Greenwood Gardens Seasons Winter 2023

Seasons

giving thanks 20 years of greenwood peter p. blanchard iii lecture series the gardens reopen may 5, 2023!

Dear Friends,

Our annual special issue of Seasons, devoted to recognizing you, our generous donors, members, and volunteers, is a tangible measure of the enthusiastic support we were so fortunate to receive from you last year, underscored by your incredibly passionate response to our year-end appeal! We are deeply grateful for your commitment to the Grow Greenwood Fund which sustains our ability to carry out our mission of connecting people with nature in a historic garden oasis. We couldn’t do it without you – many thanks!

This year marks an exciting milestone in our history as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the founding of Greenwood’s start as a public garden in 2003. It is also a bittersweet time, when we will be miss the presence of our late visionary Founding Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Peter P. Blanchard III, who with his wife, the dynamic Sofia A. Blanchard, joined forces to realize their family dream. There were so many dedicated volunteers who assisted Peter and Sofia in this nascent effort, including Louise Moos, who, up until Peter’s passing, had been serving as the Board’s Vice

President. In the aftermath, without missing a beat, Louise stepped in as Chairman, ably leading Greenwood into the next twenty years! Brava, Louise!

I hope you will take time to review our robust schedule of engaging 20th anniversary program offerings which emphasize our themes of nature, beauty, and history. We are also pleased to present a new Music in the Garden Concert Series highlighting three musical genres: Broadway, jazz, and classical, generously sponsored by Stone Mountain Properties. Perhaps most meaningfully, we are delighted to introduce The Peter P. Blanchard III Lecture Series, featuring five fascinating talks that we feel certain Peter would approve.

With deepest gratitude,

HAVE A SEAT AT THE BARNYARD

Our barnyard complex is a special place, beloved by our late co-Founder, Peter P. Blanchard III, and one where adults and children alike can while away the time observing our friendly turkeys and chickens, and the comings and goings of the bees. That is why we have created opportunities for visitor seating on durable teak benches which are available for donation with a plaque to be engraved with the inscription of your choice. If you are interested, please email Abby O’Neill, Executive Director, at aoneill@greenwoodgardens.org, or call her at 908-507-0288.

Abby O’Neill, Executive Director

From the moment I visited the property years ago, I couldn’t get enough of Greenwood! Coming from my home in England where garden landscape design and architecture is enthusiastically celebrated, and, also, having been a principal of a landscaping firm, I was smitten! As I became more involved with the efforts of Peter and Sofia, along with my fellow docents and Trustees, I recognized how important this 28-acre oasis was, not only to my health and well-being, but to that of the community at large. The overwhelming support you have provided to Greenwood this past year signals that you too believe in the power of this unique place, lucky for us all.

It is an honor to serve as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Of course, I am aware that I am following in extremely big footsteps. After all, Peter grew up at Greenwood, was an extremely

accomplished naturalist, conservationist, artist, and writer, just to name a few of his many talents. But through his generosity of spirit, he infused this wonderful place, not to mention all of us, with a sense of what is possible when you encourage preservation of the natural world. Along with Greenwood’s entire Board of Trustees and Staff, I intend to carry on.

Sincerely,

Louise Moos, Chairman

FROM OUR CHAIRMAN

PHOTO BY JOY YAGID

PHOTO COURTESY OF COUNTRY CASUAL TEAK

Your Support of Greenwood Has Taken Many Forms

The Grow Greenwood Fund sustains Greenwood Gardens’ year-round operations, above and beyond membership in our organization, making it possible for us to maintain our gardens, address short-term structural needs, and offer programs in horticulture, conservation, history and the arts.

• Animal care

• Annual plants

• Cascade exedra planting

• Chickens

• Computer equipment

• Electric garden cart

• Garden lectures

• Garden wayfinding signage

• Gardener hand tools

• Greenwood uniforms

• London plane tree allée maintenance

• Maintenance of the 1925 cottage

• Musical performances

• Perennial plants

• Poison ivy remediation

• Printing of marketing materials, including Seasons and brochures

• Program workshops

• Shrubs

• Spring bulbs

• Trees

• Utility cart

• Visitor Services training

• Winter storm clean-up

• Wood chipping and recycling

Board of Trustees

Kathleen Bourke

Nancy Dougherty

Geralyn Hagemann

Cynnie Kellogg

Theodore Kundtz

Lynn Magrane

Louise Moos, Chairman

Greg Outwater

Marilyn Pfaltz

Andrew Permison

Peggy Shilling

Arthur T. Vanderbilt II

Carl R. Woodward III

Founding Chairman

Peter P. Blanchard III (1951 - 2022)

Emeritus Trustees

Elaine Becker

Sofia A. Blanchard

Tim Hartman

Lezette G.Proud

Abby O’Neill, Executive Director

CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH NATURE IN AN HISTORIC GARDEN OASIS

Advisory Board

Co-Chairs

Arthur T. Vanderbilt II

Carl R. Woodward III

James E. Barrett

Jane Barrett

Ceyan Birney

Ruthi Byrne

Judy Cash

Paul Ciraulo

Patti Donovan

Rex Dyer

Tanya Freeman

Susan Johnson

Peter Kellogg

Scott Lamm

Susan Lowry

Janine Luke

Patti Manzi

Helen McGinley

Pat McGinley

Mary McNett

Linda Nortillo

Jeanne Weill

The Gates of Greenwood

APRIL 30 | 3:00 P.M. – 4:30 P.M.

An in-depth exploration of the two important historic iron gates at Greenwood. With Peter McCourt, Historian

The Gilded Age

MAY 18 | 3:00 P.M. – 4:30 P.M.

Fascinating insight into the lives of the Vanderbilt-Twombly’s and their country estate in Morris County. With Dr. Gary Darden, Associate Professor of History, Fairleigh Dickinson University

The Art of Rookwood at Greenwood

MAY 21 | 3:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.

Learn about the extensive collection of the classic 1920s Arts and Crafts style ceramic tiles dotting our 28-acre property. With George Hibben, Brand Ambassador, Rookwood Pottery Company

Gardening Can Be Murder!

SEPTEMBER 28 | 3:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.

Sleuth out the plants, gardens, gardeners, and tools that have made frequent appearances in crime fiction in a noted garden historian’s latest book. With Marta McDowell, Author

Nature’s Best Hope

OCTOBER 8 | 3:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.

Hear from a New York Times’ best-selling author about the critical importance of emphasizing native plants over invasives in your garden. With Dr. Doug Tallamy, T. A. Baker Professor of Agriculture, University of Delaware

The late Peter P. Blanchard III, Founding Chairman of Greenwood Gardens, was a naturalist, conservationist, historian, artist, and writer. Named in his memory, this series endeavors to enlighten registrants on the many topics of interest and importance to him.