Greenhouses represent new life and growth, Grant said, so people are naturally drawn to them.

"It's like a living thing," she said.

Even in its dilapidated state, Darin added, the greenhouse attracts a lot of interest from visitors.

"You'd be amazed how many people come over here for photographs," he said. "This is going to be fabulous when it's done."

j.benson@theday.com