Spring/Summer 2019

B E R K S H I R E B OTA N I C A L G A R D E N

SPRING/SUMMER 2019

SPRING/SUMMER 2019

85 Years of Incredible Summers!

JUN

01 Shimmering Flowers Nancy Lorenz’s Lacquer and Bronze Landscapes on display in the Center House Leonhardt Galleries through Sept. 30.

Opening reception Friday, May 31, 5-7 p.m. featuring a demonstration by floral designer and ikebana master Kan Asakura.

A P R 6 – M AY 2 6

M AY 1 0 – 1 1

JUN 8

Nature Narratives

The Be-a-Better-Gardener (BBG) Plant Sale

Fête des Fleurs

The Botanical Art of Carol Ann Morley (“Meet the Artist” Gallery Presentation May 26)

Jump-start the growing season at our Plants-and-Answers Plant Sale on Mother’s Day Weekend

BBG’s annual summer gala featuring the opening of “Lucy’s Garden,” a new topiary collection donated by Lucy and Nat Day.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Matt Larkin, Chairman Madeline Hooper, Vice Chairman Janet Laudenslager, Secretary Rob Williams, Treasurer David Carls Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo Mary Copeland Adaline Frelinghuysen Lauretta Harris Ian Hooper Tom Ingersoll Daniel Kasper

Wendy Philbrick Martha Piper Ramelle Pulitzer Elizabeth Roberts John Spellman Mark Walker Suzanne Yale KK Zutter

S TA F F Dana Audia Director of Special Events

Melvin Jenkins Camp Director

Michael Beck Executive Director

Christopher Kupernik Buildings and Grounds Manager

Amy Butterworth Membership and Development Coordinator

Dan Mullen Buildings and Grounds Assistant

Christine Caccamo Senior Gardener

Robin Parow Director of Marketing Communications

Duke Douillet Senior Gardener

John Ryan Seasonal Gardener

Katarina Goldenberg Seasonal Gardener

Bridgette Stone Education Coordinator

Deborah Helmke Gardener

Elizabeth Veraldi Office Manager

Dorthe Hviid Director of Horticulture

Chris Wellens Director of Education

CUTTINGS Robin Parow, Editor Julie Hammill, Hammill Design, Design

Cover photo: Elizabeth Griffin The Pond Garden (this page): Robin Parow

A U G 2, 9, 1 6, 2 3

AUG 10–11

AUG 18

AUG 22

Family Fridays

49th Annual Grow Show

Dog Days of Summer

Annual Volunteer Recognition Party

Our popular “You Grow It We Show It” event. Enter the show or just visit and enjoy the harvest.

A tail-wagging good time for the whole family— canines included!

Back by popular demand, the legendary Viennese dessert room!

Family-friendly presentations featuring animals large and small.

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Cuttings For advertising opportunities, please call 413-298-3926.

DIRECTOR’S CORNER MICHAEL BECK

Everything old is new again Ah, spring is here! Or is it? With apologies to Eliot, I firmly believe that March is the cruelest month, at least here in the Berkshires. The sun feels so much stronger, the birds are so much louder, and just as the tips of spring bulbs become visible…. Wham! Another whopper of a snow storm buries it all again; we put away our garden shears that were grabbed in a moment of premature optimism, and go clamoring for that trusty duo of salt and shovel. But eventually, even here in our not-so-temperate climes, the sun wins its annual battle against winter and the last icy patches melt away into the mud. And all of us gardeners are immediately out there, eager to finish the yard clean-up chores that were cut short during last fall’s early freezes, planning our plantings, counting the weeks until last frost and starting our vegetable seeds under grow lights.

Spring is the season of rejuvenation, promise, and of hope. Of course, nature doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel. But she does start fresh every year, makes green shoots come out of old wood, and flowers out of shriveled little seeds. Soon, another season is on its way as spring turns into summer.

Here at the Botanical Garden, we embrace the seasonal calendar as well as our 85-year-old history. Many of our most popular events got their start in different times. Take Roy Boutard Day, our traditional season opener held on the first Sunday of May, when admission to our spring grounds is free and visitors are treated to a reception hosted by the Herb Associates, a volunteer group that was founded in the 1950s. Contrasting nicely with this piece of Garden tradition is the group of newly-graduated Horticulture Certificate students, who receive their certificates on Roy Boutard Day and often bring their families along for the festivities. I love to see the youngest niece or grandson of a graduate eagerly sampling Herb Associate baked goods (though never the spiked “Mai Bowle”!). Hopefully a future gardener in the making! Or consider our Mother’s Day Plant Sale: it’s been going strong for decades, but we keep things “fresh” with a mind-boggling assortment of new plants every year. Lucky there are knowledgeable gardeners and other volunteers around to guide your shopping choices and provide planting tips.

Fast forward to our August Grow Show, and you have another example of a BBG tradition that was begun way back, in 1970 (according to our Cuttings archives that you can find in our beautiful Center House reference library.

While it’s definitely an event with history, every year the design “classes” are fresh and new, and this summer will include a virtual trip around the world: the floral arrangements will take inspiration from iconic garden designs from Japan to Brazil. And we will look forward to introducing the exciting world of competitive floral design to another generation with a special youth class.

Despite our history and traditions, BBG is not one to sit still. We’ve barely caught our collective breath after reopening the beloved Center House (including a new Entry Garden with its fountain and fire feature) to the public, and already we are getting ready to launch our next new garden, a stunning collection of topiary we are calling “Lucy’s Garden” to honor donors Lucy and Nat Day. On June 8, we will be celebrating this newest of new garden “rooms” at our annual “Fête des Fleurs” garden party. What’s next? Well, we have some exciting plans to announce in the months ahead, plans that will mean continuing growth and opportunities for development for all of us. Trust me, it will be as thrilling as seeing those spring bulb shoots finally pushing through the snow.

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Reimagining the Wall

By Duke Douillet, Senior Gardener

The living wall after a year of growth, right to left, starting in lower right hand corner: Adiantum capillusveneris - southern maidenhair fern; Hedera helix ‘Golden Child’ - English ivy; Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Emerald Vase’ - dwarf Boston fern; Chlorophytum comosum ‘Spider Reversed’ - variegated spider plant; Cyclamen persicum - cyclamen; Solenostemon ‘Purple Heart’ - trailing coleus.

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

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Almost since the first stirrings of civilization, humans have had an urge to combine plants and architecture.

From the ancient Hanging Gardens of Babylon to the modernist stylings of Roberto Burle Marx, people have recognized the mellowing effects of nature and sought to incorporate this influence in buildings and public spaces.

In our current world, the landscape is increasingly under assault from urbanization and development.

Former woodlands and meadows give way to shopping malls, car dealerships and condominiums. More and more people are beginning to register concern over Nature’s diminished presence and are seeking ways to preserve or introduce some vestige of the natural world into our daily lives.

Local communities and conservation groups have acted to curb development through various land trusts; urban areas are recognizing the importance of green spaces; and we are seeing a growing number of public buildings employing green or “living” walls. Broadly

speaking, these constructions feature some means of arranging plants in a vertical manner, row upon row, the overall effect being that of a living tapestry or mural.

BBG’s version of a living wall had its genesis in 2015 during the planning of our Center House renovation, as an idea advanced

by Board President Matt Larkin.

It seemed readily apparent that to realize this concept would be both costly and technically complicated.

The first of these hurdles was overcome through the generosity of the late Ellen Greendale, long time board member of the BBG and Lenox Garden Club, and her husband Chris, who agreed to fund the project. Ellen,

Come visit and see what makes Bay State special!

who served as our Board Treasurer, was a strong supporter of the Center House renovation.

The second challenge, finding technical expertise, was addressed when Matt was put in touch with local resident Mark Prescott, principal with AgroSci, a firm that specializes in the design of living walls. An enthusiastic and articulate advocate of living walls, Mark seems something of a cross between a NASA engineer and microbiologist, with a touch of botanist mixed in. Mark’s conversation is dense with scientific parlance.

Listening to him explain the nuances of his design, I found myself nodding repeatedly—a gesture meant to convey “sure, got it… I understand,” while

Greenwalls & Custom Growing Systems www.AgroSci.com • Info@AgroSci.com

Incorporating Nature in your Environment 4

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thinking to myself, “how will I ever distill this down to layman’s terms?”

The basic infrastructure of our wall consists of multiple rows of “pockets,” (435 in total) forming a grid stretching nearly from floor to ceiling. Each individual pocket accommodates a single plant and receives a bi-weekly infusion of water via a computerized system involving an arrangement of channels and fiberglass wicks.

The BBG Living Wall (or BBGLW, for short) is what Mark calls an “active” system. In this type of design, ambient air and the particulates it contains are drawn into a system of ductwork and eventually discharged into the root zone of each individual plant via small nozzles. Here the particulates are met with a horde of hungry microbes—mycorrhizal fungi which are present in the soil mix we use, and bacteria which

are present literally everywhere.

These microbes commence to break down the particulates that have suddenly come their way, in the process generating nutrients for the plants and having a cleansing effect on the air. During the summer of 2017, Mark was busy overseeing the installation of his design.

Meanwhile, Director of Horticulture Dorthe Hviid was busy with the process of selecting plants to occupy the wall. A decision was made early on to generally exclude plants grown primarily for their flowers.

Our display would rely on foliar qualities for its effect. One goal was to have plants with complementary leaf shapes and textures, along with varying shades of green and/ or variegation. Other considerations quickly presented themselves: since all plants would be watered

BBG Director of Horticulture Dorthe Hviid and Mark Prescott from AgroSci set the plants in the newly installed living walls.

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BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

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equally, those selected would have to have compatible watering needs.

Combining cacti with Colocasia (elephant ears), for example, was a non-starter. The relatively modest amount of light reaching the wall — mostly from artificial lights mounted in the ceiling — dictated that we use plants whose light demands were similarly modest. Ferns of various sorts became an obvious option. Additionally, we needed to be mindful of the fact that light was strongest near the ceiling and lowest near the floor, and designate plants accordingly.

I’ve been speaking of our wall as if it were one contiguous entity, when in fact, it’s comprised of two separate “wall-ettes,” as it were, flanking the hallway to our new botanical library. Dorthe rejected the idea of a

symmetrical display, favoring instead a plan where the two sections were similar but not identical. Finally, after much consultation with growers and considerable time on the Internet, plants were selected and a design arrived at. The plant arrangement settled upon aims for a flowing, freeform effect, rather than a more rigid geometric configuration. Harking back to her days as a sweater designer, Dorthe was able to superimpose her design on a grid. Thus, when it was time to plant the wall, we could determine precisely which of the 435 pockets each individual plant belonged in.

Our narrative now switches to the Lexan greenhouse (creatively named thus because its panels are made of Lexan), where Senior Gardener Chris Caccamo is charged with nursing

Enjoy your BBg mEmBEr BEnEfitS whilE Earning gardEn rEwardS Ask In-store for More Information on How to Join

Ward’s Where Gardeners Grow

Ward’s Nursery & Garden Center 600 S. Main Street - Gt. Barrington Open Daily 8 am - 6:00 pm; Starting 7/1: 8-5:30 413-528-0166 www.wardsnursery.com 6

CUTTINGS

SPRING/SUMMER 2019

Harking back to her days as a sweater designer, Dorthe was able to superimpose her design on a grid. Thus, when it was time to plant the wall, we could determine precisely which of the 435 pockets each individual plant belonged in.

the plants along from their arrival as tiny plugs to a size where they’re wall-ready. Mundane as this sounds, finding space for these plants alongside the hundreds of plants

we grow for the grounds and spring Plant Sale requires a high degree of creativity and resourcefulness.

From April to June, there’s hardly a millimeter of horizontal space in the Lexan greenhouse that’s unoccupied, as anyone who’s visited during this period can attest.

Finally, our plants are ready to be transported across the road to the Center House, there to take their place as part of the Living Wall.

One does not simply walk away at this point, however. We’ve learned that the Living Wall plants collectively require a couple of hours per week for removing dead foliage and general sprucing up.

Also, plants being plants, they are not entirely predictable. Some early choices proved not to thrive and had to be replaced by other varieties. Conversely, some plants thrived a little too well, and had to be divided or replaced with smaller versions of themselves.

We continue to tinker and refine our living wall regime. We’ve discovered, for example, that we need about three months lead time between when a plant arrives from the grower and when it’s wall-ready.

Also it’s been our experience that most plants tend to outgrow their container in 9-12 months, at which time they need to be replaced.

Future plans include possibly changing a small percentage of the plants to impart a slight seasonal variation to the display: we’ve had cyclamens on display over the winter months, for instance.

The BBGLW joins other recent initiatives such as Lucy’s Garden (our topiary installation,) the Tree of

Forty Fruit, and the Center House garden/fountain in considerably reshaping the look of the Garden.

We encourage you to visit and see for yourself.

CREATING BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES 413-448-2215 churchillgardens.com

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1998 BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

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JUN

01 Shimmering Flowers Nancy Lorenz’s Lacquer and Bronze Landscapes June 1 - September 30 in the Center House Leonhardt Galleries ______________ Opening Reception and ikebana demonstration May 31, 5–7 p.m.

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ART/GARDEN

INSPIRED

BY NATURE

Nancy Lorenz’s Art Featured in BBG’s Leonhardt Galleries

This summer, BBG proudly presents the work of Nancy Lorenz, a New York City-based artist whose work incorporates technique from traditional Asian craft. For Shimmering Flowers, the artist has created gilt and mother-of-pearl paintings that complement the Garden’s collection of flora. Drawing on her years spent living in Japan, Lorenz will also present tabletop landscape vessels in cast bronze, creating a dialogue with the gallery and her own 35-year history as a noted contemporary abstract painter. In advance of the opening, BBG’s Director of Marketing and Communications Robin Parow discussed the upcoming exhibit, its unique elements, and the artist’s journey from Tokyo to Stockbridge with Lorenz.

Robin Parow: Nancy, it’s such a pleasure to welcome you to the Garden! Your work has appeared in museums and galleries throughout the world, and in publications including Harper’s Bazaar, Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Vogue and the Financial Times. Could you provide a backdrop of your artistic journey? Who were some of your role models as an up-and-coming artist?

Nancy Lorenz: Growing up in Japan I got to visit artists’ studios of all kinds — potters, painters, wood block masters. Seeing all their tools and self-made worlds had me dreaming of doing the same thing myself one day. In Japan I grew up with the idea that there was no hierarchy between fine art and sublime craft. I always liked artists who worked in a range of materials and approaches.

Louise Bourgeois remains one of my all-time heroes.

RP: For Shimmering Flowers, your amazing gilded and lacquered compositions will be on exhibit in the Center House Leonhardt Galleries. When planning the exhibit, how did you go about choosing the pieces? Have you created specific art for this exhibit?

NL: BBG’s Executive Director Michael Beck and Curator/ Board Chairman Matt Larkin visited the studio and selected recent botanical and landscape paintings, and a new series in bronze that I’m excited about. I’m creating some new lacquer botanical studies based on plant clippings from the Garden. I’m also casting tabletop landscapes and fountains specifically for the exhibition.

This is a new exploration for me, loosely based on bonseki, which is the Japanese art of creating miniature landscapes on black lacquer trays.

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

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JUNE 25 - AUGUST 18 JOIN US THIS SUMMER FOR OUR 2019 SEASON SEE IT HERE

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Matthew Broderick in The Closet, 2018; photo by Carolyn Brown

RP: Have you previously exhibited your work at a public garden, and how does the mood of the BBG galleries impact how your art can be displayed and viewed?

NL: This is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to show work outdoors. I especially love the domestic scale of the galleries, and find the inside/outside relationship liberating. When I first saw the galleries and gardens, I was remembering my grandparents’ farm where I used to love spending the summers when I was young. It was in Valley Falls, New York, and my grandmother Jane was the most amazing gardener. She could grow anything in the rocky terrain. So I approach the restored interiors of the gallery and the surrounding gardens with some degree of familiarity.

RP: Your signature “liquid gold” style is defined as a type of water gilding. Can you describe the process?

NL: Traditional water gilding is a labor intensive process requiring many steps to achieve the desired effect. Many coats of gesso and bole are painted onto a poured surface and meticulously refined. Then a gossamer-thin sheet of gold is laid with a gilder’s tip once water is applied to the surface. Finally, the gold is hand-burnished with an agate tool that gives it a molten liquid appearance.

Night Sky Screen 2016 – White gold leaf, mother of pearl inlay, glass, gesso, lacquer, on six wood panels

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Chrysanthemum Lacquer Box – red gold leaf, mother of pearl inlay,

RP: How does using natural materials such as mother-of-pearl in your work provide an added element of artistic expression? Can you describe that?

NL: Nature has always influenced my work, both in the materials I use, and as a thematic reference. I have a palette made of mussel shells that I made years ago in Maine, and I still use it. I have also spent hours arranging sand from a family trip to Greece. Organic material such as mother of pearl has its own irregularities and provides unexpected patterning and incidental marks that I like to allow into my work.

RP: When not immersed in your artistic work, what do you enjoy doing?

NL: I do a lot of looking at art! And when I can, I enjoy traveling.

RP: What’s on your “must do” list while in the Berkshires, and particularly at the Garden?

NL: I like the way the Garden engages with the public, fostering a community around art and nature in the Berkshires.

I especially look forward to seeing how ikebana master Kan Asakura will work with the natural elements of the Garden to interact with my sculptures.

Shimmering Flowers is made possible through the generous support of the Dorothea L. Leonhardt Foundation, Inc.

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

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S P O T L I G H T O N S TA F F :

Christopher Kupernik Buildings and Grounds Manager When Chris Kupernik joined the BBG staff last spring, he had a few goals in mind: work at a property that would offer new challenges, be part of an organization that is mission driven, and be part of a team of like-minded staff. Fast forward one year and it’s clear he’s met those goals — and enjoyed the journey along the way.

A resident of Lenox, “Kupe” is an avid runner who also trains and competes in martial arts. He’s earned a blue belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu and a purple prajiet in Muay Thai kickboxing, which he also teaches and coaches. In his former role as maintenance technician for Blantyre, the award-winning, luxury Forbes fivestar resort in Lenox, MA, he wore a myriad of hats ranging from day-to-day grounds maintenance and pool care to overseeing private events, weddings and corporate functions. This proved to be the perfect training for his job at BBG, where the newly renovated Center House had just debuted a full schedule of special events, and where more than 25,000 people visit throughout the year. His wealth of knowledge in grounds maintenance and the hospitality industry has been invaluable as the Garden grows to accommodate an expanded education and events lineup and a bustling art gallery with exhibitions year-round.

Kupe’s greatest job satisfaction comes from being a part of the larger mission, contributing to the visitor experience and the education process that goes on every day, all year at the Garden. He’s enjoyed the multifaceted aspect of his work, from assisting with outdoor art installations to demystifying the workings of the new, cutting-edge water/fire sculpture located at the entrance to the Center House. With Buildings & Grounds staff member Dan Mullen, he’s streamlined the important task of preparing multiple areas of the Garden for busy summer weekends of workshops, classes and private events. Luckily, after going through a complete cycle of major BBG events like the Plant Sale, Grow Show, Harvest Festival, and Holiday Marketplace, he’s still smiling!

Cuttings For advertising opportunities, please call 413-298-3926.

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2019 JULIANNE BOYD, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

MAINSTAGE

ST. GERMAIN STAGE

INTO THE WOODS

HOLD THESE TRUTHS

JUNE 19-JULY 13

MAY 22-JUNE 8

Music and Lyrics by STEPHEN SONDHEIM • Book by JAMES LAPINE

GERTRUDE AND CLAUDIUS

By JEANNE SAKATA

AMERICA V. 2.1:

NEW PLAY!

THE SAD DEMISE & EVENTUAL EXTINCTION OF THE AMERICAN NEGRO

By MARK ST. GERMAIN • Based on the Novel by JOHN UPDIKE

JULY 18-AUGUST 3

FALL SPRINGS

WORLD

PREMIERE

By STACEY ROSE

JUNE 14-JUNE 30

WORLD

PREMIERE

Music and Lyrics by NIKO TSAKALAKOS • Book and Lyrics by PETER SINN NACHTRIEB

AUGUST 9-AUGUST 31

AMERICAN UNDERGROUND

TIME FLIES AND OTHER COMEDIES

By DAVID IVES

WORLD

PREMIERE

JULY 5-JULY 27

IF I FORGET

By BRENT ASKARI

OCTOBER 2-OCTOBER 20

By STEVEN LEVENSON

AUGUST 1-SEPTEMBER 1

YOUTH THEATRE Ragtag Theatre’s

HANSEL AND GRETEL Book by SAM LAFRAGE • Music and Lyrics by LEWIS FLINN and SAM LAFRAGE

BARRINGTONSTAGECO.ORG 413.236.8888

WORLD

PREMIERE

JULY 25-AUGUST 10

Abbey Hunt, Tyler Hanes and Ensemble, West Side Story, 2018. Photo: Daniel Rader.

5o years of

Arnold Skolnick, Concert poster for the Woodstock festival, August 1969.

illustration art

Norman Rockwell Museum Collections.

Rube Goldberg, Great Discovery, (detail). 1913.

The Art and Wit of Rube Goldberg

Arnold Skolnick, Concert poster for the Woodstock festival, August 1969.

on view through June 9

For the People: Memories of the Old Corner House

Woodstock to the Moon: 1969 Illustrated

sponsored by Keator Group, LLC

April 27 - October 27

June 8 - October 27 sponsored by

NRM.org

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Stockbridge, MA

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open daily

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TD Bank

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THE GROW SHOW An Initiative Built on Education and Sharing

Judges Jacqueline Connell and Kathy Michie discuss a Design Division entry at the Grow Show

Dateline 1970. . .the cost of a gallon of gas was 36 cents and the Number One song in the nation was Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Anti-war protests were raging across the country, including at Kent State University. An accident during the Apollo 13 mission required some deft emergency inflight teamwork resulting in a safe return. And in April, Earth Day was born.

In Stockbridge, Massachusetts at the 36-year old Berkshire Botanical Garden, executive director C. Roy Boutard felt a need to bring the community together. It’s unknown if his efforts echoed, perhaps, a desire to acknowledge Earth Day and the challenged environment while at the same time showcasing the noteworthy gardening going on in the Berkshires.

But out of his initiative emerged the Berkshire Midsummer Flower Show, an event designed with the intention “to get any person interested in gardening and all the surrounding garden clubs to participate.” This large14

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scale undertaking was truly to be a celebration of backyard environments — the gardens, yards, and landscapes of homeowners throughout the region. Boutard went to work forming committees and recruited upwards of 25 volunteers; scheduled movies throughout the two-day event; and set the admission price at one dollar.

Predicting the Garden’s assembly hall would not accommodate the anticipated crowds, he arranged to rent a large blue and white striped tent to be erected in the meadow opposite the Center House. By springtime, twenty-two garden clubs had expressed interest in participating in the August event.

As it sits on the threshold of its golden anniversary, the show still is, in its essence, a testament to backyard stewardship, education, and community building. Reshaped for the 21st century and renamed The Grow Show, its continuing popularity has made it an iconic Berkshire event with one foot planted in a country

By Robin Parow

fair and the other placed firmly in the world of haute floral design. The Grow Show is not a Garden Club of America sanctioned show, but the bar is set high for quality standards, and the judges are trained according to GCA guidelines.

On competition day, the Horticulture Division is a perfect picture of what gardeners’ dreams are made of: its striking simplicity presents row upon row of carefully arranged entries laid out on long tables covered in white — cut flowers and herbs exhibited in identical glass bottles, vegetables displayed on white paper plates — all awaiting colorful award ribbons acknowledging their excellence. With over 80 classes to enter including annuals, perennials, vegetables, fruits, berries, bulbs, corms, rhizomes, tubers, and even houseplants and dish gardens, this event is a moment in the sun for growers whose gardens began back in January with the arrival of the season’s seed catalogs.

The Floral Design division is a theme-based competition that changes from year to year, generally including five classes with four entries per class.

Designers employ creative expression inspired by works of art, natural sites, or noteworthy events while the judges adhere to the guidelines set forth in the GCA’s Flower Show and Judging Guide, with additional elements suggested in the recent award-winning book: A Fresh Look at Judging Floral Design by Hitomi Gilliam and Kathy Whalen.

The judging process is rich in history and maybe a little mystery.

How does one assess a single zinnia against another? And how do judges differentiate the virtues of one elaborate floral design entry against its neighbor, which looks just as fabulous? Floral design judge Kathy Michie has a method. She arrives early for a slow walk-through to “take the temperature of the show.” She’s mindful that it takes tremendous creativity and technical know-how to create a good flower arrangement, and looks to identify the best while recognizing what is good.

Judging is a process, she says, requiring “creative mode thinking.” Working in panels of three and assigned two scribes to document their comments and distribute the awards, the judges focus on principles and elements taught in their years of training. Sometimes the blue ribbon winner is agreed upon, but when things get tough and it’s a close call, a point scoring system is used.

“We are always looking to see new designers enter the classes,” says design division co-chair KK Zutter. “Although many designers return year after year, there is still room for more talent, a new approach, a new interpretation.”

KK has teamed up with co-chairs Mary Copeland and Martha Piper to create what is sure to be a magnificent display of floral entries at this year’s Grow Show on August 10-11, when design inspiration reflects “Gardens of the World” with five classes representing gardens in Japan, India, New York City, England and Brazil. A children’s class for designers age 14 and under invites inspiration from The Tales of Peter Rabbit by British children’s book author Beatrix Potter.

Judges approach the Horticulture Division in much the same way as the Design Division, with three judges and a scribe evaluating hundreds of entries.

A familiar horticulture judge at The

Grow Show, Suzanne Perry, says that first and foremost, the judge’s job is to balance an appreciation for each entry and encouragement for every grower with a real commitment to public education. Visitors can learn a lot from a display of flowers or vegetables — plant health, growth, bloom and variety — and they can always find ideas for their next year’s garden. Suzanne arrives at the show knowing full well what challenges gardeners have encountered during the growing season. Rabbits, overlywet springs and scorching heat come to mind. “Gardening is war!” she laughs, “and depending on the year, the vagaries of nature are evident.”

Judging becomes a little more generous in classes where growers have struggled with the weather or where plants are grown using organic methods. “Horticulture entrants have put themselves out and are generous to share their bounty, to say ‘this is my effort.’ It’s all good — a fun, totally positive experience to enter, and a hoot for those who win — a very nice pat on the back for a job well done,” she adds.

“Both divisions are modelled on classic botanical shows,” says BBG Director of Horticulture Dorthe Hviid. “In the horticulture division, there’s something quite special about taking a Hydrangea branch, a Hosta leaf, a marigold, or a head of cabbage out of context and viewing them singularly. Conversely, viewing design division entries brings together a myriad of colors, plants, and other materials — sometimes in ways that have never been considered before — to create an interpretation or convey a mood. This is what makes The Grow Show so special.”

No doubt these very same thoughts

crossed Roy Boutard’s mind as he set out to bring the gardening community together to enjoy, and maybe even brag a little, about each other’s success of the season. We plant, we nurture, we harvest, we share. A true grassroots effort; a Berkshire legacy.

FLORAL DESIGN AND HORTICULTURE DIVISION SCHEDULE Wednesday, August 7 Design Division registration deadline Friday, August 9, 3 - 5:00 p.m & Saturday, August 10, 8 - 9:45 a.m.

Floral Design and Horticulture entries accepted and passed in the Education Center Saturday, August 10, 1 - 5:00 p.m.

Show opens to the public Sunday, August 11, 10:00 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Show open to the public Visit berkshirebotanical.org for more information and to register for Floral Design classes and enter the Horticulture Division.

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Fête des Fleurs 2019 Our annual Fête des Fleurs, held this year on June 8, will be a garden party extraordinaire as BBG officially dedicates Lucy’s Garden. This whimsical topiary collection features nearly two dozen exotic creatures and other ‘live’ sculptures. Donated by Lucy and Nat Day of Greenwich, CT, the beloved collection was relocated to BBG last autumn and planted in the northeast corner of the Garden.

Preparation of Lucy’s Garden is underway, with topiarist and BBG Board Chairman Matt Larkin at the helm as the topiaries, which include boxwood (Buxus sempervirens), yew (Taxus) and arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis), receive their first trim of the season. Three hundred barerooted purple beech (Fagus sylvatica

9 WEEKS

of CREATIVE FUN for AGES 3–18 + adult classes!

f. purpurea) have been planted to create an enclosed “garden room.” An irrigation system runs through the garden, and a beautiful gazebo has been built in the center of it all.

Two hundred Fête des Fleurs guests will enter the magical garden space and encounter topiary animals at their party best, including Jumbo the elephant with his spouting trunk and personal attendant who will assist guests in climbing aboard his howdah.

The animals are surrounded by topiary

furnishings including a club chair, wing chair, table, urn, floor lamp, and umbrellas, seascape of succulents and copper sailboat.

The evening will be punctuated by a dedication ceremony revealing the names of six topiary characters, the result of a nation-wide contest promoted by the American Public Gardens Association. Visit berkshirebotanical.org for additional details about this highly anticipated event!

2019

Summer Art Camps REGISTER TODAY! is183.org | 413.298.5252 x100 Locations throughout Berkshire County!

#is183artschool

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APRIL – AUGUST 2019

Education Our spring/summer education program provides a diverse selection of exciting learning opportunities. Whether your interests include expanding your knowledge of gardening, discovering plein-air art, learning mindfulness practices, or exploring an exciting historical landscape, BBG is your summer resource for enrichment through learning.

For more information on classes and events happening at the Garden, visit our website at berkshirebotanical.org.

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Classes, Lectures, and Workshops Transplanting Shrubs and Planting Small Ornamental Trees Saturday, April 27, 10 am - 1 pm Members: $15, Non-Members: $25 Participants should dress warmly and bring pruners and work gloves; dress for the weather.

Learn by doing in this hands-on shrub and tree planting/ transplanting workshop led by arborist Ken Gooch. All aspects of successful planting will be demonstrated, and participants will assist in transplanting a multi-stem shrub and planting a small tree.

Learn how to transplant shrubs through correct timing, placement, and techniques designed to create minimal disturbance and ensure smooth transition to a new site. Consider the differences between bare-root, container-grown, or balled-and-burlapped trees, and understand the importance of siting.

Gardening and Mindfulness Sunday, May 5 - Thursday, May 9 $389.00 per person + room and meals.

Register through Kripalu at Kripalu.org Berkshire Botanical Garden is proud to partner with The Kripalu Center to offer a unique exploration of the intersection of gardening activities and mindfulness practice. For anyone who has created a home garden or tilled the soil, whether in a plot or a container, the meditative qualities of gardening are naturally evident. You often find yourself connected to the present moment, senses engaged directly with the earth, lost in the calming act of planting and cultivating. In this program, you will experience: daily workshops on basic gardening skills, walking tours of the Kripalu campus and Berkshire Botanical Garden, meditation classes focused on mindfulness practices and how to apply them at home, gentle group yoga and movement sessions. Led by Jurian Hughes, the garden component of this program will be led by BBG instructors Chris Wellens and Jenna O’Brien. Join us to discover a whole new way to practice this ancient and joyous activity!

Seasonal Flower Arranging: Talk and Book Signing with Ariella Chezar Thursday, May 23, 5 pm Members: $10; Non-members: $15 Meet Ariella Chezar, one of the most sought after and highly regarded floral designers in the country, and the author of the recently released book Seasonal Flower Arranging: Fill Your Home with Blooms, Branches, and Foraged Materials All Year Round. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House, this lavishly photographed book provides step-by-step instructions for 39 seasonal floral arrangements and projects that celebrate the splendor of flowers, the bounty of the changing seasons, and the wild beauty of nature in your home.

Container Gardening Saturday, June 1, 10 am - 1 pm Members: $80, Non-Members: $95 Jenna O’Brien, owner of Viridissima Horticulture and Design, uses containers in the landscape to enhance and extend seasonal beauty, produce food and create an authentic sense of place. Learn how Jenna carries out her container designs from functional and conceptual design to pot, plant and soil selection while viewing a slideshow of her latest designs followed by a hands-on demonstration. Students will then create their own pots to bring home. All material fees included in the price of the class.

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TO R EGISTER , VISIT WWW. BER KSHIR EBOTA N I CA L .OR G

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The Garden in Watercolors SESSION I: Thursdays, July 11, 18, 25, August 1, 10 am - 1 pm SESSION II: Thursdays, August 8, 15, 22, 29, 10 am - 1 pm

Members: $155, Non-Members: $175 Individual Class: $45, Non-Members: $60 (Available starting June 1, space permitting).

Battery Park City Walking Field Study: Garden Designers Showcase Thursday, June 6, 11 am - 4 pm (active trip time plus travel time) Members $70, Non-Members $85 Dress for the weather, rain or shine, and bring a water bottle and bagged lunch or plan to buy your own. This program will begin at Grand Central Station, NYC. Participants will have the option to meet at Grand Central Station at 11 am or to carpool with BBG staff to Wassaic NY and take Metro North to GCT departing from Wassaic at 8:28 am returning to Wassaic approximately 6:45 pm.

Cost of program does not include train fare to NYC or lunch.

Explore the Garden through the pleasure of watercolor painting.

We will work outdoors in th Garden translating its vistas and details into paintings. Each class will begin in the Center House with demonstrations and helpful assignments.

Ann Kremers will offer encouragement and suggestions throughout the painting sessions.

Beginners and experienced painters are welcome. In case of rain, the Center House offers a lovely venue that is sheltered from the elements.

Join the staff of the Berkshire Botanical Garden for a visit to Battery Park City, located at the tip of Manhattan. We will tour this extensive landscape—perhaps one of the most concentrated parklands in America—with our engaging instructor David Dew Bruner, who will focus on design. We will visit areas of the park including Michael Van Valkenburgh’s Teardrop Park, Oehme van Sweden’s Rockefeller Park, two gardens designed by Lynden Miller, and landscapes by Olin Partnership and other exceptional designers. In addition to these amazing gardens, there is abundant public art to view, including the Irish Hunger Memorial designed by Brian Tolle, the magnificent “Ice Wall” by Ann Hamilton and Michael Mercii, and sculptures by Jim Dine, Louise Bourgeois and many more. Enjoy this stimulating day in the city with some gardening friends. A morning snack and late-afternoon refreshments will be provided, compliments of the staff of Berkshire Botanical Garden.

Serving the Berkshires since 1981

TO R EG IST E R, V IS IT W W W.B E RKS H IRE B OTANICAL.O RG

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

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Basic Drawing Skills: Observing Nature Monday, August 12 & Tuesday, August 13, 10 am - 4 pm Members: $225, Non-Members: $250

Horticulture Certificate Program The Horticulture Certificate Program is a non-credit, adult enrichment program designed for the professional, aspiring professional or serious home gardener. Students can choose either to take classes towards receiving a certificate, or audit individual classes of interest. Staffed by seasoned and practicing horticulturists and landscape designers, these in-depth classes provide a strong foundation for all horticultural pursuits — whether one is exploring or advancing career goals or simply acquiring or expanding knowledge, skills and enjoyment of gardening. Classes include lectures, hands-on workshops and field trips.

Bring a bag lunch. Materials list can be found at www.berkshirebotanical.org Drawing is a great way to observe nature and have fun recording what you see. However, it may cease to be fun if you can’t achieve the likeness of your subject or you are not sure how to begin your drawing. This two-day drawing workshop will give you the basic concepts and skills to get started. Under the guidance of Carol Ann Morley you will learn how to look at the natural world and give shape and definition to your subject. Through graphite shading techniques you will understand how to accurately render some basic shapes that underlie any subject you choose to draw, from a plant to landscape, giving depth and meaning to your art. Open to any level student from beginner to those with drawing skills.

Level I courses cover material essential for a foundation in good gardening practices and are designed sequentially beginning in September and progressing through April.

Upon completing the Level 1 Horticulture Certificate Program, students can work towards additional Advanced Certificates in the following areas: • ADVANCED HORTICULTURE • LANDSCAPE DESIGN • SUSTAINABLE LAND STEWARDSHIP • NATIVE PLANT LANDSCAPES

Registration for this program will begin this summer at berkshirebotanical.org Portraits from a Garden: Summer’s Treasures Wednesday, August 14 - Friday, August 16, 10 am - 4 pm Members: $340, Non-Members: $375 Students of all levels welcome Bring a bag lunch. Materials list at www.berkshirebotanical.org Bring to life the beauty of garden flowers with colored pencil and graphite. Enjoy sketching at Berkshire Botanical Garden each day.

Make studies of flowers as they grow and breath in the garden beauty. In the classroom, design a composition of flowers or found garden treasures brought from your own garden. Embellish with a butterfly, or a bee or two. Led by instructor/illustrator Carol Ann Morley, students will have fun working on compositional ideas to make your own garden story. Begin with graphite sketches and colored pencil studies. Basic colored pencil techniques will be covered, as well as how to develop your studies into a final

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BBG Backyard Beekeeping Group

artwork expressing nature’s beauty.

Fall Hive Management for Successful Overwintering of Beehives Saturday, August 24, 10 am - noon Members: $10, Non-Members: $15 Join 6th-generation beekeeper Ken Warchol for an in-depth program on fall hive management of honeybees. This lecture and demonstration will focus on how to prepare your beehives to survive the winter, including hive preparation, feeding, and pest control. Ken will provide beekeepers with critical information and most especially timing of important management techniques to prepare hives for the cold. Weather permitting, he will do a hive inspection in the BBG apiary. Bring protective equipment.

Join local beekeepers on the second Tuesday of each month at 6 pm on the grounds of Berkshire Botanical Garden. Each month’s meeting will involve seasonappropriate discussions and demonstrations using the BBG apiary, weather permitting. We will focus on sustainable beekeeping techniques: raising and sourcing bees locally, managing pests and diseases ecologically, and creating beneficial habitats for honeybees and native pollinators alike.

New to beekeeping? All levels of experience are welcome.

Come learn how to get started with your first hives. Are you a seasoned beekeeper? Your experience and knowledge will be invaluable to others in the group!

Upcoming meeting dates: Tuesday, May 14, June 11, July 9, August 13, and September 10.

All meetings are at 6:00 pm at BBG. Exact locations are posted in the welcome kiosk.

Open through September TO R EG IST E R, V IS IT W W W.B E RKS H IRE B OTANICAL.O RG

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S AV E T H E DAT E ROOTED IN PLACE ECOLOGICAL SYMPOSIUM: Welcoming Wildlife and Diversity into our Landscape Sunday, November 10, 9 am - 5 pm Members: $95, Non-Members: $110, Students: $55 (with valid university ID) Berkshire School, Sheffield, MA Registration includes lunch and refreshments throughout the day.

An Afternoon of Garden-Inspired Floral Arranging Saturday, September 7, 1 - 5 pm Registration Deadline: Monday, August 26 Members: $125, Non-Members: $140 Compose a seasonal arrangement while learning the design basics needed to create a dynamic floral centerpieces. Geared towards individuals who have an interest in learning floral design techniques with a focus on garden-sourced material and less traditional arrangements. Led by BBG gardener Katarina Goldenberg, we will begin the afternoon touring BBG’s own gardens to find inspiration from nature’s branches, blooms, and grasses. The second half of the afternoon will continue with a discussion about floral arranging techniques. We will then create custom arrangements from cuttings from the garden as well as locally sourced blooms. All material fees included in the price of the class. Bring a bag lunch and a set of pruners.

BBG’s 4th annual ecological gardening symposium challenges gardeners to think what can we do to welcome wildlife and plant diversity into our gardens, rather than working to keep undesired pests out. Invasives are harmful, we do not want them. Pests can be detrimental so we need to look out for the health of our plants. That all holds true, but in these times of ever-present studies showing what can do harm, our symposium speakers will look on the bright side: what steps we can take to encourage beneficial insects, birds, and inspiring plants—all with a goal of creating unique and resilient landscapes.

This year’s symposium keynote speaker is Doug Tallamy — University of Delaware’s Professor of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology and author of Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens. Visit berkshirebotanical. org to learn more about his talk and the other speakers at this year’s all-day symposium.

Some course details may have changed since printing and others may have been added. Visit berkshirebotanical.org for the most up-to-date Sopring-Summer Cut- program information. Enrollment in many classes is limited. Early registration is encouraged. WITHDRAWALS: To withdraw your registration from a class, please contact tings: us as soon as possible so we can make your space available to others. If you give us at least seven days’ notice prior to the event, we will provide a refund, less 4.75”W x 3.5days “H prior to a class. an administrative fee equaling 25% of the program cost. Please note: we cannot offer refunds for withdrawals less than seven

WINDY HILL FARM NURSERY • ORCHARD • GARDEN SHOP

Superb plantS, extenSive Knowledge outStanding Quality, Selection & value

We offer our own Berkshire field-grown specimens, including Chinese or Kousa dogwood; the native Berkshire strain of Cornus florida; American and European Green, Tricolor and Copper beech; native birch; hybrid lilacs; hydrangea paniculata selections; American Fringe trees; witchhazels, blueberries, viburnums; winterberries, espaliered fruit trees; mature apple, peach and pear trees; herbaceous and tree peony selections.

686 Stockbridge road, great barrington, Ma 01230 www . windyhillfarMinc . coM (413) 298-3217 22

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B E R K S H I R E B O TA N I C A L G A R D E N P E R E N N I A L S O C I E T Y

“The most important thing about BBG to me is its place in the community.”

— Mary Copeland, Perennial Society Member

Join longtime BBG trustee and supporter Mary Copeland and become a member of the Garden’s Perennial Society by including the Garden in your estate plans or other planned giving arrangements.

Mary considers BBG “the most broadly community based organization in Berkshire County, answering the needs of all ages. I’ve sat beside people with ‘brown’ thumbs as they’ve learned how to make beautiful things with plants and flowers. I’ve watched (and experienced) friendships flourish. Those are just some of the reasons I want the Garden to continue to prosper for years to come.”

BBG depends on membership dues and annual appeal donations to meet its yearly operating budget. However, it is planned giving, whether through bequests, charitable annuities/trusts, designating retirement assets or other future gifts, that have allowed this 85-year-old cultural institution to flourish and grow. We look forward to remaining a robust community resource and to providing inspiration and education about the natural world, for many years to come.

If you would like to find out more about joining BBG’s Perennial Society, please contact Michael Beck, Executive Director at (413) 320-4772 or mbeck@berkshirebotanical.org for a confidential conversation.

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IN THE NEWS

energetic landscaping, inc. expert design, construction & year-round maintenance

Welcome Back, Amy! BBG’s staff and board are thrilled to welcome back Amy Butterworth to the Garden. Amy was BBG’s office manager from 2014 through 2017, and after a brief relocation to eastern Massachusetts she’s now back as the Garden’s Membership and Development Coordinator.

Amy’s involvement with BBG started in the late 1960s when her mother, Jancy Kapteyn, became active in Garden roles, including a long stint on the Board of Trustees. Her mother enrolled her in many gardening classes taught by Sherry Boutard, who was a towering presence among young gardeners. It paid off — Amy loves to garden and puts her fresh cut flowers in the many ceramic vases that she has made over the years. Her involvement with BBG exceeds administrative work — for 20 years, she’s co-managed the Opportunity Dress Shop at the annual Harvest Festival, a demanding volunteer position that she expertly fills.

Amy’s knowledge of BBG places her in an ideal position to oversee the Garden’s members, create new member perks and events, and partner with the local community and beyond for sponsorship and grant opportunities. Welcome back, Amy!

Bringing the natural beauty of the Berkshires to homes and offices since 1979.

(413) 442-4873 energeticlandscaping.com

BBG Receives All Star Award BBG has been named a 2018 All Star by Constant Contact, the online marketing company that hosts the Garden’s digital enews sent weekly to more than 7,000 subscribers. The annual award recognizes the most successful 10 percent of Constant Contact’s customer base, based on their significant achievements using email marketing to engage their customer base and drive results for their organization during the prior year. Businesses and nonprofit organizations are judged based on level of engagement; open, bounce and click-through rates; as well as use of social sharing and reporting tools. BBG’s enews was redesigned last year to match the clean format of its new website, making it more mobile-friendly and increasing its readership. The enews provides brief, informative overviews on BBG classes, workshops, and events, as well as a weekly bloom report and links to pertinent news articles regarding the Garden. To receive the enews, visit berkshirebotanical.org and click “join our email list” at the bottom of the homepage.

Home, Studio and Gardens of Lincoln Memorial Sculptor, Daniel Chester French OPEN DAILY MAY 25 – OCTOBER 27 Guided Tours | Contemporary Outdoor Sculpture Show Art Classes | Woodland Walks | Picnic Tables | Gift Shop Stockbridge, MA www.chesterwood.org 413-298-3579

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IN THE NEWS

Volunteer Energy: It’s Powerful!

There’s a line by Dylan Thomas I’ve always loved: The force that through the green fuse drives the flower / Drives my green age. Isn’t that just a wonderful image of the power of Nature?

Meet the Master Gardeners Got a gardening question? Our Be-a-Better-Gardener Plant Sale will be better than ever this spring thanks to the Western Massachusetts Master Gardener Association. They will staff an information table both Friday and Saturday, May 10 - 11 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to provide information on all gardening topics, including how to improve your soil, good planting practices, pest control and general plant care.

The Western Massachusetts Master Gardener Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the educational mission of promoting good and sustainable gardening practices. They staff a call-in and walk-in information center in BBG’s Center House library Mondays, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., April - October. The Master Gardeners Hotline can be reached at 413 298-5355.

JACOB’S PILLOW DANCE FESTIVAL

With spring comes growth, and with the greening of the season we see our amazing BBG Volunteers out in force. They are essential in just about every area, from welcoming visitors and providing tours, to acting as docents in our galleries, to digging in as hands-on gardeners, or helping to host our many special events. Come here any day and you will get an idea of how Volunteer energy drives our Garden.

If you are already a BBG Volunteer, you know how enjoyable and rewarding it is. If you are not yet involved, we invite you to learn more. Whether you like to interact with people, with plants, or with computers … whether you want to lend a hand on a regular basis or just occasionally … we have all kinds of worthwhile ways for you to share your talents, and opportunities year-round, even in winter.

Our Volunteers enjoy a strong sense of community and family here at the Garden, and broaden their horizons with new friends and new knowledge. We salute their efforts with special classes and festive recognition events. Most of all, our Volunteers enjoy a sense of belonging to an important cultural organization that deepens their connection not only to the Berkshires but also to global environmental efforts.

Upcoming Volunteer events include: May 22

“Deep Purples” Gardening class with Chris Ferrero, Cornell Speakers Bureau Master Gardener

July 24

“Boomer Gardening” class with Chris Ferrero

August 22 Annual Volunteer Recognition Party Please call 413 320-4794 to register for these free events.

To learn more about volunteering at BBG, please visit the Volunteer page at www.berkshirebotanical.org or stop by the Volunteer table on Roy Boutard Day, May 5.

SUMMER 2019 June 19 to August 25 413 2 43 0745 JAC OBSPILLOW.ORG

I look forward to seeing you in the Garden!

Lauretta Harris President, BBG Volunteer Association

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IN THE NEWS

The Ellen Greendale Camp Scholarship

Welcome Interns!

BBG’s Farm in the Garden Camp is the grateful recipient of funding raised by the Lenox Garden Club to support five years of “Camperships” starting this year.

Named in memory of longtime BBG trustee, LGC president, and beloved Garden friend Ellen Greendale, the camperships will be awarded based on need and will allow many more children ages 5 -14 to attend our Camp. Farm in the Garden Camp provides time, space, and guidance for children to engage in purposeful play in an energizing and kind garden community. Their time in the Garden is spent caring for plants and animals, community cooking, and many other hands-on farm and garden activities.

More information about this Campership is available by contacting Chris Wellens, Director of Education, 413-357-4657.

BBG is indebted to the Lenox Garden Club for supporting this campership program while recognizing the dedication and love Ellen had for BBG’s education programs and its next generation of gardeners.

We are delighted to welcome five talented students into our summer college internship program. The program was designed for college students considering careers in horticulture, public gardens management, landscape architecture, or garden design. It provides learning opportunities and hands-on horticulture experience at BBG as well as Naumkeag, a historic home and garden managed by the Trustees of Reservations. Interns work with horticulture staff and volunteers at both organizations in all phases of garden maintenance and development, attend training sessions, and participate in public educational programs and field trips to help broaden their horticultural horizons.

We are indebted to the Marcia Brady Tucker Foundation for its continued support of this program, as well as to Frank and Mary Watson, who this year established the Henriette Granville Suhr Internship Fund, and David and Maria Carls as well as Kathi Cafiero, for likewise supporting this summer’s internship program. All of these generous donations allow BBG to provide a stipend and pay for housing for interns during their 12-week program. BBG and the Trustees share equally in the cost of the program. This year, we welcome the following students to the program: Annika Burkhardt, Utah State University Major: Plant Science and Residential Landscape Design and Construction Hometown: Logan, Utah.

Recipient of the Henriette Granville Suhr Internship

Sophia Gronbeck, Mount Holyoke College Major: Environmental Studies Hometown: Westfield, Massachusetts

C u s to m H o m e s – A r t i s a n a l D e t a i l s Crafting Beautiful, Energy-Efficient Spaces using Micro-local Materials.

Zero net energy homes • Passive House

Kaija Hudacek, Montana State University, Bozeman Major: Environmental Design Hometown: Eau Claire, Wisconsin Olivia Kmitta, Oklahoma State University Major: Public Horticulture Hometown: Owasso, Oklahoma Zoie Strassburg, Finger Lakes Community College Major: Horticulture Hometown: Rochester, New York

w w w. u n c a r v e d b l o c k i n c . c o m

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SPRING/SUMMER 2019

IN THE NEWS

Dana Audia Joins Full Time Staff We’re so pleased to welcome Dana Audia to BBG’s full time staff. Many know Dana as a consultant who has managed the Garden’s Harvest Festival for the past five years (no small task!) and has also recruited vendors for the Garden’s annual Be-a-Better-Gardener Plant Sale and Holiday Marketplace. Last year, she also stepped into the role of coordinating private events throughout the Garden and in the newly renovated Center House and its unique galleries, library, and classroom/ banquet areas.

National Public Gardens Week at BBG BBG will proudly celebrate National Public Gardens Week, May 13-19, with special tours, an extended plant sale, and an opportunity to preview the Garden’s new topiary collection and participate in a naming contest for six of its topiary characters.

This event began as National Public Gardens Day 2009 to drive local and national awareness of the value of of creating vibrant, relevant gardens. Participating gardens, such as BBG, are committed to cultural enrichment and environmental responsibility through community engagement, sustainable practices and conversation. Beginning this year, the American Public Gardens Association has extended the one-day event to a full week celebration.

During National Public Gardens Week, BBG will offer “High Spring Tours” focusing on late blooming spring bulbs and flowering trees throughout the Garden. Tours are free with Garden admission and are scheduled for Wednesday, May 15 and Saturday, May 18 at 11:00 a.m. During the May 15 tour, various BBG staff members will step in to provide a behind the scenes backstory of what goes on at a public garden and how BBG strives to fulfill its mission. Visitors will also have an opportunity to preview Lucy’s Garden, a new topiary garden scheduled for its grand opening on June 8, and will be invited to cast votes in a naming contest for the topiary llamas, reindeer and peacocks. In addition, our famous Plant Sale will be ongoing throughout the week, featuring plants for sunny areas, beds and borders, dry areas, and the woodland edge, as well as annuals, tropicals and vines. Special discounts will be offered.

Dana’s new position as Director of Special Events allows BBG to provide a dedicated staff member to oversee both private and public events throughout the year. “I’m thrilled to join the BBG team full time,” she said, “I love the Garden’s annual events and predict that demand for the Center House will increase as more people tour it and see what an amazing venue it is for corporate meetings, private parties, and weddings. I’m so proud to be able to show off its beautiful spaces.”

Dana is also brainstorming ideas for new events at the Garden. Her love for dogs has led to an interest in creating the Garden’s first Dog Days of Summer on August 18, a canine-friendly event welcoming dogs and their people for a tail-wagging day of activities. Check BBG’s website, berkshirebotanical.org for the latest event listings. Welcome on board, Dana!

Dog Days of Summer The Garden is going to the dogs on Sunday, August 18! Take advantage of this special opportunity to bring the whole family, dogs included, to the Garden. Meet other dog lovers, heel around the Garden, sit for family photos, lay down under the trees, stay for some treats and shop our vendors, learn about local dog-related nonprofits and experience Doga (dog yoga) and other pawson, downward dog, fun activities. Don’t miss this tail-wagging good time!

This event is free with general admission to the Garden.

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FAMILY FRIDAYS IN THE GARDEN Our popular Family Fridays return to the Garden this August. Fun for the whole family, this year’s offerings will be interactive, educational and focused on the natural world.

Join us for three programs on animals large and small as we explore the lives of mammals, animal habitats, and birds of prey. All programs are free to Garden members and children under 12, and to non-members with admission.

Wildlife rehabilitator Tom Ricardi

Animals and Us: Exploring Our Connections

Mammals in the Backyard

Jen Leahey Friday, August 2, 11 am

Rick Roth, The Creature Teachers Friday, August 16, 11 am

Meet some of the animal educators, wild, domestic and exotic, maintained by Nature Matters. Nature Matters is home to a diverse collection of animal educators. Many of these animals came to us because they were unable to survive in the wild due to an injury, or they were born in captivity and have never learned how to fend for themselves. These animals are not pets, but they are also no longer able to be wild. Learn how species of birds, mammals and reptiles come to us, and how the choices and actions we all take affect the lives of animals who share our world. This is an interactive, familyfriendly program with hands-on opportunities. __________________________________________

This program is designed for all ages and highlights some of the furry creatures that inhabit the landscape with us. Usually travelling under cover of darkness, many of these amazing mammals seldom show themselves to humans during the day. Instructor Rick Roth will encourage families to get to know these mammals, learn about their natural history, and help develop appreciation and respect for these wild animals that often live in our own backyards. The talk will feature live specimens including a fisher cat, gray fox, skunk, flying squirrels and more.

Birds of Prey Tom Ricardi, Wildlife Rehabilitator Friday, August 9, 11 am Join wildlife rehabilitator Tom Ricardi for his ever-popular presentation on birds of prey. This program is designed for all ages. Tom will share fascinating facts and information about many different magnificent birds, demonstrate some of their unique behaviors and inspire children of all ages to appreciate, respect and conserve these important members of our wild kingdom.

__________________________________________

Amphibians of Berkshire County: Frogs and Salamanders Professor Tom Tyning, Amphibian & Reptile Expert Friday, August 23, 11 am This program is designed for all ages and highlights some of the least known and most fascinating animals living in our backyard.

The illustrated talk will include methods of identifying common amphibians of Berkshire county, their biology, interesting facts about their behaviors, and the methods they use to protect themselves and reproduce. Professor Tom Tyning will encourage families to get to know these shy and retiring animals. Some live frogs and turtles will be on hand to greet visitors.

Serving the greater Berkshire area since 1992; providing cross disciplinary expertise in design, horticulture, arboriculture, irrigation and excavation for both residential and commercial clients.

Countrysidelandscape.net 413.458.5586

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Spring and summer are the perfect time to become a Garden member!

Garden membership includes many privileges! Join now and enjoy a full season of free Garden admission as well as discounts on education programs and trips, savings at regional garden centers and other businesses, and discounts at the Plants-and-Answers Plant Sale (where you’ll also receive exclusive early-buying privileges). Best of all, when you become a member, you join a garden community and take part in the life of BBG year-round. Your financial support through membership dues support our ever-growing educational programs, displays, and special events. Become a member today, or give the gift of membership to that favorite gardener in your life!

NEW! Nonprofit Organization Membership Now nonprofit groups can become Garden members!

A nonprofit organization membership provides a beautiful, easily accessible meeting space in the Garden’s botanical library located in the newly renovated Center House.

Organizations are invited to use the library, which seats up to 15 people, for up to four meetings each year.

Sustaining Membership Now Garden members at every level can become “sustaining” members! Join or renew and have the option to have your renewal processed automatically each year.

Members Day We look forward to recognizing our Garden members at our first annual Members Day scheduled for Friday, July 26, 1 pm. Come meet other BBG supporters, join the Garden community, and enjoy an exclusive afternoon designed just for you!

For more information, visit berkshirebotanical.org/membership or contact Amy Butterworth, Membership and Development Coordinator, at (413) 298-4532.

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Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Qualprint

PLANTS and Answers

5 West Stockbridge Road Stockbridge, MA 01262 413-298-3926 • berkshirebotanical.org

PLANT SALE

MAY 10 & 11 (MOTHER’S DAY WEEKEND) EARLY BUYING FOR BBG MEMBERS: FRIDAY 9:00 -11:00 AM. HOURS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC: FRIDAY 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM & SATURDAY 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM.

5 West Stockbridge Road (Routes 183 & 102) Stockbridge, MA 413 298-3926 berkshirebotanical.org

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