Berkshire Botanical Garden's Spring / Summer 2021 Cuttings Magazine

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

SPRING/SUMMER 2021

WELCOME BACK TO THE GARDEN! ART/GARDEN RETURNS WITH TAKING FLIGHT

SPRING/SUMMER 2021

ART/GARDEN

TakingFlight A Season of Flight-inspired Art Opening Receptions: May 1: Flights of Fancy: The Botanical and Bejeweled Universe of Mindy Lam June 11: Fireflies Photographs by Gregory Crewdson June 11: Taking Flight Outdoor sculpture exhibit curated by Beth Rudin deWoody July 30: REVOLUTION Paintings by Marc Dennis

M AY 7 – 8

M AY 7 – 1 6

J U LY 1 – 5

44th Annual Be-a-BetterGardener Plant Sale

Garden Treasures from Our Friends: A Dazzling Online Auction

Caterpillar Lab Residency

Tried, True. . .and New: A BBG staff-curated sale of plants proven for their reliability in the Berkshires.

Bid on one-of-a-kind garden-themed items donated by gardeners from throughout the Berkshires and beyond.

The caterpillars are coming!

Step into a fascinating lab-inresidence to view a unique live collection at this interactive event.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

S TA F F

Matt Larkin, Chair Madeline Hooper, Vice Chair Janet Laudenslager, Secretary John Spellman, Treasurer

Anne Albert Visitor Center Manager

Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo Mary Copeland Adaline Frelinghuysen Lauretta Harris Nancy Hickey Ian Hooper Tom Ingersoll Jane Iredale Daniel Kasper Linda O’Connell Wendy Philbrick Ramelle Pulitzer Elizabeth Roberts Mark Walker Rob Williams Suzanne Yale KK Zutter

Dana Audia Director of Special Events

Trustees Emeriti Jeannene Booher David Carls Cathy Clark Craig Okerstrom-Lang Wendy Linscott Jo Dare Mitchell Judie Owens Martha Piper Jean Rousseau Gail Shaw Jack Sprano Ingrid Taylor On the cover: Heaven and Hell, oil on linen by Marc Dennis. Jesse Winter, photographer.

This page: Robin Parow, photographer

James Atwell Director of Operations

Michael Beck Executive Director Amy Butterworth Membership and Development Coordinator Christine Caccamo Senior Gardener Ryan Campbell Gardener Duke Douillet Senior Gardener Rachel Durgin Camp Director Kevin Johnson Seasonal Gardener Kessa McEwen Education Coordinator Robin Parow Director of Marketing Communications Hunter Phillips Buildings and Grounds Assistant John Ryan Seasonal Gardener Bridgette Stone Director of Education Matthew Turnbull Director of Horticulture

CUTTINGS

Elizabeth Veraldi Office Manager

Robin Parow, Editor Julie Hammill, Hammill Design, Design

J U LY 3

S TA R T S J U LY 1 2

F R I D AY S I N A U G

Fête des Fleurs

Music Mondays

Family Fridays

Join us in the Lucy’s Topiary Garden for live music every Monday evening through September 13.

Our popular series about the world around us featuring guests from the wild.

We honor horticulturist Dorthe Hviid with a fanciful, flight-themed walkabout gala with charming surprises tucked throughout the Garden.

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

1

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

1815 N. Main St, Rte 7, Sheffield, MA 413.528.1857 Open Daily 10-5 www.campodefiori.com

2

CUTTINGS

SPRING/SUMMER 2021

DIRECTOR’S CORNER MICHAEL BECK

The birds and the bees This winter has been a tough one for many of us suffering from what I call SCID, or seasonal Covid isolation disorder. Winter in the Berkshires can be quiet even in normal times, but these last several months have been ridiculous! So I took heart from a recent walk in the woods with my dogs, when I heard the assertive and strangely unfamiliar tunes of several newly arrived songbirds. I do not pretend to be able to tell a warbler from a wren, but I was reminded of a beautiful May morning a few years back when professional birder and BBG volunteer Ed Neumuth took a group of us through the BBG woodlands to identify many dozens of birds by their song. Apparently there’s a certain week every spring when Berkshire County becomes the avian equivalent of Grand Central Station, a transit hub for countless fine feathered friends on their way to breeding grounds farther north and east, with many more already busy finding mates and building nests right here among us. Every one of these birds wants their 15 minutes of fame, and it’s definitely worth a listen. My recent woodland concert experience also brought back memories of a great BBG lecture featuring Dr. Desiree Narango last fall. Dr. Narango, who has collaborated with Entomologist Doug Tallamy, made a logically airtight case for limiting the use of pesticides in our backyards: while we may not care for a caterpillar munching on our prized shrubs, we should think of it as a critical resource for all of those colorful bird species we so adore. She also spent time discussing what plant species we should all be bringing into our backyards, ones that serve as important host plants for all of those crawling insects that then feed the birds. I made a mental note to plant at least one oak tree in my garden this spring. Apparently oaks are at the top of an invertebrate’s food item wishlist. A healthy oak can put up with a fair number of munching insects, and the birds will thank me for it.

Why, do you ask, have I got birds on my brain? This season at BBG, we celebrate the world of flying beings, from tiny insects to massive birds of prey.

We will showcase the fascinating if short lives of lepidoptera, when our friends from the Caterpillar Lab take up residence at the Garden. We will have a series of indoor and outdoor art exhibits all “Taking Flight” this summer, and last but certainly not least, BBG is beginning the exciting work of creating a diverse wildflower and grass meadow on more than two acres of recently acquired land. Once established, this meadow will become the wild northern “bookend” to BBG’s varied horticultural collection, and, we expect, a refuge for all manner of pollinators and birds.

After a year of uncharacteristic quiet here at BBG, we are so excited to “take flight” again with all of our programming and special events this spring and summer. We will be bringing back our popular in-person Plant Sale in May, our Fête des Fleurs garden party in July, and our “Blue Ribbon” Grow Show in August. I am also so gratified that after a hiatus, BBG can once again offer eight weeks of “Farm in the Garden Camp” for our youngest garden fans. Whether you join us for one of our fun “Music Mondays” or come eye to eye with a feathered raptor at a “Family Friday,” we can’t wait to share our Garden (and its flying inhabitants) with you all throughout 2021!

BBG Takes Flight with the Return of ART/GARDEN

REVOLUTION Dreamcatcher 2021, oil on linen by Marc Dennis Jesse Winter, photographer

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

3

It is with great excitement that BBG launches our long-awaited ART/ GARDEN theme: Taking Flight. The lineup includes — dare we say it?

— a veritable flock of prominent artists in mediums including metal and crystal jewelry, photography, oil and watercolor painting and sculpture. We can’t wait for them all to take flight, and we are thrilled to invite our visitors back to the Leonhardt Galleries once again.

Flights of Fancy: The Botanical and Bejeweled Universe of Mindy Lam May 1 – June 6 Opening Reception May 1, 5–7 p.m.

Headpiece created with 14 karat gold filled wire, cultured pearl, Swarovski crystal and vintage pieces Michael Paniccia, photographer

4

CUTTINGS

SPRING/SUMMER 2021

As a child growing up on her family’s farm in Hong Kong, Mindy Lam escaped into an imaginary secret garden hidden in the verdant grasses and abundant wildflowers growing near the creek where she played. Her friends were the woodland creatures: the birds, frogs, ants, spiders and owls. Her imagination flourished in this natural yet magical setting, the inspiration for her BBG exhibition, for which she has created a special series of her signature jewelry.

Like a spider spinning a web, Mindy spins 14k gold, copper, or stainless steel wire around tiny bits of bejeweled and vintage flowers, animals, bugs and birds with accents of sparkling crystals and semi-precious stones. Each unique piece in the exhibition looks freshly plucked from a fairytale garden. The unique Homme line of lapel pins for men are sought after and collected by men and women alike.

A hallmark of Mindy’s style is her technical ability to sculpt and visually transform hard materials like metal into illusions of fragility and softness, creating metal lace by repetitive braiding and weaving of wire that appears from afar

Untitled 1996 Gelatin Silver Print by Gregory Crewdson

as diaphanous as thread. Mindy’s metal lace dresses, cuffs and choker necklaces are surprisingly soft to touch and evoke contemporary haute couture fashion as well as the splendor of the Renaissance.

Lam’s imagination has brought her a long way from her family’s farm; her jewelry was a favorite at famed luxury clothier Henri Bendel in Manhattan and has been featured in the Museum of Fine Arts Houston; in Vogue, Elle and Glamour magazines; and on the fashion runway. For this very special exhibit, the Leonhardt Galleries will be transformed into a magical fairyland, with Lam’s dazzling adornments staged throughout.

All pieces will be available for purchase.

JUNE

11

MARK YOUR CALENDARS for the official launch of our Taking Flight theme, a double opening on June 11, 6-8 p.m. featuring Gregory Crewdson’s Fireflies indoors in the Center House Leonhardt Galleries and a collection of sculptures curated by friend of the Garden and renowned collector Beth Rudin deWoody displayed outdoors throughout the gardens.

Gregory Crewdson Fireflies June 11 – July 18 Opening Reception June 11, 6–8 p.m.

New York photographer Gregory Crewdson departs from the work he is most known for — elaborately staged, cinematic photographs of suburban scenes, for which he employs an entire staff including a director of photography — with this deeply personal exhibit of photos created during a time of solitary introspection in the Berkshires.

In the summer of 1996, Crewdson spent two months in solitude at his family’s home in Becket, MA, during which he ventured out into the surrounding woods at dusk to photograph the lights of fireflies. Twentyfive years later, a selection of these smallscale black and white images will be on display in BBG’s Leonhardt Galleries.

Says Crewdson about Fireflies, which was originally shown at Skarstedt in New York in 2006, “For some almost unknowable reason, I was drawn to photograph the fireflies. To me there’s something so beautiful and mysterious about how they lit up the night sky in twilight. Of course, the light of the firefly

is a mating call. So, I was really drawn to this idea of light as meaning, light as desire, and light as in again the most elemental way, as telling the story… we’re in such a different time now, we’re in a time of Instagram and cell phone pictures and selfies, and photography exists in the mass culture in this very democratic and very omnipresent way.

These pictures are so removed from that because it’s just film and light, and to me it’s a kind of reminder that can be very meaningful, very profound.”

Fireflies was also part of a traveling European survey called Gregory Crewdson: In a Lonely Place, and then shown as a full set at Wave Hill, and SITE Santa Fe, followed by FRAC Auvergne in France in a show called Gregory Crewdson: The Becket Pictures. In BBG’s Leonhardt Galleries, the photographs will be presented in a darkened environment to evoke for visitors the atmosphere of nighttime firefly-viewing that inspired Crewdson all those years ago.

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

5

Heaven and Hell, oil on linen by Marc Dennis Jesse Winter, photographer

Taking Flight Sculpture Exhibit, Various Artists, Presented

by Beth Rudin deWoody June 11 – October 31 Opening Reception June 11, 6–8 p.m.

Renowned collector and friend of the Garden Beth Rudin deWoody has curated a marvelous collection of sculptures by notable and emerging artists, each offering a unique expression of our Taking Flight theme. President of the Rudin Family Foundation, deWoody is known for her vast art collection — some 10,000 pieces — which she houses and exhibits by appointment at The Bunker Artspace in West Palm Beach, Florida.

She is a trustee at the Whitney Museum of American Art, The New School University and the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York City; The Hammer Museum in Los Angeles; Design Museum Holon in Israel; and Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach.

For Taking Flight, deWoody presents

6

CUTTINGS

SPRING/SUMMER 2021

sculptors whose work will be featured throughout BBG’s Gardens from summer through fall, including Concha Martinez Barreto, Peter Gerakaris, Rachel Owens, Ian Sordy and Immi Storr.

Marc Dennis REVOLUTION July 30 – September 6 Opening Reception July 30, 6–8 p.m.

New York-based artist Marc Dennis, known for his hyper-realistic and strikingly detailed paintings, presents a collection of two dozen paintings in oil-on-canvas and watercolor, many of which were created expressly for this show. Says Dennis of his work, “I’ve always been fascinated by my own silence while spending time in the woods. As a painter I create a kind of silence as well.

My paintings are filled with exuberance, color, shape, form, beauty, mystery, often a sense of narrative and almost always an explosiveness, yet they remain silent.

My work for the exhibition REVOLUTION

was inspired by my admiration, intrigue and interest in the natural world and my own silence within that world. My artistic intention for this body of work is to communicate beauty as a series of experiences — each painting providing a place for contemplation, journey and exploration...I create hyper-realistic paintings that celebrate beauty as a kind of tension between the classical and the contemporary based on my experiences in nature. Artistic intention is often derived from exploring the charged subjects of perception, memory and pleasure with paintings that strike the eye and seduce the mind. I paint in order to convey my love for life. It’s that simple.” Dennis is represented by Gavlak Gallery, Los Angeles CA, and Palm Beach, FL. _____________________________ The Leonhardt Galleries are open free with Garden admission daily, and are COVID compliant based on state and federal mandates. Masks are mandatory while visiting the Garden and its galleries.

INVASION OF THE

CATERPILLARS! THE CATERPILLAR LAB RESIDENCY IN BBG’S CENTER HOUSE, JULY 1-5

For one week in July, our Center House will be transformed into an incubation laboratory for a myriad of caterpillars and moths as The Caterpillar Lab, a nonprofit organization located in Southern New Hampshire, comes to BBG. The residency will feature drop-in exhibits, Caterpillar Walks, and a nighttime Moth Lighting experience. In advance of their visit, BBG’s Gillian Culff sat down for a

Above: Hickory Horned Devil Caterpillar: A spiky green caterpillar the size of a hotdog that went extinct in New England 40 years ago, though it continues to thrive in regions farther south. Becomes the giant, yellow and red Regal Moth, Citheronia regalis, the heaviest moth in North America, with a six inch wingspan.

video chat with Sam Jaffe, Founder and Executive Director of The Caterpillar Lab.

How many species are included in your collection?

It varies. We rear 350 to 600 species a year — we had 600 last year.

How many actual critters do you have?

Countless thousands of them over the course of a season.

Wow! Where are they all kept?

Over the winter we have a fridge full of pupae! That’s how we came to create the lab; we needed a place to keep them other than my home refrigerator. In the lab here we have a rearing area with plastic containers and screen cages.

We also have an outdoor screen house and mesh sleeves on trees. What we call the “daily wrangle” — caterpillar care involves replacing host plants and cleaning out frass, or caterpillar poop.

Where do you get your specimens?

All kinds of different places. Outside, we find good examples of parasitism that wouldn’t be there in those raised in captivity. I use moth lighting [see sidebar, page 9] to attract moths from the backyard and then gather eggs from the females. We also breed them every year.

Silkworms are the only ones we order.

Are any of the species you have endangered?

We have some that no longer live in New England — ones that are extirpated, or locally extinct, from this area that have moved farther south, like the Hickory Horned Devil, which turns into the giant Regal Moth. It’s a big, spiky green caterpillar the size of a hotdog, and it went extinct in New England 40 years ago. I hope to have some by early July

for the residency; kids really like them.

We’ll have some other rare New England species on display.

What’s the biggest misconception people have about caterpillars and moths?

There are so many! The biggest one that relates to what we care about with people understanding a caterpillar’s role in the environment — is that something eating a leaf is bad, that it’s a destructive behavior. It’s actually an ecological service. Caterpillars are taking plant material and turning it into food for birds and other species. Also, that butterflies are different from moths.

They’re a group within moths. There are also a lot of misconceptions about metamorphosis. People think they know how metamorphosis works, but they will be surprised — even older naturalists, photographers, scientists.

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

7

The Giant Swallowtail caterpillar, or Orange Dog, Papilio cresphontes, is a bird-dropping mimic with red inflatable horns called osmeterium. These caterpillars become a black and yellow butterfly by the same name (see photos). Originally found only in the South but over the last decade have moved into New England, even as far north as Vermont and New Hampshire. Here, they feed on gas plants, common rue and wild prickly ash.

The Abbott’s Sphinx caterpillar, Sphecodina abbottii, mimics a foultasting snowfly larva that can regurgitate unpleasant-smelling orange stomach fluids when disturbed. Makes a sound like a snake when poked; the butterfly (which shares its name) sounds like a bumblebee.

Do you have a favorite caterpillar?

I have a few favorites. The Abbott’s Sphinx caterpillar has a false eye on its rear-end, it’s covered in bright green spots, and it makes a noise like a snake when poked. I also really like the Monkey Slug caterpillar and all of the slug caterpillars — they have no legs.

What is the advantage of a residency, as opposed to a regular visit?

In week-long residencies, people get to see how we do what we do. Breeding moths, hatching eggs, parasitoid wasps bursting out of caterpillars, ants that tickle certain caterpillars, which give them food. A residency allows us to show more of those moments. Many people come back day after day to see what’s going on.

8

CUTTINGS

SPRING/SUMMER 2021

What can our guests look forward to?

Seeing an incredible diversity of caterpillars they never knew lived around them and getting to witness these rare and unbelievable moments in natural history — metamorphosis, predation, things that they likely have never seen in their lives. We’ll be using digital microscopes to see many of these interactions. They’ll be projected onto large screens, which let us break down barriers of scale. Tiny things that are hard to see will be looming larger than life. Because of COVID, they might not be able to touch the critters as they normally would, but they will be able to get within two inches of them.

What most interests or excites you about doing a BBG residency?

Botanical gardens have become one of our favorite places to visit because of the natural linking of the indoor exhibits to the outdoor habitat. Western Massachusetts is totally different from Southern New Hampshire in the creatures it attracts. I’m sure I’ll see some new creatures. I’m excited to see new habitats, to reach a new audience. I hope to see the giant swallowtail butterfly and some other Southern species that make it up there. I’m from Massachusetts, so it’s always nice to do residencies there.

VISIT THE CATERPILLAR LAB! Drop-in Activities — Free with Garden Admission Exhibits at the Center House Drop-in exhibits open Thursday - Monday, July 1-5, 9:30 am – noon and 1–4 pm An up-close, native caterpillar exploration experience! See many dozens of species in open-air displays, including enormous, giant silk moth caterpillars, fierce-looking snake-mimicking caterpillars, convincing twig-mimicking caterpillars, and bizarre legless slug caterpillars. Watch rare moments in metamorphosis, ecological relationships and parasitism play out at the display tables and under digital microscopes. Experts will be on hand to answer your questions.

GRANT LARKIN INTERIORS LIGHTING FURNITURE

Special Events Hosted by The Caterpillar Lab Led by The Caterpillar Lab staff, the following programs dig deeper into the fascinating world of caterpillars and moths:

414-698-2599 GRANTLARKIN.COM

Caterpillar Walks Budding Naturalists & their Adults, Thursday, July 1, 4:30–5:30 pm Member Event: Adult Caterpillar Walk, Monday, July 5, 4:30–5:30 pm Join Director of The Caterpillar Lab Sam Jaffe on a walk around the Garden, exploring for native caterpillars and other insects. Learn how The Caterpillar Lab finds its caterpillars, and get caterpillar-finding secrets from one of the foremost caterpillar hunters in the world. This walk is appropriate for naturalists, gardeners and explorers young and old. May not be appropriate for the more casually interested young children.

Moth Lighting Friday, July 2, 8:30–11:00 pm The Caterpillar Lab will set up sheets with special, ultramoth-attracting lights and help identify the hundreds of species expected to fly in. Visitors will be surprised by the diversity, size and beauty of Western Massachusetts nocturnal insects. Bring your curiosity and be ready to become hooked on this popular pastime. Appropriate for ages 10 and up.

Pre-registration is required and limited spaces are available — visit berkshirebotanical.org for more information.

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

9

MAY 1 TO OCT 31

WELCOME BACK TO

C ALENDAR OF E VENTS

2021

10

Flights of Fancy: The Botanical and Bejeweled Universe of Mindy Lam Opening Reception May 1, 5–7 pm, Center House Leonhardt Galleries Show Runs May 1 – June 6

Mindy Lam’s magnificent jewelry has been featured in Vogue, Elle and Glamour, on the runway and at the National Cherry Blossom Festival and the W Hotel in Washington DC. Fanciful settings of birds, insects and flowers are crafted from sterling silver wire and encrusted with Swarovski crystals and other gems to create one-of-a-kind pieces, including Lam’s unique, signature men’s lapel pins (collected by men and women alike). Join us for a show and sale of the artist’s work in our Leonhardt Galleries and expect to leave with a treasure of your very own!

Roy Boutard Day | Sunday, May 2 All Day In the Center House and Outdoors in the Gardens

Held the first Sunday of May and honoring the Garden’s past director who served the horticultural community from 1954 – 1984, Roy Boutard Day is a free event celebrating the opening of the Garden’s season.

Roy Boutard Day also marks the Garden’s annual Horticulture Certificate Program graduation, followed by a traditional Mai Bowle Reception hosted by BBG’s Herb Associates, the volunteer group responsible for delicious herb products sold in our Visitor Center.

44th Annual Be-a-Better-Gardener Plant Sale | May 7–8 Members-only early buying: Friday, May 7, 9 am–noon; Hours for the general public: Friday, noon - 5 p.m. and Saturday, 9 am–5 pm Curated by BBG’s horticulture staff, this year’s Plant Sale features plants chosen for their ornamental value and their proven reliability in the Berkshires. The plant sale will include hundreds of perennials, annuals and vegetables with a focus on diversity. Hanging baskets and carnivorous plants will also be available. Also, the popular “Ask Me” staff and volunteers will be on hand to provide expert advice. All proceeds from the Plant Sale support the Garden’s horticulture and education programs. Garden members receive early buying privileges and a discount on BBG plant purchases. Free admission (pre-registration required) and free parking.

Garden Treasures from Our Friends: A Dazzling Online Auction | May 7–16

Our first online auction last year was such a huge success, we’re bringing it back to coincide with our Be-a-Better-Gardener Plant Sale! Bid on an eclectic assortment of garden-themed, one-of-kind items, including many vintage and antique treasures, all donated by friends of the Garden from their private collections. All bidding will take place online; proceeds support BBG’s educational programs.

CUTTINGS

Docent-led Garden Tours Begin June 1 Free with Garden admission! Tours leave from the Visitor Center daily at 11:00 a.m.

Caterpillar Walks for adults and children, and witness how The Caterpillar Lab cares for and works with these amazing, surprising creatures.

Gallery and Outdoor Sculpture Opening Reception June 11, 6-8 pm Gregory Crewdson, Fireflies, June 12 – July 18, Leonhardt Galleries, Center House Art/Garden Taking Flight June 12 - October 31, sculpture exhibition throughout the Garden

Join us on a magical stroll through the Garden to explore the fluttering and flying creatures brought to our grounds and galleries while you enjoy refreshments, entertainment, and the company of Garden friends! This year’s celebration honors former Director of Horticulture Dorthe Hviid and her decadeslong work at BBG. A Berkshire tradition, our Fête des Fleurs is the quintessential garden party — filled with merriment, elegance and surprises.

Gregory Crewdson’s Fireflies, small scale black and white photographs made with just two cameras and ambient lighting, were made in a solitary pursuit by the artist on his family’s property in Becket, MA, in the summer of 1996 during the insects’ mating season. Shooting Fireflies was an introspective inquiry and artistic exercise, a personally meaningful journey. Twenty-five years later, Crewdson has curated for this exhibition a special selection of 20 photos from the full 60, with the intimate setting at the Garden’s Leonhardt Galleries in mind. He felt a botanical garden in the Berkshires was the perfect context to exhibit these unique works. Guests visiting the exhibition will step into a magical world, specially lit to recreate the wonder and mystique of the fireflies and night skies Crewdson captured all those years ago.

Fête des Fleurs | Saturday, July 3, 5–8 pm

Music Mondays | July 12 – Sept 13, 5:30–7:30 pm

Last year’s event was so popular, we’re bringing it back! Each week, a band from our local Berkshires or the greater Boston area will play in the gazebo among the topiaries in Lucy’s Garden, while our guests stretch out on the tree-shaded lawns. Bring your lawn chairs, blanket and picnic and enjoy beer and wine for purchase from Big Elm Brewing. People of all ages are welcome, and spontaneous dancing is encouraged!

Taking Flight, an outdoor sculpture exhibit curated by Beth deWoody | June 12–Oct 31

Our guest curator, renowned art collector Beth Rudin deWoody, brings a collection of sculpture by prominent artists to BBG’s gardens, interpreting our seasonal theme, Taking Flight. We are excited to feature the following artists to this season-long exhibition: Concha Martinez Barreto, Peter Gerakaris, Ian Swordy, Immi Storrs and Rachel Owens.

The Caterpillar Lab Residency | July 1–5

The Caterpillar Lab is moving in! Join us this week as The Caterpillar Lab sets up not just an exhibit, but a functioning caterpillar-rearing, researching, photographing, filming and educating facility inside Center House. Enjoy drop-in visits to the lab-in-residence, see their live caterpillar displays, take part in a Moth Lighting experience and

Marc Dennis REVOLUTION | Opening Reception July 30, 6-8 pm, Leonhardt Galleries, Center House; Show runs July 31 – Sept 30 The Garden proudly presents REVOLUTION — a collection of oil-on-linen and watercolor paintings by Marc Dennis, known for his hyperrealistic and strikingly detailed paintings. Dennis’ work for REVOLUTION was inspired by his admiration, intrigue and interest in the natural world, with the artistic intentions for this body of work to communicate beauty as a series of experiences. Each painting creates a space for contemplation, journey and exploration.

Family Fridays | August 6, 13, 20 & 27, 11 am - noon

Join us for weekly nature presentations designed to educate and inspire! A different presenter is featured each week, and live animal visitors often make appearances with their human handlers. Check our website for the most up-to-date information on our lineup of presenters.

SAFETY FIRST Berkshire Botanical Garden is a COVID-compliant facility. On-site programs follow capacity and social distancing guidelines.

Masks are mandatory regardless of vaccination status and advance timed ticketing is required. Thank you for your cooperation!

SPRING/SUMMER 2021

THE GARDEN!

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

The Grow Show | August 21–22

Floral designers focused on the theme of “Taking Flight”, as well as regional backyard gardeners, are all celebrities at the Garden’s annual Grow Show. Beautiful floral arrangements and the peak summer harvest of flowers, fruits and vegetables are spotlighted in this upbeat, judged event. Whether you bring a single bloom or enter every category, there is no charge to participate in the Grow Show, and all are welcome.

Free with Garden admission.

THE SEASON AT A GLANCE

11 12 12 28

Invasive Plant Control

Gregory Crewdson Fireflies & “Taking Flight” opening reception Gregory Crewdson Fireflies exhibit (through July 18) “Taking Flight” exhibit (through Oct 31) Farm Camp begins

JULY 1–5 The Caterpillar Lab Residency 3 Fête des Fleurs

12 Music Mondays, Gina Coleman & The Misty Blues

19 Music Mondays, Berkshire Jazz Collective

26 Music Mondays, Union Jack

30 Marc Dennis, “REVOLUTION” opening reception,

show through Sept. 6 AUG

2 6 9 13 16 20 21–22 23 27 30

Returning Balance to Nature

Wetlands Woodlands Meadows Fields

MAY 1 Garden opens, first official day of the 87th season 1 Flights of Fancy: The Botanical and Bejeweled Universe

of Mindy Lam opening reception, show through June 6

1 Horticulture Certificate Program graduation

2 Roy Boutard Day

7–8 Plant Sale

7–16 “Garden Treasures from Our Friends” Online Auction JUNE

Native Habitat Restoration

(organic options)

Pollinator Habitats Field Clearing Forestry Mowing Wetland Restoration

(413) 358-7400 NativeHabitatRestoration.weebly.com Licensed in MA . CT . NY . VT

Music Mondays, The Lucky 5 Family Fridays: Jen Leahey, “Animals and Us” Music Mondays, The Peter Poirier Band Family Fridays: David Bates, Storyteller, “Under One Sky” Music Mondays, The Wanda Houston Band Family Fridays: Joy Marzolf, “Wild World of Reptiles” Grow Show Music Mondays TBD Family Fridays: Tom Ricardi, “Birds of Prey” Music Mondays, Lost Wages

SEPT 6

13

17

18

Music Mondays, The BTU’s Music Mondays, The Church Ladies Tom Zetterstrom, “Portraits of American Trees” opening reception Tom Zetterstrom “Portraits of American Trees” photographic exhibit (through Oct 31)

OCT 9-10

Harvest Festival plans are underway!

Visit berkshirebotanical.org for more information.

Sculptor Daniel Chester French’s home, studio and gardens www.chesterwood.org T-Shirts Sponsored By:

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

11

The Garden on a Budget: Priceless!

Five great ways to save while visiting BBG As one of New England’s oldest public gardens, BBG is “Everyone’s Garden,” a beautiful oasis and safe haven to visit — even when on a budget. Here’s how:

1

Membership For as little as $50 per year

2

Library Passes Check your local library for

3

Free Admission on Tuesdays!

4

($30 for students), receive unlimited, free admission to the Garden and discounts on classes, workshops and Gift Shop purchases, as well as at special events, all year long.

5

free passes to the Garden. Many libraries in the Berkshires and beyond participate in this community outreach program.

Card to Culture Program Use your EBT, WIC, or ConnectorCare card to receive free general admission to the Garden for yourself, family and guests all season long. (Ticketed events excluded.)

Plan Your Visit Around Events Double the value and fun by visiting on Family Fridays in August and the cost of the event is included in admission.

New this season!

BBG is YOUR public garden! Let’s all stay safe: face mask and social distancing rules remain in force while on grounds, and advance tickets for admission are required for all, including for members and on free days. See you in the Garden!

Visit berkshirebotanical.org for updates or more information.

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 12

CUTTINGS

SPRING/SUMMER 2021

Soprin tings: 4.75”W

EDUCATION

APRIL – AUGUST 2021

Education We are excited to welcome everyone back to the Garden! It’s time to dig in and celebrate a new season with exciting and inspiring offerings for the whole family. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just beginning to navigate the “whys” and “hows” of horticulture, we pride ourselves in offering a selection of online and in-person classes, workshops and field studies to pique your interest throughout the season.

We invite you to delve into a variety of topics taught by our talented instructors – from planning an herb garden to creating botanically infused cocktails or studying grassland meadows. Wherever your botanical interests lie, we warmly welcome you to learn and grow with us at the Garden!

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

We are a COVID compliant facility.

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

13

EDUCATION Kitchen classes are sponsored by Guido’s Fresh Marketplace with stores located in Great Barrington and Pittsfield.

Classes, Lectures and Workshops ONLINE Classes Our online classes are offered over Zoom.

Students receive class login information and materials lists, when applicable, once they’ve registered.

IN-PERSON Classes at BBG The location of onsite classes is subject to change in accordance with state and federal regulations. Students will be notified as soon as possible if classes require a change in location.

HYBRID Classes These classes are held both online and in person.

They feature the lecture portion of class online and a hands-on component inperson at BBG, outdoors.

OFF-SITE Classes Pre-registration is required.

These classes are held in person at a location other than BBG. Participants will receive applicable location information once registered.

APRIL Landscape Design II

H

IN-PERSON AT BBG

Thursdays, April 15 – May 20, 4:30 – 6:30 pm Members: $250/Non-members: $275

ALL SEASON LONG! Birding in the Garden IN-PERSON AT BBG

Members: $15/Non-members: $20 Our April bird walk with Mass Audubon. Birding around the Botanical Gardens is offered the second Thursday of every month throughout the season. This monthly bird walk will celebrate the amazing birds that live amongst the trees, grasses and flowers. Bring binoculars and clothing appropriate for the weather. Pre-registration is required.

Presented in partnership with Massachusetts Audubon.

Thursday, April 8, 4:30 - 6 pm Thursday May 13, 6 - 7:30 pm Thursday June 10, 7 - 8:30 pm Thursday, July 8, 6:30 - 8 pm Thursday, August 12, 6 - 7:30 pm Thursday, September 9, 5:30 - 7 pm

14

CUTTINGS

SPRING/SUMMER 2021

Learn skills essential for an effective functional garden design that honors the site and meets client needs. Each week David Dew Bruner, A.S.L.A. will cover a different topic or technique focusing on the importance of getting to know the client and site as a basis for effective and appealing design. Essential and easy-to-grasp design principles for those who design or install gardens will be introduced throughout the course, with the goal of practicing a form-finding approach to garden design. The tools taught will provide a vocabulary essential for assessing a property’s potential and problems and for asking the right questions to realize a client’s wishes while avoiding common design mistakes.

Learn how to make well-considered and sustainable choices for the elements and materials commonly used in the residentialscale garden. Students will select from instructor-provided projects and take one from creative concept to completed design plan, including site assessment diagrams, conceptual sketches, schematic drawings and rendering of color and form. Each class will involve instruction and evaluation of projects in progress and will include both class instruction and studio time. Frequent group discussions and exercises will put the skills learned into action.

Students will make a formal presentation at the final class with the primary goal of conveying a coherent design narrative.

H This symbol denotes HORTICULTURE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM classes, workshops, and lectures open to both students seeking credit towards one of BBG’s five acclaimed horticulture certificates as well as the general public. Please visit berkshirebotanical.org or call 413-357-4657 for additional information.

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

EDUCATION

Home Orchard Care

H

Complete Guide to New England Wildflowers

H

IN-PERSON AT BBG

HYBRID OPTION

Saturday, April 17, 9 am – 5 pm Members: $80/Non-members: $100 Successfully growing fruit for your family becomes straightforward when you narrow the big picture down to getting the basics right.

Fungal and bacterial disease can be successfully managed with deep nutrition and competitive colonization. Major insect challenges can be resolved safely when you perceive who, what and when.

This overview of complementary sprays backed by biodiversity and soil health will set the stage for successfully growing tree fruit in New England. Taught by Michael Phillips.

ONLINE: Wednesdays, April 21 - May 5, 5:30 – 7 pm OFF-SITE FIELD STUDY: Saturdays, May 1 & 8, 10 am – 2 pm Members: $130/Non-members: $145

Transplanting Shrubs and Planting Small Ornamental Trees

H

IN-PERSON AT BBG

Saturday, April 17, 10 am – 1 pm Members: $25/Non-members: $35 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 successfully transplant shrubs through correct timing, placement and techniques designed to create minimal disturbance and ensure a smooth transition to a new site. Consider the differences between bare-root, container-grown and balledand-burlapped trees, and understand the importance of siting.

Participants should dress for the weather and bring pruners and work gloves.

Chainsaw Skills Workshop

This five-part class taught by Ted Elliman will cover the incredible variety and beauty of spring-blooming wildflowers in Berkshire County. The three online evening sessions will present the particular spring flora one can expect to find in different kinds of forest communities, such as sugar maple forest and oak forest, and in wetland habitats. In the two Saturday field sessions, we will explore all of these natural communities, identifying and photographing spring flora along the way. Recommended for field sessions: hand lens, camera, clothing/footwear suitable for trail.

Complete Guide to New England Wildflowers

H

ONLINE-ONLY OPTION

Wednesdays, April 21 – May 5, 5:30 – 7 pm Members: $30/Non-members: $45 This three-part online class with Ted Elliman will cover the incredible variety and beauty of spring-blooming wildflowers in Berkshire County. The three online evening sessions will present the particular spring flora you can expect to find in different kinds of forest communities, such as sugar maple forest and oak forest, and in wetland habitats.

H

IN-PERSON AT BBG

Sunday, April 18, 10 am – 4:30 pm Members: $110/Non-members: $135 Are you interested in learning to use a chainsaw but feel intimidated to try? This workshop is designed for the novice-to-beginner chainsaw operator who wishes to gain greater confidence with this powerful tool. The class will combine lecture and hands-on learning. Topics will include personal protective equipment, the anatomy of a chainsaw, reactive forces, basic chainsaw maintenance and additional tools for use with a chainsaw. Techniques will include holding and starting a saw, hazard ID, escape options, log analysis (binds), planning cuts, overall plan and bucking and limbing. Attendees will cut logs on the ground and/or elevated on sawhorses. Participants will acquire a better understanding of the safety features of a chainsaw and the ability to operate a chainsaw based on safety fundamentals. No experience necessary. Note: Equipment will be provided; if you have your own chainsaw or personal protective equipment, please bring it with you. Dress for the weather and wear long sleeves, pants and boots. Bring a bag lunch. Taught by certified arborist Melissa LeVangie.

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

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

15

EDUCATION

Planning your Herb Garden IN-PERSON AT BBG

Saturday, April 24, 1 – 3 pm Members: $20/Non-members: $30 Get a jump start on your garden this spring with medicinal herbs, which are highly adaptive and forgiving. Herbs have their own immune systems to ward off pests, and these also support our immune functions. Herbs attract pollinators, provide antiviral and antibacterial cooking ingredients and are far less difficult than vegetables to cultivate. Thrive and stay healthy with your own herb garden! Taught by Hannah Jacobson-Hardy.

Drifts of Daffodils OFF-SITE FIELD STUDY

Building a Dry Stone Wall

At the home of Jeffrey Steele Thursday, April 29, 2 – 4 pm Members: $40/Non-members: $60

IN-PERSON AT BBG

Daffodils are some of the earliest blooms in the garden. During this off-site field study, participants will learn about the history of this plant and how to use it effectively in residential plantings, creating long-lasting spring impact for years. Enjoy the impressive private collection of daffodils at the Sheffield Home of Jeffrey A. Steele..

His woodland garden demonstrates extensive plantings using contrasting methods for naturalizing daffodils. Participants will learn the history of the house, garden and daffodil. Nomenclature and cultural requirements of the daffodil will be discussed. Enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of Jeffery’s private collection and insight into his design process in creating a naturalized daffodil woodland.

Join stonemason artist Mark Mendel for a hands-on program covering the basics of dry stone wall building, including planning, layout and demonstrations on cutting and fitting. The morning will consist of a lecture, a walk through the Garden to view a variety of stone walls, and site preparation. Students will learn how to set up a batter frame and cut stone and will practice laying stones to create structural integrity through interlocking placement. Following the demonstrations, students will work on a dry stone wall and practice wall-building. The workshop will pay special attention to building a freestanding wall using fieldstone.

Dress for outdoor work and bring safety glasses; heavy gloves; sturdy, waterproof footwear and a bag lunch.

Sunday, April 25, 10 am – 3 pm Members: $80/Non-Members: $95

Spring Sausage Natural Dyes: Rendering Color From Kitchen Scraps

IN-PERSON AT BBG

IN-PERSON AT BBG

Sunday, April 25, 10 am – 1 pm Members: $40/Non-members: $55 This hands-on workshop led by Jake Levin, takes the participants through the process of making sausage at home incorporating seasonal botanicals. Students will learn the history and process of sausage making, from the right cuts to the correct ratios, stuffing and linking. Not only will students get a chance to participate; they will also walk away with samples to try at home, a set of recipes and the frameworks needed to create their own seasonal recipes.

Saturday, April 24, 10 am – 4 pm Members: $105/Non-members: $125 Learn techniques and processes to create beautiful, natural dyes in a range of colors from scraps you might send to your compost pile. This class, led

by Nicole Campanale, will cover the basics of natural dyeing. Participants will work with wool and cotton and bring home samples of their work. Learn how to prepare fabric for dyeing as well as the dyes themselves. Experiment using different mordants, over-dyeing and resist techniques. Students are encouraged to bring a notebook in which to record their process and results.

16

CUTTINGS

SPRING/SUMMER 2021

Serving the Berkshires since 1981

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

EDUCATION

Botanically-Infused Spring Craft Cocktails ONLINE

Thursday, May 6, 5:30 – 6:30 pm BBG Members: $15/Non-members: $25 Join Billy Jack Paul for this three-part series of one-hour online classes, as he teams up with BBG and Berkshire Mountain Distillery to guide you through creating seasonal and classic craft cocktails.

Explore harnessing the flavors of the season and botanicals to create inspired and delicious drinks. Learn techniques to make them at home for yourself or your friends. Billy will provide instruction and take questions from students. Participants will be sent an ingredient list prior to class so they can create alongside Billy. A unique opportunity to learn from one of the Berkshires’ best and most creative cocktail artists. Cheers!! Our online classes are offered over Zoom. Students receive class login information and materials lists, when applicable, once registered.

M AY Botanical Cyanotype for Beginners IN-PERSON AT BBG

Sunday, May 2, 11 am – 2 pm BBG Members: $45/Non-members: $60 Cyanotypes are a compelling and simple way to capture botanical form and create compelling pieces of art. Learn about the history of the cyanotype process and the work of botanist Anna Atkins, who created the first photographic book, Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions, in 1853. Students will observe the mixing of the light-sensitive emulsion used to create cyanotype and its application to paper. Students will create their own cyanotype prints to bring home. Pressed plants will be provided, but participants may also bring their own. Taught by Madge Evers.

Designing the New Perennial Garden

H

IN-PERSON AT BBG

Tuesdays, May 4 – June 8, 5:30 – 7:30 pm Members: $240/Non-members: $265 Developments in ecology and environmental science over the last few decades have revolutionized the way we think of using perennials in gardens and landscapes all over Europeand North America. Whether it’s called “The Dutch Wave,” “The New Perennial Movement” or“The New American Garden,” innovative gardeners and designers have reinvigorated the use and appreciation of herbaceous plantings worldwide. This workshop led by Robert Clyde Anderson will provide an overview of the major concepts of this movement as well as hands-on experience in practical evaluation and design with herbaceous plants and grasses. The class will include an ungraded final design project that will give students the opportunity to experiment with the ideas and plant palettes presented in the illustrated lectures and class discussions.

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

The Last Minute Beginners’ Guide to Vegetable Gardening ONLINE

Friday, May 7, 6 – 7:30 pm FREE This online course for those new to growing their own vegetables will introduce the basics of growing a vegetable and herb garden.

Soil preparation, transplanting, direct sowing and harvest will all be all covered. Students will receive resources and knowledge they can use for years to come. This course is led by by BBG’s Director of Education Bridgette Stone.

Beginner Botanical Watercolors and Mimosas for Mother’s Day IN-PERSON AT BBG

Sunday, May 9, 10 am – 4 pm Members $85/ Non-members $110 Spend Mother’s Day together at the garden learning a new skill.

Sip mimosas and paint flowers with Mom. What could be better?

This beginners class is designed for mothers/mother figures and their adult children. Participants will be introduced to sketching and painting botanicals with watercolors. Spend the morning exploring art exercises to loosen up, have fun and build new skills. After lunch, begin creating a work of art to bring home! No previous experience is necessary. All materials will be provided.

Led by artist and educator Cheryl Moore.

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

17

EDUCATION

Spring iPhone and Digital Camera Garden Photography HYBRID: ONLINE/IN-PERSON AT BBG

Friday, May 14; Saturday, May 15 and Monday, May 17 BBG Members $35/Non-members $45

Growing Knock-out Tomatoes ONLINE

Tuesday, May 11, 5 – 6:30 pm BBG Members: $10/Non-members: $15 Gardener Ron Kujawski shares his tips for getting the most out of your tomatoes. He’ll cover tomato varieties, planting for success and care throughout the season. Pest and disease management will be addressed. He’ll also share his tips for harvest and preservation. Ron personally grows over 40 tomato plants in his home garden each year!

If you find yourself wishing to compose better images of your garden and landscapes, this is the course for you. Taught by our highly experienced instructor, professional photographer and local resident Thad Kubis, this three-part class is held both online and at Berkshire Botanical Garden and will provide a hands-on, application-based introduction to all aspects of garden-based photography. Each two-hour session will be specifically targeted to essential photography skills. Thad will review all the options that smartphones, DSLR’s and film-based cameras offer and explain how you can use them to create beautiful and unique garden-based photographs.

Introduction ONLINE Friday 3 – 5 pm: Current smartphones, tablets and DSLRs offer simple-to-use, dynamic, professional-level camera systems. Learn more than the basics of your device’s camera function, expand your knowledge of your DSLR and if you are a legacy camera user and a film devotee, wishing to compose better images of your garden and landscapes, this is the course for you.

Photography ONSITE Saturday 10 am – 12 pm: During this two-hour walk in the gardens you will develop your composition skills and learn to use light, shadow and tones to become a better garden, floral and landscape photographer.

Editing ONLINE Monday, 5 – 7 pm: This final class session will be an exploration of the many editing functions, including the editing tools contained within your smartphone, tablet and computer. Thad will also review cloud-based editing systems like Photoshop, and provide options to app based editing systems that are used

by Android and other non-Apple smartphones.

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

18

CUTTINGS

SPRING/SUMMER 2021

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

EDUCATION

New England Plant Communities

H

HYBRID

Thursday, May 13, 5:30 – 7 pm (ONLINE Zoom lecture) Sunday, May 15, 10 am – 3 pm (OFF-SITE FIELD STUDY) Full Course: Members: $80/Non-members: $100 Join ecologist Ted Elliman for an exploration of native New England plant communities. A Thursday lecture will cover many of the forest, meadow and wetland habitats found in Berkshire County, discussing their physical and ecological features — topography, geology, soils and moisture — as well as their characteristic plant associations, including both common and rare plants. The Saturday field trip will take us to a variety of forested, open and wetland habitats, and we will take a close look at the flora and features of each of them.

Ted will also discuss the impacts of invasive species and possible changes to natural communities in response to climate change.

We will travel in BBG’s passenger van. For the Saturday field study, please dress for the weather, wear comfortable shoes (we will be walking nearly the entire day) and bring a bag lunch.

An ecological landscape company

Houseplants by Design: Adding Plants to your Décor ONLINE

Sunday, May 16, 2 – 3:30 pm BBG Members: $25/Non-members: $35 Are you utilizing your houseplants to their fullest aesthetic potential?

In this virtual lecture filled with photos and inspiration from her own massive collection of houseplants, Tovah Martin will explore some of the easiest, most rewarding houseplants appropriate for all types of home situations and varying window exposures. She will show how to move beyond the “green blob in the corner,” offering ideas for profiling plants beautifully and artistically, applying design principles to make your plants work meaningfully with your home décor. Tovah will also demonstrate how the right container can make a houseplant shine with personality. Learn how to host and care for houseplants so they work for you. Your habitat needs houseplants — why not do it with panache? Turn your houseplants into home-plants!

Landscape Design & Construction | Stonework | Fine Gardening Organic Lawn Care | Food Systems | Natives & Restoration

www.natureworkslandcare.com | 413-325-1101

Enjoy your BBG mEmBEr BEnEfits whilE EarninG GardEn rEwards Ask In-store for More Information on How to Join

Gardens as Agents of Change: Gardening Under Western Skies: Knowing Our Places ONLINE

Tuesday, May 18, 6 – 7pm EST Lecture only. BBG Members: $10/Non-members: $12 Lecture and Signed Copy of the Book.

Members: $60/Non-members $62 In her presentation, Jennifer Jewell will explore the philosophy of her Cultivating Place podcast that gardeners and gardens are potentially powerful agents and spaces for positive change in our world, helping to address challenges as wide ranging as climate change, habitat loss, cultural polarization and individual and communal health and well-being. She will go on to explore how this power of gardens and gardeners is exemplified in the beautiful and innovative place-based gardens that celebrate western landscapes in the her book, Under Western Skies; Visionary Gardens from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Coast (Timber Press, May 11, 2021) — with striking photography by Caitlin Atkinson.

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

Ward’s Where Gardeners Grow

Ward’s Nursery & Garden Center 600 Main Street - Gt. Barrington Open Daily 8am - 5pm

413-528-0166 wardsnursery.com BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

19

EDUCATION

ALL SUMMER LONG!

Ayurvedic Herbs, Cultivation and Application

Tai Chi in the Garden

IN-PERSON AT BBG

IN-PERSON AT BBG

Saturday, May 22, 11 am – 12:30 pm BBG Members: $10/Non-members: $15

Tuesdays, May 25 – October 19, 9 – 10 am Members: $10/Non-members: $12 per session

Ayurveda is the ancient Indian science of holistic health care; the word literally means “knowledge of life and longevity.” The use of herbs is an important component of the practice of Ayurveda, and more and more scientific studies are confirming their efficacy. The use of herbs for health is increasing in the West, but the centuries of accumulated knowledge that Ayurveda represents might seem overwhelming. Gardener Indira Rajan will demonstrate simple ways we can all improve our health with Ayurveda. Based on her experience gardening at her home along New York’s Hudson River, she will share plants we can easily grow in temperate climates either outside or in pots that move inside for the winter.

Indira will describe the health benefits of these plants and simple ways to incorporate them into our daily lives, such as mixing them into a salad or brewing a tea.

The slow, gentle movements of traditional Tai Chi and Qigong (energy cultivation) are extremely effective in managing stress, enhancing health and increasing mental focus, balance and energy. Instructor David Crowe will share several ancient and powerful exercises to help cultivate mind, body and spirit.

Cultivating Mushrooms at Home: Winecaps, Oysters and Shiitakes IN-PERSON AT BBG

Saturday, May 22, 1 – 3 pm BBG Members: $50/Non-Members: $65

Tree Peonies in Bloom with Dan Furman at Cricket Hill Nursery

Come explore the fascinating realm of growing mushrooms with Willie Crosby of Fungi Ally.

Learn about the basic mushroom life cycle and the important ecological roles that fungi fill. The discussion will focus on several different methods of mushroom cultivation on wood, including shiitake on logs, oysters on totems and wine cap mushrooms on wood chips. Leave with the tools and knowledge to start cultivating mushrooms in your garden!

All participants will take home an inoculated log that will produce mushrooms for years to come.

OFF-SITE FIELD STUDY

Behind-the-Scenes Tour of Broken Arrow Nursery

Saturday, May 29, 1 – 3 pm Members: $35/Non-members: $45 Peony grower Dan Furman of Cricket Hill Nursery will lead participants on a tour through production and nursery areas, sharing his vast knowledge about the history and culture of peonies along the way.

The tour is timed to occur during peak season for tree peony blooms.

Dan will answer questions and offer advice to anyone interested in purchasing specimens to bring home. This is a rare opportunity to learn directly from one of the nation’s premier peony growers.

H

OFF-SITE FIELD STUDY

Sunday, May 23, 10 am – 12 pm Members: $35/Non-members: $45 Get a behind-the-scenes tour of one of New England’s most unique and well-respected nurseries. Founded in 1947, Broken Arrow is one of the few retail nurseries in Connecticut that propagate and grow most of the plants they sell. This allows them to offer rare and native species not widely available on the retail market. Production manager Adam Wheeler will lead participants through Broken Arrow’s collection, sharing insights and information. Participants will meet at Broken Arrow Nursery. Transportation will not be provided.

20

CUTTINGS

SPRING/SUMMER 2021

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

EDUCATION

JUNE Bird Nests: Rendering Their Unique Beauty IN-PERSON AT BBG

Tuesday, June 1 – Thursday, June 3, 10 am – 4 pm (3 days) Members: $345/Non-members: $380 In this class with botanical illustrator Carol Ann Morley, students will bring to life one of nature’s wonders, the bird’s nest. Through close observation, students will discover the pattern of the weave and identify horsehair, grass, twigs and other plant materials. Participants will then learn how to ‘map out’ the nest construction before drawing in their choice of mixed media with colored pencils, pen and ink and gold paint on toned papers.

The instructor will supply the bird nests to draw. Some drawing experience suggested. Supply list available.

Introduction to the Identification of Grasses, Sedges and Rushes of New England

H

ONLINE

race mt tree services, inc.

Since 1977 Certified Arborists in MA, CT & NY

(413) 229-2728 support@racemttree.com • www.racemttree.com

Wednesday, June 2, 5:30 – 7:30 pm Members: $15/Non-members $18 This class will cover the basic differences between these three similar-looking plant families, providing pointers that will help in the identification of plants in all three groups. Using the book Grasses, Sedges, Rushes: An Identification Guide by Lauren Brown and Ted Elliman, the class will practice using keys that provide an accessible way to identify many of the common grasses, sedges and rushes that are such a significant and sometimes under-appreciated part of our natural landscapes.

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

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

21

EDUCATION

PRIDE AT THE GARDEN LGBTQ+/BIPOC Healing Garden Immersion IN-PERSON AT BBG

Saturday, June 5, 10:30 am – 2:30 pm Members: $20/Non-members: $25 Join outdoor guide Raei Bridges for a day of forest bathing, meditation and community building. Participants will engage in sitspots, movement practices and creative collaboration with other LGBTQ+/BIPOC folks. Please come prepared for a full day on the land including water, lunch, snacks and extra layers.

Queer Plant Medicine & Botany IN-PERSON AT BBG

Sunday, June 20, 11 am – 1 pm Members: $25/Non-members: $35 Delve into queering our relationship with plants through exploring and weaving together the world of botany and hands-on plant medicine-making. How can our reciprocity with plants nourish ourselves and the collective within queer existence? Join us to discuss perfect flowers and gender transforming plants, making essences as a way to shift from extractive plant harvesting, and how to reflect care and healing through connection to plants. Class is led by atalanta sungurov.

Hummingbird Container Garden

Container Gardening for Pollinators

IN-PERSON AT BBG

ONLINE

Saturday, June 12, 1 – 3 pm BBG Members: $30/Non-members: $40

Tuesday, June 15, 4 – 6 pm BBG Members: $10/Non-members: $15

In this class taught by BBG Director of Education Bridgette Stone, learn how to create beautiful container gardens for attracting hummingbirds and butterflies. Even a small amount of space can create a BIG impact. Understand the fundamentals of container garden design and care. Learn how using the right color and form can attract winged friends. Students will receive two seedlings to bring home and use to start their own container gardens.

In this online class taught by BBG Director of Education Bridgette Stone, learn how to create beautiful containers for attracting hummingbirds and butterflies. Even a small amount of space can create a BIG impact. Understand the fundamentals of container design and care. Learn how using the right color and form can attract winged friends and provide an important food source for pollinators.

New Heirloom Garden

Tour of Bill Noble’s Vermont Garden

ONLINE

OFF-SITE FIELD STUDY

Saturday, June 12, 10 – 11 am Members: $10/Non-members: $12

Saturday, June 26, 2 – 4 pm Members: $65/Non-member: $70

Join the delicious revolution by learning about heirloom vegetables, forgotten fruits and fragrant flowers.

This lecture by Ellen Ecker Ogden is based on her newest book, The New Heirloom Garden, published in February 2021 with Rodale Books.

Discover what to grow for the best-tasting vegetables and dig deeper into the diverse world of open-pollinated seeds to become a seed saver. Learn how to grow something new that is old and revel in growing your own seeds to sow each year in your own garden, and to share with friends. In this lecture, you will learn Ellen’s six steps to successful kitchen garden design based on productivity and beauty, with designs and photographs from her new book. Be inspired to plant varieties that add forgotten charm to your own heirloom garden and serve up good food. The book will be available for purchase through BBG’s online shop.

Author and garden designer Bill Noble will lead participants on a tour of his celebrated Vermont garden, which surrounds an 1830s Vermont farmhouse and barn, with stone walls, fields and views of neighboring farms and distant mountains. The garden reflects Bill’s horticultural path from market gardener to garden designer. The garden features a bountiful perennial garden, vegetable garden and orchard, rock gardens and shrub borders, surrounded by fields and meadows. The focal point is a mixed border of shrubs and hardy perennials, while remnants of barn foundations offer a setting for alpines, ferns, ornamental grasses and shrubs. Foliage and texture predominate. The garden is an ongoing experiment with plants and ideas gathered from other gardens and gardeners. It is the subject of Noble’s book, Spirit of Place: The Making of a New England Garden, published in June, 2020 by Timber Press. Signed copies of the book will be available for purchase. Refreshments will be provided on-site. Participants are responsible for their own transportation and will receive the address upon registration

22

CUTTINGS

SPRING/SUMMER 2021

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

EDUCATION

T H E C AT E R PI L L A R L A B

J U LY The Caterpillar Lab

Moth Lighting

IN RESIDENCY AT BBG, July 1 - 5 (see article, page [x]) Open daily 9:30 am – 12 pm and 1 – 4 pm Free with Garden admission Exhibits at the Center House

Friday, July 2, 8:30 – 11 pm Members: $15/Non-members: $20

An over-the-top, up-close native caterpillar exploration experience!

See many dozens of species in open- air displays, including enormous, giant silk moth caterpillars, fierce-looking snakemimicking caterpillars, convincing twig-mimicking caterpillars, and bizarre legless slug caterpillars. Watch rare moments in metamorphosis, ecological relationships and parasitism play out firsthand at the display tables and under digital microscopes.

Experts will be on hand to answer your questions.

Budding Naturalist Caterpillar Walk IN-PERSON AT BBG

Thursday, July 1, 4:30 – 5:30 pm Members: $5/Non-members: $12 The Caterpillar Lab is moving in, and while the exhibit halls will be full of their munching critters and offer lots to explore, the real story is the one going on outside in our gardens where these creatures are living out their strange lives in the wild. Join Director of The Caterpillar Lab Sam Jaffe on a walk around BBG’s gardens exploring for native caterpillars and other insects. Hear how The Caterpillar Lab finds all of their caterpillars, learn about host plants and parasitoids, and get all of the caterpillar-finding secrets from one of the foremost caterpillar hunters in the world! This walk is for budding naturalists and their adults. May not be appropriate for the more casually interested young children.

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

IN-PERSON AT BBG

The Caterpillar Lab will set up sheets with special, ultra-mothattracting lights and help identify the hundreds of species expected to fly in. Visitors will be surprised by the diversity, size and beauty of Western Massachusetts nocturnal insects.

Bring your curiosity and be ready to become hooked on this popular pastime. Appropriate for ages 10 and up.

Member Event: Adult Caterpillar Walk IN-PERSON AT BBG

Monday, July 5, 4:30 – 5:30 pm Free to members, pre-registration required, space is limited The Caterpillar Lab is moving in, and while the exhibit halls will be full of their munching critters and offer lots to explore, the real story is the one going on outside in our gardens where these creatures are living out their strange lives in the wild. Join Director of The Caterpillar Lab Sam Jaffe on a walk around BBG’s gardens exploring for native caterpillars and other insects. Hear how The Caterpillar Lab finds all of their caterpillars, learn about host plants and parasitoids, and get all of the caterpillar-finding secrets from one of the foremost caterpillar hunters in the world! This walk is a special, free event for adult members.

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

23

EDUCATION

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

Plein Air Watercolor Painting in the Garden IN-PERSON AT BBG

Wednesdays, July 7, 14, 21, 28, 10 am – 1 pm Members: $20/Non-members: $25 per-class Explore the garden through the pleasure of watercolor painting with artist Ann Kremers. The class will work outdoors translating the vistas and details of the garden into paintings. Each session will begin with discussion of student work, demonstration, and a helpful assignment. Ann offers encouragement and suggestions throughout the painting sessions to help each person find their way to express the garden. Beginners and experienced painters are welcome. Additional information can be found on our website.

AU GU ST Plein air Watercolor Painting in the Garden

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

CREATING BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES

Ikebana Workshop Series IN-PERSON AT BBG

Third Saturday of Every Month, August 21 - November 20, 10 am – 12 pm Members: $85/Non-members: $100

design • installation • maintenance 413 448 2215 churchillgardens.com

est

1998

CUTTINGS

SPRING/SUMMER 2021

Wednesdays, August 4, 11, 18, 25, 10 am – 1 pm Members: $20/Non-members: $25 per class Explore the garden through the pleasure of watercolor painting with artist Ann Kremers. The class will work outdoors translating the vistas and details of the garden into paintings. Each session will begin with discussion of student work, demonstration, and a helpful assignment. Ann offers encouragement and suggestions throughout the painting sessions to help each person find their way to express the Garden. Beginners and experienced painters are welcome. Additional information can be found on our website.

(413) 442-4873 energeticlandscaping.com

24

IN-PERSON AT BBG

Ikebana is a traditional Japanese style of flower arrangement.

The Sogetsu school of ikebana, which informs this series, is over 100 years old, and yet it is newer and more unfettered than any other school of ikebana. Ikebana can be created anytime, anywhere, by anyone in any part of the world, and with any kind of material. Participants will experience the joy of self-expression through flower arranging.

This four-part series, taught by Miri Matsufuji, is for those interested in cultivating an Ikebana practice. No previous experience is necessary.

EDUCATION

Bats of the Berkshires IN-PERSON AT BBG

Off-site Field Study Robert Clyde Anderson

Friday, August 27, 7:30 – 8:30 pm BBG Members: $12/Non-members: $18

Friday, September 3, 5 – 6:30pm Members: $55/Non-members: $60

Discover the mysterious world of bats. This program, which includes a slideshow and walk, will introduce participants to the bats that live around us and what we can do to be better neighbors to these intriguing, winged mammals. Pre-registration is required. Presented in cooperation with Mass Audubon.

This on-site field study explores the gardens of designer Robert Clyde Anderson and Kuan Chan, of Stuyvesant NY. The garden is a twoacre remnant of a larger farm, located in the hamlet of Stuyvesant Landing, a quarter-mile from the Hudson River. The core of the house is a typical Hudson Valley farmhouse built in 1869, but with many accretions that have accumulated over generations of various owners. Despite the house being an architectural Frankenstein’s Monster, it has retained many interesting and useful outbuildings and features that enhance its appeal: a vintage barn, summer kitchen, large poultry house, and fenced kitchen garden. A seasonal stream borders the property to the south, and two majestic silver maples grace the deep front lawn. The garden has been in development for ten years. Robert considers it his laboratory for experimentation with various ideas that have percolated over his fifty-plus years as an active gardener. It has grown to include screening shrub borders, a sunny terraced xeric garden, a shady wooded streamside area, a themed annual/ tropical planting, a moist meadow area, and a kitchen/propagation garden. Of particular interest is the moist meadow. Designed on the principles of naturalistic gardening and matrix planting, the three sections are slightly different in both underlying conditions and in plant selection, but the intention was to create an area that holds together aesthetically as well as culturally and to reach a climax of interest in late summer and early fall.

Weaving with Natural Materials IN-PERSON AT BBG

Saturday, August 28, 10:30 am – 1:30 pm EST BBG Members: $55/Non-members: $65 Join fiber artist Jamie Goldenberg of Hart Textiles in Housatonic, MA, to explore the art of basket weaving. Create a small basket using foraged natural material and build the foundational knowledge you’ll need to begin creating vessels and sculptural pieces on your own.

This online course includes materials that can be picked up curbside at BBG or Hart Studios.

SEPTEMBER The Garden in Pastel Wednesday, September 1 – Friday, September 3, 10:30 am – 3 pm Members: $250/Non-members: $300 Learn how to capture the splendor of Garden with the deep pigments that can only be found with pastels. This class, led by Cheryl Moore, is appropriate for beginners to intermediate students. A materials list will be provided upon registration. Students will work in-plein-air, learning the fundamentals of this medium before using it to rendering the late summer garden in all its glory

Northeast Ethnobotany

H

Thursdays, September 16 and 23, 5:30 – 8:30 pm Members: $145/ Non-Members: $160 Plants shape our lives in many ways: they provide food, fiber and medicine among other uses. This two-part class, led by ethnobotanist and ecologist Drew Monthie, will explore some of the Indigenous and European ethnobotanical practices of the Northeastern US and their historical context. The phytochemistry of plants (their chemical constituents) and their use as medicine will also be a topic of exploration, along with the ethics of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). Students will complete a short research project with a focus on one of the ethnobotanical topics mentioned above.

Come visit and see what makes Bay State special!

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

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

25

EDUCATION

FAMILY FRIDAYS Fridays, throughout August, 11 am–12 pm FREE WITH GARDEN ADMISSION / BBG MEMBERS AND CHILDREN UNDER 12, FREE

Our popular Family Fridays series is for students and stewards of all ages! Our programming includes guest presentations and events every Friday in August on a variety of topics highlighting reptiles, mammals, raptors and more. Family Fridays are free with Garden admission, and BBG members are admitted free of charge. Join us as we encourage an innate curiosity about the natural world and promote a deeper connection to our Berkshire landscape and world at large.

Nature Matters with Jen Lahey

The Wonder of Reptiles

Friday, August 6, 11 am – 1 2pm

Friday, August 20, 11 am – 12 pm

Nature Matters is home to a diverse collection of animal educators. Many of these animals found their way there because they were unable to survive in the wild due to an injury or they were born in captivity and never learned how to fend for themselves. These animals are on the borderland; they are not pets, but they are also no longer able to be wild. They need a place to be cared for in order to survive. This program will explore our relationships and connection with animals, both wild and domestic pet species. Jen Lahey will also talk about how the animals came into the care of Nature Matters and discuss our responsibilities to other species, both wild and non-wild alike.

Meet us on the Fitzpatrick lawn as Environmental Educator Joy Marzolf introduces us to the Wild World of Reptiles.

What is the difference between a lizard and a snake? A crocodile and an alligator?

Can turtles really leave their shells like they do in the cartoons? Are snakes really slimy? Learn more about our wonderful scaly friends and meet some reptile special guests in person!

Under One Sky: Songs & Stories for the Whole Earth Friday, August 13, 11 am – 12 pm This program will include traditional and contemporary folk songs and stories about nature and animals from New England and around the world. Hear how Coyote got his howl, how foam came to be in the ocean, and more. Be prepared to sing, move and clap your hands! There will even be a short lesson on how to play music with spoons from a kitchen drawer and a guest appearance by a dancing wooden dog named Bingo.

Birds of Prey Davis Bates’ traditional and participatory performance style empowers and encourages audiences to join in the fun and to take the songs and stories home with them to share with others. He also encourages listeners to remember and share stories and songs from their own family and cultural traditions and to find stories in books, recordings and the world wide web.

26

CUTTINGS

SPRING/SUMMER 2021

Friday, August 27, 11 am – 12 pm Join wildlife rehabilitator Tom Ricardi for his ever-popular presentation on birds of prey. Tom will share the natural history of these 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. This program is designed for all ages.

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

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

What is the Perennial Society?

“The Perennial Society is for everyone who recognizes the value of the Garden and wants to help by contributing to the long term health of BBG after we’re gone.” —Judie Owens Judie Owens is no stranger to BBG. A board member for nearly 20 years, her many roles have included Harvest Festival producer, Cuttings editor, Grow Show chairwoman and Secretary of the Board of Directors. Whether she is making wreaths for the Garden’s Holiday Marketplace or assisting with Harvest Festival’s silent auction, it’s clear that Judie’s contribution of time and talent to BBG is tremendous.

No surprise then, that when considering her estate planning, the Garden came to mind. BBG’s Perennial Society offers a number of ways to build a legacy, and was the perfect fit for Judie. “I’ve made some wonderful friendships at the Garden through the years. It’s an easy community to get to know, a springboard

for someone like me who was new to the Berkshires when I moved here from New York in 1987,” she said. “The important thing to know is that the Perennial Society is for everyone who loves the Garden.

Even a modest gift will help enrich the endowment fund. . .knowing in our hearts that we’re helping BBG to continue growing well into the future. It’s an easy process, and not a complicated thing to do.”

It’s because of friends like Judie that BBG will thrive for generations to come. Join our growing group of Perennial Society members and help the Garden thrive for the next 87 years and beyond.

Please contact BBG’s Executive Director, Michael Beck, at (413) 320-4772 for a confidential conversation about your estate planning. We thank you for your support of Berkshire Botanical Garden!

Best of the Berkshires Award for Live Theatre 4 years in a row

BARRINGTONSTAGECO.ORG 413.236.8888 Clockwise from bottom-left: Nicholas Rodriguez, Alexandra Silber, Alan H. Green, Alysha Umphress and Storm Lever in The Hills Are Alive with Rodgers & Hammerstein, 2020.

Bottom-right: Mark H. Dold in Harry Clarke, 2020. Photos: Daniel Rader.

—The Berkshire Eagle

Theatre Company of the Decade Award —BroadwayWorld Berkshires

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

27

AROUND THE GARDEN

Welcome Kessa McEwen, Our New Education Coordinator!

Kessa McEwen’s career path hasn’t proceeded as planned — and that’s a good thing. The MCLA graduate originally aspired to a career as a field biologist. But her image of herself as a gatherer of wildlife data changed during an internship as Education Assistant at Mass Audubon Pleasant Valley.

“I had an ‘aha’ moment,” she told Cuttings, “when I led a field trip for third graders, and this boy said, ‘This is the most fun I’ve ever had!’ I realized I could make a difference in the lives of kids.”

Although she grew up in nearby Dalton, Kessa says she wasn’t taught the importance of conservation. “Even in high school the idea that nature needs to be preserved was not on my radar.”

Once she began working with children she saw the potential to make a broad impact. “A lot of kids from Pittsfield and North Adams might never have taken a hike in the woods,” she said. “I realized it’s really important to be introducing kids to nature at a young age.

That inspires them to love and care for nature; that’s our home, and it should be protected.”

Most recently, Kessa worked for three years in a seasonal position as the Interpreter at Natural Bridge State Park in North Adams, where she was charged with the entire educational program, from curriculum to marketing to implementation.

She sees parallels between that role and her position at BBG, where she started in January, coordinating school outreach and on-campus youth and children’s programming.

“I think a garden is a really good place for kids to work cooperatively, build confidence and learn something new. Not only is it good for them to be introduced to nature and learn from it, it’s good for their social-emotional development. They’re developing confidence, learning team-building skills, challenging themselves — and a garden is a great place to do that without even realizing it. It’s an amazing setting for building those emotional skills and developing confidence.”

Kessa teaches at Berkshire Hills Project Connection Farm and Garden After School Program in the spring for grades 3 and 4 (elementary) and grades 6 and 7 (middle school) and their Summer Service-Learning Program for grades 5 and 6; Pittsfield Public Schools (Reid and Herberg Middle Schools) 21st Century Farm and Garden After School Program for grades 6-8 in the spring; and Lenox Library Garden Club for grades K-4 this summer. On-site at BBG, Kessa will teach the spring and summer Garden Sprouts Toddler Program for ages 3-5 and coordinate Family Fridays in August.

MAKE ART! Offering classes, camps, and workshops online and in-person this summer!

is183.org 28

CUTTINGS

SPRING/SUMMER 2021

AROUND THE GARDEN

Yoga in the Garden with Kathi Cafiero Experience the Garden like never before with our new Yoga in the Garden classes. Free to all, this outdoor program is appropriate for all skill levels and a perfect way to end the day.

Classes are held Thursdays, May 27 through September 2, 5:15 – 6:15 p.m. and will be led by Kathi Cafiero, a Kripalu certified yoga instructor who has been teaching the physical and mental benefits of yoga for over 20 years.

Be a Part of the Garden this Season!

TT

ER-GA

ANNUAL

L NT SA

E

P

LA

NER

TH

DE

44

R

BE-A-BE

Preregistration is required and space is limited. For more information and to register, visit our program calendar at berkshirebotanical.org/events.

PLANTS AND ANSWERS PLANT SALE Friday and Saturday, May 7–8 (Mother’s Day Weekend)

Tried, true...and new! A staff-curated sale featuring plants chosen for their ornamental value and proven reliability in the Berkshires.

ANNUALS • PERENNIALS • VEGETABLES • HERBS CONTAINERS • WOODLAND PLANTS • RARE TREES & SHRUBS EXPERT GARDENING ADVICE EARLY BUYING FOR BBG MEMBERS: FRIDAY 9 AM – NOON HOURS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC: FRIDAY NOON – 5 PM, SATURDAY 9 AM – 5 PM FREE ADMISSION | TIMED TICKETING REQUIRED AT BERKSHIREBOTANICAL.ORG

Sponsor a Vegetable Bed! “So THAT’S what an okra plant looks like?”

“I’ve never seen so many shapes of peppers in one place!”

“I’m going to try and trellis peas that way in my own garden.”

Visitors’ comments such as these are often overheard in our vegetable garden, where every year, BBG senior gardener Christine Caccamo creates a different, immersive teaching space for “all things vegetable” in beautifully maintained and labeled raised beds. Our edible outdoor classroom informs visitors of all ages how vegetables grow, and what varieties thrive in the Berkshires. It’s one of the most popular garden areas at BBG. We encourage you to sponsor this wonderful vegetable garden!

For a contribution of $100 you can claim “your” veggie bed, with a name or pithy statement hand-painted on our ornamental plant signs for all to see. Be creative and let those alliterations fly!

All vegetable garden sponsorships will be gratefully acknowledged and are fully tax deductible. Proceeds will be used to support our horticulture department. To reserve, visit the “Give” page at berkshirebotanical.org.

From all of us at BBG, thank you for your support of the Garden!

Garden Treasures from Our Friends: A Dazzling Online Auction May 7–16 at berkshirebotanical.org

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

29

AROUND THE GARDEN

Welcome Interns!

We are delighted to welcome three 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 educational programs and field trips to help broaden their horticultural horizons.

PORTRAITS OF AMERICAN TREES THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF TOM ZETTERSTROM SE PTE MBE R 1 7 THR O UG H O CTO BE R 31, 2021

We are grateful to the Marcia Brady Tucker Foundation for its continued support of this program, as well as to Frank and Mary Watson.

Opening Reception Friday, September 17, 5-7 p.m.

Center House Leonhardt Galleries Please visit berkshirebotanical.org for programs and events scheduled during this exhibition.

Asha Lee Keck Bard College at Simon’s Rock, Class of 2022 Major: Environmental Science Hometown: Appleton, Wisconsin

Shagbark Hickories 1978 Silver gelatin photograph from Portraits of American Trees

Alyssa Steele University of Maryland, Class of 2022 Major: Landscape Architecture with a certification in Ornamental Horticulture Hometown: Prince Frederick, MD Bryan French SUNY College of Environmental Science, Class of 2022 Major: Landscape Architecture Hometown: Morris, NY

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

SUBSCRIBE TODAY berkshiremag.com 30

CUTTINGS

SPRING/SUMMER 2021

BEN MANCINO, COURTESY OLD MILL ROAD MEDIA

Come play in the Berkshires!

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

( 4 13 ) 4 6 4 - 2 5 9 8

AROUND THE GARDEN

Volunteer News

In Memoriam

Rediscovering Nature — And Yourself

The Garden has lost two good friends recently. The talented flower arranger and knowledgeable plant lover, Elizabeth Sayman, passed away at her beautiful home, Old Fields, in Richmond, which is situated in the midst of a garden lovingly developed over 50 years. Elizabeth and her husband, Wynn, had a great sense of beauty and boldness where planting was concerned. They were quite generous in opening their garden to visitors. The variety of spring bulb plantings was especially spectacular.

‘Out of the woods.” “Weathered the storm.” “Trod the primrose path.” There are so many expressions inspired by nature to describe bypassing danger.

One of the most evocative comes from the 23rd Psalm, where the spirit of grace leads us to green pastures to restore our soul. Such a pure expression of the healing power of nature!

In these tumultuous times, BBG has continued to be a “green pasture”. We have provided a safe haven for our community, where residents and visitors alike can walk in beauty.

I’m so grateful to BBG for finding safe ways during the Corona crisis to keep its gates open. And I’m so proud to be a part of its robust Volunteer community.

The path ahead may still be rocky. But as restrictions start to ease, we can all come fully into bloom. If you have been inspired by the past year to seek new growth opportunities, you will find them here – both metaphorically and literally!

By Georgeanne Rousseau

Elizabeth lent a helping hand at a wide variety of events at the BBG: antique shows, Holiday Marketplaces, Harvest Festivals, and was an honoree with her husband at Fête des Fleurs. She was involved in the Grow Show, originally called The Flower Show, from its inception. Elizabeth helped to produce the show, entered it, and took home lots of ribbons. In her later years she enjoyed a trip around the BBG in a golf cart, to view all the improvements that had been realized with her help.

We have also lost Jim Lamme, the exuberant husband of long time Board member Wendy Linscott. Jim was a welcome figure at many events and fundraisers. His involvement went back to the days when it was all hands on deck for parties. Jim carried, set up, entertained, parked cars and lent an enthusiasm that was irresistible. The Garden was lucky to have such an appealing supporter.

Both of these friends of the Garden will be missed, and we send our heartfelt condolences to the families of Elizabeth and Jim.

BBG Volunteers help create every aspect of the Garden, from its magnificent display beds to its rich roster of educational classes and entertaining events. And we all have a great time being part of the Garden family.

I warmly invite you to learn more about volunteering at BBG. This year we will be needing Plant Sale helpers, Tour Guides, and Greeters in our Visitor Center, among other fun assignments. The first easy step is to register online at berkshirebotanical.org. Click on the Volunteer page to join us, and rediscover the joys of nature in a whole new, meaningful way!

See you in the Garden, Lauretta Harris President, BBG Volunteer Association To learn more about volunteering at BBG, go to berkshirebotanical.org/volunteer, or contact Amy Butterworth at abutterworth@berkshirebotanical.org.

GROW SHOW Continuing a tradition of growing and showing with this season’s “Taking Flight” theme!

All ages and experience levels are welcome to enter this blueribbon event. Submit your own entries in the show or stop by and take in the talents of regional gardeners and floral designers.

August 21, 1–5 p.m. and August 22, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

31

THROUGH OCTOBER 17 It’s the perfect time to get out and explore the Clark’s first outdoor exhibition, featuring the work of six international artists set against nature’s beauty.

GROUNDS ARE OPEN AND FREE OF CHARGE

WILLIAMSTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS CLARKART.EDU/GROUNDWORK Major support for Ground/work is provided by Karen and Robert Scott, Denise Littlefield Sobel, and Paul Neely. Additional funding is generously provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art; the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor; Maureen Fennessy Bousa and Edward P. Bousa; Amy and Charlie Scharf; Elizabeth Lee; MASS MoCA; Chrystina and James Parks; Howard M. Shapiro and Shirley Brandman; Joan and Jim Hunter; James and Barbara Moltz; and a gift in honor of Marilyn and Ron Walter.

Analia Saban, Teaching a Cow How to Draw (detail), 2020. Cedar wood. Courtesy of the artist and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York / Los Angeles

The escape you’ve been waiting for!

Enchanted:

A History of Fantasy Illustration Premiering June 12

LAND OF ENCHANTMENT: FANTASTICAL SCULPTURES Opening July 10 Across the magical Museum grounds.

James Gurney, Garden of Hope, 1995 ©James Gurney

NRM.org

32

CUTTINGS

•

Stockbridge, MA

SPRING/SUMMER 2021

•

413.298.4100

•

KIDS & TEENS FREE!

Giving a BBG membership is a wonderful way to acknowledge the gardeners in your life!

Give the perfect gift — membership to Berkshire Botanical Garden! Our Membership levels provide a variety of benefits including:

n Unlimited free admission to the Garden

n Special members-only events

n 10% discount at the Garden’s Visitor

n Early buying privileges and 10% off all

Center Gift Shop purchases at the annual Plant Sale

n Free subscription to Cuttings, the Garden’s

magazine

n Advance notice and discounts on classes,

lectures and workshops

n Free or discounted reciprocal admission

to participating gardens, arboreta and conservancies throughout the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean

n Discounts on purchases at local and online

n Based on Membership level, benefits in

nurseries, garden centers and retailers NARM and ROAM programs

n Free subscription to Better Homes and

Gardens or Martha Stewart Living

Memberships support the Garden while enriching lives! Place your gift order today — discounts apply to multiple orders!

Portrait photographer, Professional Level and Corporate memberships are now available!

Contact Amy Butterworth, Membership Director, abutterworth@berkshirebotanical.org or call 413 298-4532.

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

33

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Qualprint 5 West Stockbridge Road Stockbridge, MA 01262 413-298-3926 • berkshirebotanical.org

The best of the Berkshires on 24 beautiful acres featuring

TakingFlight a season of flight-themed exhibits, events and family activities.

mortgage solutions

advantage

Andrea L. MacArthur Assistant Vice President, Mortgage Advisor, NMLS# 597843 Call 860.453.3531 to request a FREE consultation.

salisburybank.com Member FDIC

©Salisbury Bank and Trust Company

NMLS#562127

Equal Housing Lender