Planning for Change at Garden in the Woods Hurricane Sandy has reminded all of us that nature’s forces can reshape the landscape overnight, but it also prompts us to consider the more subtle changes that will unfold over decades. Consider the 1938 hurricane, which swept inland and, by some estimates, destroyed two billion trees from New York to Quebec. Its legacy is clear to those who have learned to read the landscape. At Garden in the Woods, for example, founder Will Curtis replaced hundreds of trees lost to the storm, and other trees naturally filled in wind-cleared areas. Today those trees form a mature, even-aged canopy that is vulnerable to the next big storm and that is shading out the wildflowers on display. We see in the Garden evidence of other natural forces that cannot be stopped at the gate. The hemlocks are beginning to succumb to woolly adelgid, so we need to plan for the loss of more than 2,000 majestic trees. The hydrology on the site is also changing, with swings between flood and drought that are stressing parts of the collection. Those challenges and others have inspired us to look closely at our magical Garden and to plan for the inevitable changes while honoring the historic character of the site. I am delighted to announce that with funding from the Hope Goddard Iselin Foundation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, we are launching a year-long process to develop the first comprehensive master plan for the entire 45 acres at Garden in the Woods. This plan will provide the framework for strengthening the collection, managing the canopy, and showcasing plants native to the ecoregions of New England; for improving the visitor’s experience and visitor services; and for improving office, event, and classroom space. It will give us the opportunity to renew the Society’s crown jewel by carrying forward Curtis’s legacy of naturalistic design and expertise in propagation. And it will enable us to demonstrate an innovative alignment of horticulture and conservation,
as we address the myriad challenges of a changing climate and extend our sustainable practices to every aspect of site design and management. Over the last year, the Society’s Horticulture Committee has thoughtfully articulated the character-defining features of the Garden, the broad goals of the master plan, and the desired qualifications of the landscape architects hired to lead the process. The discussion started with the “sacred spaces”—such as the Woodland Garden—and then focused on core values, such as respecting the topography, preserving the sense of serenity in a garden surrounded by trees, ensuring diversity in the plant collection, and ensuring ecological integrity and sustainability. We committed to embracing the full potential of this beautiful site—the ridge lines and vistas, the many forms of water, the nature trails—and to creating a coherent narrative and good transitions in the garden displays. And we looked hard at what’s not working: parking, obsolete buildings, confusing paths, gaps between displays, mingling of the visitor experience with back-of-house operations. The committee’s thorough work prepared us to select a design firm to create a plan we can implement in phases over the next decade. We are excited to announce that Andropogon Associates, of Philadelphia, will be our partner (see www.andropogon.com). Since its founding in 1975, Andropogon has led the profession in ecological and sustainable landscape design. Its principals and staff have exceptional experience with botanic gardens, arboreta, and historic landscapes; and the firm has successfully worked with some clients and sites for decades.
New England WILD • Winter 2012
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Andropogon also seems a natural fit for us, as it has a defined mission “to weave together the landscape of man and nature for the benefit of both.” With its “place first” approach, Andropogon is ideally suited to help us envision the future of the garden Curtis designed as “a peaceful picture of our land as nature intended it.” We could not be more excited to launch this master planning process, and I look forward to working with Andropogon and a range of the Society’s friends on a vision that will enhance the sense of place, the ecological connections, and the designed beauty of Garden in the Woods. Debbi Edelstein, Executive Director
www.newenglandwild.org
The master plan process begins with site analysis (images courtesy Andropogon Associates). Above: Aerial photograph of Garden in the Woods, with property boundaries added. Below: Digital representation of the topography, highlighting steepness of the slopes.
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