Summer/Fall 2017

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

BRING ON THE

GOOD BUGS!

GA R D E N T R AV E L : H I G H L I G H T S F R O M I T A LY ______________________________ G A R D E N T I P S : I R R I G AT I O N

SUMMER/FALL 2017

SUMMER/FALL 2017

SEP

28 Course: Designing the New Perennial Gardens Instructor Robert Anderson will provide an overview of “The New Perennial Movement,” as well as hands-on experience of practical evaluation and design with herbaceous plants and grasses.

A beautiful season at the Garden...

AUG 12-13

AUG 11-26

OCT 7-8

NOV 12

The Grow Show

Animals in August

Harvest Festival

Two weeks of lectures and interactive workshops exploring animals small and large.

Rooted in Place

This year featuring “House of Flowers.” Enter to win, or take in the floral design, photography, and horticultural talents of regional gardeners, designers, and artists.

An iconic Berkshire event since 1934 returns to the Garden, with fun activities for the whole family.

A symposium focused on creating gardens that respond to the local landscape. Keynote speaker: James Hitchmough.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Matt Larkin, Chairman Madeline Hooper, Vice Chairman Janet Laudenslager, Secretary Ellen Greendale, Treasurer Jeannene Booher David Carls Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo Mary Copeland Adaline Frelinghuysen Lauretta Harris Ian Hooper Tom Ingersoll

Daniel Kasper Wendy Philbrick Martha Piper Ramelle Pulitzer Kip Towl Mark Walker Rob Williams KK Zutter

S TA F F Michael Beck Executive Director Christine Caccamo Senior Gardener Elisabeth Cary Director of Education Bill Cummings Buildings and Grounds Manager Duke Douillet Senior Gardener Cynthia Grippaldi Membership and Volunteer Manager Mackenzie Hitchcock Assistant Camp Director Dorthe Hviid Director of Horticulture Dan Mullen Buildings and Grounds Assistant Robin Parow Director of Marketing Communications Jamie Samowitz Youth Education Coordinator Elizabeth Veraldi Office Manager Chris Wellens Youth Education Coordinator CUTTINGS Robin Parow, Editor Julie Hammill, Hammill Design, Design The Daylily Path, an American Daylily Society Display Garden featuring 200 historic and recent cultivars created over 120 years of hybridizing.

On the cover: Helianthus annuus ‘ProCut Gold’ (Annual Sunflower) Photo by Jack Sprano

DEC 2-3

Holiday Marketplace Get into the spirit with our annual gift and garden market, featuring local vendors and our own wreath and centerpiece designs for the season.

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

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DIRECTOR’S CORNER MICHAEL BECK

The Vagaries of a Summer Garden This time of the year I am always amazed at how quickly the planted landscape changes here at BBG. One minute we are enjoying early-blooming fern leaf peonies in the Procter Garden and primroses in their eponymous border, the next we are on to kaleidoscopic perennial flower displays in the de Gersdorff and Frelinghuysen borders in June, and before you know it the daylily walk begins its annual riot of July color. I remind myself to leave my office and go on a self-guided tour of the gardens several times a week, just to keep up with the ever-changing displays. Speaking of tours: we have a growing group of enthusiastic volunteers leading daily tours (Monday through Saturday) at 11 am, so if you have not had the chance to hear about BBG history and pick up horticultural tidbits about our various garden areas, come join the tour some morning! Right now, we also have four horticultural interns in residence at BBG, who have been busy updating our weekly “what’s in bloom” posters for our visitors. That information is shared on our visitor kiosk as well as in the Visitor Center and on our website. It’s a great way to focus your visit on the areas where most of the exciting seasonal change is happening.

The gardens also undergo a more gradual change from year to year, as our horticultural staff replace and replant borders and beds based on designs carefully created on paper during the colder seasons. Our Tatkon entry garden, for one, changes quite significantly every single summer, as BBG’s Director of Horticulture Dorthe Hviid and her team select new combinations of annual flowers and tropical plants to change the year’s predominant color palette. This year’s selection of colocasias, cosmos and castor beans is providing a fun display of “hot” color to greet our visitors as they enter the property. No matter where you wander on your garden stroll, you are bound to encounter a new shrub or tree, a newly designed garden bed, or even a new path to explore.

Of course another thing that changes annually is our special exhibits. A group of talented garden designers have already planted out a series of seven container gardens at strategic points on the BBG campus, for visitors to discover. On August 12, we will join these designers for a walk around the Garden, when they will talk about their design inspiration and provide tips and pointers for container planting. And this year’s “PlayDate” show of eleven reimagined play houses is proving especially alluring to our younger visitors (with parents or grandparents in tow!), who can often be found waving out of a play house window or from the top of a wooden fort as I walk by. The structures, as well as the containers, will remain installed through the end of September so be sure to stop by to see them before summer is over.

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BRING ON THE

GOOD BUGS!

BY JESSICA WALLISER

One of the biggest gardening trends for 2017 is pollinator gardening, but did you know there are lots of other “good” bugs that deserve a place in your garden?

While welcoming native bees and butterflies into your landscape is certainly a noble cause, don’t forget about the thousands of other species of beneficial insects that play a huge role in helping you manage many common garden pests. These predatory and parasitic beneficial insects consume everything from aphids and squash bugs to cabbageworms and Japanese beetles.

A robber fly eating an adult imported cabbageworm butterfly.

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A hornworm that’s been parasitized by a parasitic wasp.

While healthy gardens with diverse plantings are havens for these good bugs, there are certainly a few other important steps you can take to attract and support even more of these pestmunching helpers. Here’s a list of excellent to-dos that will turn you into a beneficial insect-savvy gardener who understands the importance of creating a balanced habitat, full of many different good bugs.

PLANT THE RIGHT PLANTS FOR BUGS.

Berkshire Botanical Garden

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

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Pest-eating beneficial insects, like ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps, don’t have specialized mouthparts capable of accessing nectar from deep, tubular flowers. Because of this, your garden needs to include lots of flowers with shallow, exposed nectaries. Members of the carrot family are excellent at supporting good bugs. So, too, are members of the aster family. Welcome plenty of dill, fennel, angelica, Zizia, cilantro, lace flower, cosmos, Coreopsis, Rudbeckia, yarrow, sunflowers, and asters into your garden.

LEARN TO IDENTIFY BENEFICIAL INSECTS. There are tens of thousands of species of predatory and parasitic beneficial insects in North America; can you identify even a dozen of them? Do you know there are nearly 400 different species of native ladybugs, most of which are not red with black spots? Can you identify a larval lacewing or firefly? How about a ground beetle? Since less than 1% of all the identified insect species on the Earth are classified as agricultural pests, you have a far better chance of encountering a “good” bug than you do a “bad” one. Learn to identify and appreciate the insects in your garden.

A ladybug larva about to chow down on some aphids.

STOP USING PESTICIDES. Many beneficial insects are just as susceptible to pesticides as the bad bugs are, if not more so. Plus, their population is slower to recover after a pesticide application, giving any remaining pest insects a leg-up. And, spraying pesticides - even organic ones - interferes with the natural cycle of predator and prey. In other words, if you kill all the pest insects, there won’t be any left to feed the beneficial ones.

It’s all about creating a balance (which happens to be the very topic of my book, Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden: A Natural Approach to Pest Control).

LET THE GARDEN BE A LITTLE MESSY — ESPECIALLY IN THE WINTER. Because most species of predatory and parasitic beneficial insects (not to mention many pollinators, too) spend the winter in our gardens, raking up every last leaf and cutting down old plant stems removes precious winter habitat for these important insects.

Allow your garden to “stand” for the winter and do your garden clean-up in the late spring.

DON’T BUY BENEFICIAL INSECTS AND INTRODUCE THEM TO YOUR GARDEN. Purchasing and introducing beneficial insects, like ladybugs and praying mantids, into your garden is not necessarily a good idea. Most of the adult ladybugs you can buy at your local garden center are a species called the convergent ladybug, and they are wild-collected from sunny hilltops where they gather in large groups in the western U.S. Not only does the collection process disrupt wild populations, but the introduced ladybugs can spread pathogens to wild ladybugs when you release them into your garden. If you buy ladybugs for

release, purchase only insectary-reared ladybug larvae (not adults!) that were raised in a lab. As for praying mantids, the egg cases you buy are from Chinese mantids; they are not a native species. There’s some evidence that this introduced species may be outcompeting some of our native mantids, such as the Carolina mantid.

MAKE YOUR GARDEN AS DIVERSE AS POSSIBLE. In any ecosystem, including the garden, diversity equals stability.

When designing your garden, aim to include as much diverse plant material as possible. Monocultures are not a welcome habitat for beneficials, but they sure do support lots of pests. Instead, include as many different plants as you can in each different garden area. Choose native plant species whenever possible because there’s mounting evidence that the nectar they provide is higher quality forage for beneficial insects.

Mixed habitats are more balanced and support a broader diversity of insect species, helping you gain that elusive balance between the good bugs and the bad.

SING THE PRAISES OF GOOD BUGS. Once you learn to identify some of the more common pest-eating beneficial insects in your garden, don’t be afraid to tell other gardeners about them.

Share a photo of a predaceous robber fly munching on a cabbageworm, show the neighbor how cool it is to watch a lacewing larva chow down on the aphids on your nasturtiums, or tell your garden club friends about the tomato hornworm you found that was parasitized by a tiny wasp.

The more you learn about these good bugs, the easier it will be for you to find them in your own garden and help spread the word about how amazing they are.

Jessica Walliser is the author of Good Bug Bad Bug: Who’s Who, What They Do, and How to Manage Them Organically; and Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden: A Natural Approach to Pest Control. She will be a panelist at Rooted in Place, the Garden’s day-long symposium on November 12 focused on creating gardens that respond to the local landscape.

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BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

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Sixty Years of Deliciousness In the spring of 1957, three friends – Emily Rose, Amy Bess Miller, and Gertrude Burdsall, decided to put their love and knowledge of herbs to work by making and selling herbal products to benefit the Berkshire Botanical Garden. What followed was a steady stream of ideas, collaboration, recipes, products, and a growing membership known as the Herb Associates. It’s been a journey steeped in learning and sharing through the generations, sixty years in all.

Over the years, the “Herbies,” an endearment used by BBG insiders, have produced hundreds of batches of their signature products ­— herb mustard, herb salt, and vinegars — in addition to their popular jellies, dressings, sauces, marinades and dried mixes. Meeting weekly throughout the growing season, tasks vary from harvesting herbs, prep and production, and packaging.

For some, the work continues throughout the winter months, when hand-knitted mice are stuffed with catnip in preparation for spring and the start of a new season.

Their products are sold through the Garden’s Visitor Center managed by Cynthia Grippaldi. “Herb Associate products are popular all season long,” she said. “It’s interesting to see the product line expand as new members join and bring their

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ideas and talents to the group.” Small batch quantities arrive on the shelves throughout spring and summer, debuting new products like pickled garlic scapes and jalapeño jelly. The sale of Herb Associate products contribute between $3,000 and $4,000 to the Garden annually.

Although most work occurs behind the scenes in the Herb Production Garden and kitchen, one annual Garden event puts the Herb Associates front and center. Each year, the Garden celebrates the start of the season with Roy Boutard Day, held the first Sunday in May. This beloved event features a Mai Bowle reception hosted by the group, who serve a festive, traditional

wine punch infused with sweet woodruff, along with an assortment of herbal cookies representing recipes that span the decades.

This fall, the Herbies will relocate to their new digs in the beautifully restored and renovated Center House, where a small, 1940s style kitchen has been replaced with a spacious teaching kitchen and attached pantry, both featuring modern appliances, a lot of storage, and easy access to the herb growing areas behind the building, thus bridging honored tradition with stateof-the-art facilities under one roof.

Happy anniversary, Herb Associates!

Left: Violet Switzer and Mary Bardwell at the Mai Bowle reception, c. 1990s Below: Herb Garden construction, 1937

Chocolate Mint Crinkle Cookies Contributed by Herb Associate Iris Bass

Mentha x piperita ‘Chocolate Mint’ is a common variety of peppermint that can be found where potted herbs are sold. It is easily distinguished by its deep green leaves and purplish red stems as well as its chocolaty scent and flavor.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour (to prepare gluten-free, see Notes) 1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 tablespoon finely crumbled dried chocolate mint (see Notes) 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter or shortening 2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate 1 cup sugar 2 large eggs, at room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Confectioners’ sugar, for rolling cookies

Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and mint in a small bowl and set aside. Place the butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler and melt over simmering water. Let cool slightly and then transfer to a medium-size bowl.

Beat in the sugar, then the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla extract. Stir in the dry ingredients until only just incorporated.

Cover the bowl and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease two cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

Place about 1/4 cup of confectioners’ sugar in a small mixing bowl.

Roll the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll in the sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared pans and pat down into disks about 1/4 inch high.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies firm up and their tops begin to crack. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Store in an airtight container to enhance the mint flavor.

Notes: To prepare gluten-free, replace the flour with 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour plus 1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum.

To dry mint from the garden, cut entire stalks and hang upside down in a warm, dark, dry place for about a week. Strip off the leaves and crush finely with a spoon or mortar and pestle.

CREATING BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES 413-448-2215 churchillgardens.com

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1998 BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

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Left: Janet Greenlee, Sally Weyers, Mary Trev Thomas, and Deborah Garry, surrounded by a small portion of BBG’s book collection, soon to be a reference library in the Garden’s Center House Above: Garden history revealed: back issues of Cuttings, BBG’s original newsletter, are part of the archived collection.

BBG'S CENTER HOUSE:

Volunteer Power Drives Library Project

BY ROBIN PAROW

Ask Mary Trev Thomas how she came to take on the gargantuan task of organizing hundreds of garden books for BBG’s new reference library, and she smiles, a distinct twinkle in her eyes. “I just love books,” said the retired librarian, quickly deflecting any praise to her fellow volunteers, a group who, over the past months, has met weekly at a former mill, its expansive space donated by the Monument Mountain Management Trust in Housatonic, MA. There, overlooking the rushing Housatonic River, they read, sort, inventory, and imbue themselves with all things botanical. The old textile mill, closed since 1955, seems a fitting location for such a project; stepping into its space 8

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reflects the time-machine experience encountered by handling many books in the collection. A hand-written herbarium from 1897, old issues of BBG’s Cuttings newsletters, early periodicals from Brooklyn Botanic Garden, garden encyclopedias, and plant and design books dating from the early 20th century forward, all document the interests, concerns, and trends of their times.

This fall, the dream of having a beautiful library comes true, when the BBG book collection relocates to its permanent home, the newly restored and renovated Center House. Through the hard work of volunteers, Garden members will have access to one of the most diverse and informative

botany and horticulture book collections in the region. The library will contain over 1,500 titles stored in glass-front bookcases. Organized by a master inventory list of nearly 40 categories, their titles and topics will be quickly accessible via an onsite search computer.

The library, overlooking the Herb Production Garden, will be a haven for both bibliophiles or the occasional reader looking for a comfortable chair, a beautiful view, and a noteworthy collection of books. “Plants, gardens, books! It’s like a community at the Garden, and the library will add to that sense of community,” said Mary.

Thank you, BBG volunteers who have participated in the project: Anne Williamson, Barbara Bockbrader, Janet Greenlee, Deborah Garry, Sally Weyers, Margot Towl, Marianne Zimberg, Lenore Sundberg, Anne and Dave Bone, Norene Roberts, Barbara Parker, and of course, Mary Trev Thomas.

Villa del Balbianello

FROM THE ROAD:

Seven Days in Italy –

Bellissima!

BY MIKE BECK

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

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This past April, a group of twenty-four BBG members assembled by the shores of Lake Maggiore for a seven day and night tour of stunning gardens and historic architecture in the Lombardian lakes region.

Traveling from the picturesque town of Stresa and its off-shore Borromean islands, via the village of Bellagio that overlooks the central point of Lake Como, and on to the ancient Roman city of Verona, our garden aficionados were treated to daily surprises: a tour of the ancient Isola Madre botanical garden with Classical Excursions’ Lani Summerville, the head gardener of the Borromeo family, Gianfranco Giustina, a lunch at the private 16th century Villa Cigogna hosted by Count Jacopo Cicogna Mozzoni, and a tour of Verona’s verdant Giardino Giusti by family patriarch Count Giusti himself.

While such private access was certainly

Our group of 24 travelers ready for another day of garden exploration.

appreciated by all, it was the quality of the gardens and villas that really impressed. The region is blessed with a mild climate that allows New Zealand tree ferns to grow in proximity of South African proteas, and it seemed as though every plant was in bloom at the same time, from tulips and wisteria to viburnum and hydrangea. Certainly, the aristocratic families that made their homes lakeside over the centuries seemed fond of collecting specimens from around the world. Joining the tour was Italian garden and architecture expert Judith Chatfield, who gave the

Isola Bella, Lake Magiore

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

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group daily briefings of what was in store and who introduced them to some lesser known garden gems (and their owners) along the way. By the end of the trip, it seemed that all participants had a new-found appreciation for tightly clipped boxwood parterres, dizzying stone steps that seemingly reach the sky, and whimsical as well as classical garden sculptures. Brava, Italia!

Special thanks to photographers Dan Kasper, Gay Morris, Gregg Carroll, and Mike Beck.

SAVE THE DATES FOR 2018 GARDEN TRAVEL! Coming up exclusively for BBG members in 2018! Two unforgettable opportunities for the garden savvy traveler.

March 16 - 22

Gardens of Southern California

Led by Greg Graves, past president of the Pacific Horticulture Society, this customdesigned trip features access to both exclusive private gardens and outstanding public gardens including Ganna Walska Lotusland, Huntington Library & Gardens, Getty Center Museum, and Casa Del Herrero.

April 21 - 28

Manor Houses and Gardens of Southern England

Visit the most outstanding gardens of England led by world renowned British garden designer Anthony Archer Wills, a great friend of BBG who will share his unique view of exclusive private estates and notable public gardens including Sissinghurst Castle and Great Dixter.

Villa della Porta Bozzolo

Villa della Porta Bozzolo: The frescoed country house and asymmetrically offset gardens were equally impressive at this stop on our way from Lake Maggiore to Lake Como.

Potted citrus trees, terraced gardens featuring an abundance of roses, and mulberry bushes harking back to 18th century silk production, all conspired to create a perfect Italian garden tableau.

Villa del Balbianello: The villa and loggia are best approached by boat launch, and our group was treated to a magically misty morning on this peninsula of Lake Como. The manicured gardens of plane trees, boxwood, roses and rare alpine plants have provided the setting for several Hollywood movies, and it is clear why the villa’s owners, from 18th century cardinals, to an American general and finally a Milanese

department store tycoon, were drawn to this serene place.

Visit berkshirebotanical.org for additional information.

Isola Bella: One of the two privately owned Borromean Islands we visited on Lake Maggiore, Isola Bella overflows with 17th Century garden ornamentation and Mediterranean plants that thrive in the warm microclimate of the lake. A weddingcake-like series of terraces afforded beautiful views of the water, coastline, and the nearby snow-capped Alps.

Palazzo Giardino Giusti: Verona’s most famous garden, the Giardino Giusti was an appropriately stunning final stop on our tour made for garden lovers. The architecture reflects the Florentine origin of its owners, and a grotesque stone mask overlooks (Continued on page 12)

Palazzo Giardino Giusti BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

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(Continued from page 11)

the formal gardens from a steep and theatrical stone backdrop.

Giardino di Villa Rizzardi: What better way to see a garden than to have a wine tasting luncheon on the grounds?

On the tour, we came across a “garden theater” made entirely out of boxwood hedges, where we were told outdoor plays are performed to this day.

Giardino di Villa Rizzardi

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Gardening Tips for Fall

BY THOMAS CHRISTOPHER

The weather is cooling, but late summer through fall tends to be a dry time in our north country gardens.

Irrigation – well targeted irrigation – is a vital species of care for this season, even for late fall, as it’s important to send shrubs and trees into dormancy well hydrated. Watering is especially necessary in light of the climatic changes that have been occurring. In the average year, we still get as much or more rain as we used to but in fewer and more violent storms. Much of these downpours are wasted from a plant’s perspective, as the rain escapes across the surface of the ground as runoff rather than soaking in. And the dry periods in between storms are longer, so the soil grows drier during the interim.

Basic irrigation tips include applying the water slowly and letting it penetrate deeply. One trick for testing how deeply you’ve moistened the soil is to push a dowel into the (Continued on page 14)

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Horticultural interns Carlos Martinez and Katy Toth wrangle a drip irrigation hose into place to get optimum coverage for some of the 2,000 annuals in the Tatkon Garden.

(Continued from page 13)

ground: it will slip in through the damp soil but stop when it reaches the dry earth below. Especially if you draw your water from a well, you know that it’s nothing to waste. The most economical way to apply the water is with a soaker hose or drip irrigation system that delivers the moisture right to the roots of the desirable plants – these devices will slake your plants’ thirst with as little as half as much water as old fashioned sprinklers. Drip irrigation systems and soaker hoses, because they don’t scatter water to areas where it isn’t needed, also

inhibit the growth of weeds, which pop up wherever there is excess moisture.

This is also a great season for bargains. Most gardeners think of spring as the only planting season, but early to mid-fall is a better a season for planting containergrown perennials and trees and shrubs. The reason for this is that in early fall the air is cool, but the soil is still warm. The cooler air reduces the stress on the aboveground portion of the plant

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SUMMER/FALL 2017

and slows its growth, while the warm soil encourages vigorous root growth. Root growth continues until the soil freezes, giving fall plantings a head-start the following spring.

In fact, fall-planted trees and shrubs typically behave like established veterans in their first spring, flowering and developing a normal amount of new growth. Trees and shrubs transplanted in spring, by contrast, find the air warm but the soil still cold. That means the tops of the plants are spurred to growth while the roots are still dormant, which stresses the plant. Then, too, fall-plantings have an extra half a year to root in before they have to face the challenge of summer’s heat and drought.

Another good reason to make fall your planting season is that garden centers are commonly anxious to rid themselves of any remaining plants and frequently offer the leftovers at steep discounts.

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Focusing on planting may help distract from a gardening practice that is a bad habit from an ecological perspective. The general clean-up that is a rite of fall for many gardeners may satisfy our craving for order, but it has a distinctly negative impact on any wildlife that inhabits our landscapes.

Instead of snipping back perennials as they pass out of bloom in fall, let them set seed to nourish the birds. Clipping all dead stems back to the ground also deprives a variety of beneficial insects of winter nesting spots. Remove any diseased material, but leave the rest standing until spring.

The clippings that you do take can serve as material for brush piles that provide winter havens for amphibians and small mammals, as well as native bees. Such brush piles are easy enough to construct. Lay down large branches or logs in a loose, crisscross

pattern, and cover them with smaller branches. Then thatch the stack with smaller garden clippings and leaves, leaving several 6-8-inch openings for wildlife to enter and exit. Good locations for a brush pile include woodland openings, the corners of fields, shrub thickets or fencerows, and areas adjacent to stonewalls and wetlands. If you are concerned about the appearance of the pile, plant flowering native vines beside it and encourage them to climb over it for a decorative note.

SEP

23 Fall Demonstration/Workshop: Pruning Shrubs and Small Ornamental Trees Shape, renovate, train or rejuvenate your woody plants.

Learn about pruning tools, timing and specific techniques available to the home gardener.

Editor’s note: Thomas Christopher is the co-author of Garden Revolution (Timber Press, 2016), Essential Perennials (Timber Press, 2014), and the author of In Search of Lost Roses (Summit Books, 1989). He was a guest speaker at Roots Rising, the Garden’s annual conference about creating gardens that respond to the local landscape. Tom volunteers his time as the author of Be-A-BetterGardener, BBG’s new syndicated column currently reaching 250,000 readers weekly throughout Massachusetts, Vermont, and New York.

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

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Enjoy thE BEnEfits of your mEmBErship whilE Earning gardEn rEwards

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Where Gardeners Grow

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Always something new to see! on view through October 29

Inventing America: Rockwell & Warhol Generously sponsored by The Hayseed Hill Foundation, Inc. and The Red Lion Inn.

James Warhola: Uncle Andy and Other Stories Triple Self Portrait (detail) © SEPS 1960, Norman Rockwell Museum Collections.

Learning from the Masters: The Famous Artists School

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Media sponsor TownVibe

nrm.org Stockbridge, MA 413.298.4100 open daily • terrace café

SUMMER/FALL 2017

EDUCATION

SEPTEMBER – DECEMBER 2017

Education The Berkshire Botanical Garden strives to provide educational opportunities to the community all year long through classes, lectures, hands-on workshops, and offsite travel. This fall, we are especially excited to present noted horticultural ecologist James Hitchmough as keynote speaker for our second annual Rooted in Place Ecological Gardening Symposium.

To enroll or for more information on classes and upcoming events at the Garden, visit our website at berkshirebotanical.org

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

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EDUCATION

Classes, Lectures, and Workshops

Talk/demonstration: Fall Hive Management with Ken Warchol Saturday, September 9, 10 am - noon Fee: $10 Join Massachusetts state beekeeper Ken Warchol for an in-depth program on fall hive management of honeybees.

This lecture/demonstration will focus on how to prepare your beehives to survive the winter including hive preparation, feeding, and pest control. Ken will provide beekeepers will critical information and most especially timing of important management techniques to prepare hives for the cold.

Two Presentations by Teri Dunn Chace A book sale and signing will follow each talk

Offsite Field Study: Permaculture Homestead with Eric Toensmeier Sunday, September 10, 1 – 3 pm (time off-site in Holyoke MA) Members: $35, Nonmember: $45 Join Eric Toensmeier for a tour of his edible forest garden, ‘Paradise Lot’, in Holyoke, MA. This intensive tour of his urban garden will cover site design, soil building, plants and polycultures, systems, and how to make this happen in your backyard! His garden demonstrates a well-functioning permaculture garden, and participants will learn the hows and whys of the design process, plantings, and systems. Starting with an amazing microclimate-enabled tropical garden, the tour moves through a paw paw and persimmon patch to a kiwi arbor and water garden, micro-livestock system, bio-shelter, bamboo grove, and perennial vegetable beds, giving participants the dirt about how to build a similar garden and share knowledge needed to grow your own food paradise.

Talk: The War of the Weeds: Controlling Invasive Plants Saturday, September 16, 10 – 11:30 am Members: $20; Nonmembers: $25 ($5 discount for attending both classes September 16) Learn about invasive plants and how to control them in your landscape. Weeds and invasive plants are on the minds of gardeners, landscapers, environmentalists, and anyone who cares about the environment. This talk, mainly geared towards the homeowner, will address this important problem, with a focus on practical information.

Teri Dunn Chace will define “weed,” and discuss the scope of the problem and what gardeners can realistically expect to achieve in their battle. She then reviews a variety of ways to fight back using both organic and non-organic options, and will save herbicides for last. Because glyphosate/Roundup is the most well-known and widely used (and perhaps most controversial) weed killer, she spends extra time describing what it is and how it works, as well as noting its benefits and risks.

Talk: Seeing Seeds: A Journey into the World of Seedheads, Pods and Fruit Saturday, September 16, 12:30 – 2 pm Members: $15; Nonmembers: $20 ($5 discount for attending both classes September 16)

ANDREW Z E M A’S

LANDSCAPING INC. Landscape installations ■ Water features ■ Masonry

www.andrewzema.com azemaslandscaping@yahoo.com WORK 518 359 6002 CELL 413 329 5207

Join author Teri Chace for an engrossing program based on her Timber Press title of the same name. Though small, often unnoticed and not examined carefully, seeds are simply amazing—what they look like, what they do, how they do it—as they work towards their astounding goal of self-replication. Teri’s tour finds strangeness and fascination in the seeds of plants as familiar as oaks and dandelions, and as curious as figs and hellebores. View the gorgeous photographs by Robert Llewellyn (she will explain his “image-stacking” technique). This book won a prestigious AHS (American Horticultural Society) award in 2016!

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Talk/Field Study: Stalking Wild Mushrooms in the Berkshires Saturday, September 23, 10 am – noon Members: $15; Nonmembers: $20 Dress for outdoors; participants will carpool to a short walk.

Join John Wheeler as you learn all about fungi, with a focus on those commonly called mushrooms. This enormous and diverse group of plants is found in the wild especially during the fall months. The most common poisonous and edible mushrooms will be illustrated and described. A variety of fungi will be on display, supplemented with slides of other commonly found mushrooms. Participants will explore a nearby woodland and hunt for mushrooms. This class is not sufficient for learning how to identify wild edible mushrooms.

Demonstration/Workshop: Pruning Shrubs and Small Ornamental Trees Saturday, September 23, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm Members: $25; Nonmembers: $30

Lecture/ Field Study Field Study of New England Plant Communities

Wear waterproof outerwear and boots; bring pruners.

Autumn is a great time to assess your woody plants for shape and structure. This demonstration/workshop will focus on pruning, including when, why and how to shape, renovate, train or rejuvenate your woody plants. Learn about pruning tools, timing and specific techniques available to the home gardener. Pruning techniques for both evergreen and deciduous hedges will be covered. Ken Gooch is the Forest Health Program Director for the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. Additionally, he is a Massachusetts Certified Arborist and teaches arboriculture at the Garden. He lectures widely on a variety of topics including forest health, pruning and arboriculture.

Friday, October 13, 4 – 6 pm & Saturday, October 14, 10 am – 4 pm Cost: $150 (Co-enrolled with Horticulture Certificate Program)

Course: Designing the New Perennial Garden Thursdays, September 28 - October 19, 5:30 – 8:30 pm Cost: $195 (Co-enrolled with Horticulture Certificate Program)

Join Garden in the Woods ecologist Ted Elliman for an exploration of native New England plant communities. A Friday afternoon 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 impacts of invasive species, and possible changes to natural communities in response to climate change. We will travel by passenger van. Please dress for the weather and bring a bagged lunch.

Developments in ecology and environmental science over the last thirty years have revolutionized the way we think of using perennials in gardens and landscapes throughout Europe and 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.

Instructor Robert Anderson will provide an overview of the major concepts of this movement as well as handson experience of practical evaluation and design with herbaceous plants and grasses. Participants will spend time in the garden taking an in-depth look at plants, and lecture time will include examining concepts and examples. A design project will be assigned.

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Workshop: Building a Dry Stone Wall Saturday, October 21, 9 am – 3 pm Members: $75; Nonmembers: $85 Dress for outdoor work and bring safety glasses, heavy gloves, sturdy, waterproof footwear and a bag lunch.

Join stone mason 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.

Lecture/Field Study: Extending the Season’s Harvest Growing Vegetables for Four Seasons Sunday, October 22, 10 am – 4 pm Cost: $85 (Co-enrolled with Horticulture Certificate Program) Learn how to extend the season’s harvest and enjoy your own garden greens throughout the late fall and early spring months with farmer/educator Pete Salinetti. Consider growing under cover in an unheated greenhouse, cold frame or high/low poly tunnels, and learn techniques needed to achieve a true fourseason harvest. Investigate a variety of structures and learn the pros and cons of each. Crop selection, no-till soil preparation, timing, planting, cultivation and harvesting will be covered, with a focus on early and late-season production. Following the lecture, Pete will lead a field study to Woven Roots Farm in Tyringham, MA, and will explain season-extension structures and the various growing techniques.

Art Class: Colors of Fall: Drawing and Coloring the Harvest Friday, Saturday & Sunday, November 3 - 5, 10 am – 4 pm Members: $315; Nonmembers: $330 Recommended for students with some colored pencil experience Please bring a bag lunch.

Celebrate autumn by capturing the colors, patterns and textures of the season’s bounty with artist Carol Ann Morley. Using a three-step process of guided instruction, make a compelling portrait of Indian corn with its multi-colored kernels or choose a gourd with wondrous patterns and textures, bringing them to life with the versatile colored pencil. Begin your art journey with an accurate outline drawing, which serves as a map of your subject’s dimensions. Follow up with a tonal graphite study of volumetric form and depth and complete your study, exploring color mixing to select colors that will give your final art work the right amount of contrast, balance and richness. A materials list is available at www.berkshirebotanical.org.

Workshop/ Field Study: Landscape Design Clinic with Walt Cudnohufsky Saturday, October 28, 9:30 am – 4:30 pm Cost: $125 (Co-enrolled with Horticulture Certificate Program) This fast-paced, information-saturated clinic will introduce design students, homeowners and others to opportunities to problemsolve the design process, leading to the basic conceptual elements of a landscape master plan. All attendees will participate in the process of observing and designing, and will come away with coherent examples of how design happens. An active discussion format will explore common design principles.

A step-by-step PowerPoint presentation will focus the discussion later in the afternoon. The field trip will be held rain or shine.

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ROOTED I N PL AC E ECOLOGICAL GARDENING SYMPOSIUM

Sunday, November 12, 9 am - 4 pm • Berkshire School, Sheffield, MA Cost: $95 (Co-enrolled with Horticulture Certificate Program) Lunch included in cost This all-day program will focus on managing the landscape sustainably. BBG is bringing together James Hitchmough, Professor of Horticultural Ecology at the University of Sheffield, UK, author of Sowing Beauty, Designing Flowering Meadows from Seed; horticulturist Jessica Walliser, author of Attracting Beneficial Bugs to the Garden: A Natural Approach to Pest Control; mycologist Tradd Cotter, and Sharon, CT based organic land care specialist Michael Nadeau. This event will give attendees a new, environmentally sensitive vision for approaching the connection between their home, and the surrounding landscape.

Learning from Meadows: Exploring Design and Maintenance of Conventional Herbaceous Plantings Join Professor of Horticultural Ecology, James Hitchmough for an in-depth look at research on meadow-like vegetation and how to design and manage it. Based on years of research, James will illustrate how vegetation works in the wild and how some of the most desirable properties of wild occurring vegetation can be applied to more conventional garden and landscape planting. He will also address how different layers within planting, rather than the mono-layer of most horticultural planting, can be used to achieve both desirable functional and aesthetic outcomes. His work highlights the importance of understanding how “fit” species or cultivars are appropriate for a particular site, and how this feeds into the capacity to compete and persist.

Controlling Invasive Plants Without Chemicals

Founding member of the Organic Land Care Project and organic landcare specialist Michael Nadeau will explore how to control invasive plants without chemicals. His talk will focus on how to develop a management plan using practical control strategies to contain and eliminate some of the most problematic invasives in the region.

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Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden Organic gardener and author Jessica Walliser will explain how the predator and prey cycle is an integral part of growing organically. Using information assembled for her newest book, Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden: A Natural Approach to Pest Control, she will cover methods needed to attract beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps, to the garden – and keep them there. Her research regarding the intricate connection between plants and insects explains the need for maintaining the garden’s natural balance. She will discuss dozens of species of beneficial insects found across North America and describe these predators, their favorite host plants, and how to keep them in the garden.

The Mushroom Matrix: The Dark Matter that Binds All Life Mushroom expert Tradd Cotter, mycologist and founder of Mushroom Mountain, will discuss native plants and their fungal partners. In order to sustain life on this planet, a complex matrix of organisms has evolved to orchestrate the balance. Plants and fungi have merged and continue to unveil the benefits of collaborating with nature. We have a lot to learn from these relationships, and understanding the respect they have for each other can teach us more than just soil biology. Our native plant communities are communicating through their own internet, reaching out to other organisms to help repair the ecosystems that perpetuate life on this planet.

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Workshop: Making More Plants: Propagating Your Own Woody Plants Thursday, November 16, 3 – 5:30 pm Members: $30; Nonmembers: $40 Back by popular demand! Join woody plant specialist Adam Wheeler of Broken Arrow Nursery for a workshop focused on hardwood and evergreen propagation. This workshop will cover how to collect, prepare and propagate evergreens and other woody plants by cuttings. Set at the best time of the year for collecting, participants will learn techniques needed for insuring successful rooting. Cultivation requirements, timing and care of easily propagated varieties will be covered. Participants will take home a selection of unusual deciduous and evergreen plant material in a simple propagator to grow on, and will be able to collect a very interesting selection of woody plant material on the grounds of the Berkshire Botanical Garden.

Workshop: Bark and Buds: Winter Identification of Trees and Shrubs Saturday, December 9, 10 am – 2 pm Members: $25; Non-members: $30 Bring a bag lunch. Dress for limited outdoor fieldwork.

Workshop: Chainsaw Skills Workshop Sunday, October 29, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm Members $225, Nonmembers: $275 (Co-enrolled with Horticulture Certificate Program) Are you interested in learning to use a chainsaw but feel intimidated to do so? This workshop with arborist Melissa LeVangie is designed for the novice chainsaw operator who wishes to gain greater confidence with this powerful tool.

Topics will include personal protective equipment, anatomy of a chainsaw, reactive forces, basic chainsaw maintenance, and additional tools for use with a chainsaw. Techniques taught 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 saw horses. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of the safety features of a chainsaw and be able to operate a chainsaw based on safety fundamentals.

No experience is necessary. If you have your own equipment (chainsaw or personal protective gear) please bring them with you. Note: equipment will be provided. Dress and prepare for the weather, including long sleeves, pants, and boots. Bring a bagged lunch.

Discover the many plants that lend bark, buds, fruit and structural interest to the garden in fall and winter. Under the expert guidance of Brad Roeller, develop your ability to identify winter trees by twig and bud anatomy, bark features and plant architecture. Students will practice their skills with winter tree dichotomous keys. This class will be indoors primarily and participants will work with collected specimens. Class enrollment is limited.

Workshop: Herbal Gift Making Saturday, December 9, 1 – 3 pm Members: $15, Nonmenbers: $20 Learn about the craft of homemade herbal gift making with local farmer and herbalist, Jen Salinetti of Woven Roots Farm. Participants will make and take home unique holiday gifts, including loose tea blends, sachets, air fresheners, bath salts and sugar scrubs.

Withdrawals: To withdraw your registration from a class, please contact us as soon as possible so we can make your space available to others.

If you give us at least 7 days’ notice prior to the event, we will offer a refund less an administrative fee equaling 25% of the program cost.

Please note: we cannot offer refunds for withdrawals less than 7 days before a class.

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Animals in August A Great Month for Families to Explore the Wonders of Our Natural World Friday, August 11, 10 – 11:00 am

Friday, August 18, 10 am – 2 pm

Lecture/Demonstration: Birds of Prey with Tom Ricardi, Wildlife Rehabilitator

Workshop/demonstration: Spinning Angora Rabbit Wool

Tom will share the natural history of birds of prey, demonstrate some of their unique behaviors and inspire children to appreciate, respect and conserve these important members of our wild kingdom.

Saturday, August 12, 10 am – 2 pm

Workshop/demonstration: Fairy Houses Spend a few minutes or a few hours with your friends and family, working together to make homes for the numerous fairies that roam throughout our Garden.

Thursday, August 17, 10 am – 2 pm

Workshop/demonstration: The Caterpillar Lab Come meet and learn about some little-known native critters! We’ll have a guest educator from The Caterpillar Lab (located in Keene, NH) to explain caterpillar biology and tell incredible but true stories about the creatures’ strange and surprising adaptations.

Meet Leonardo, BBG’s angora rabbit, learn to harvest his wool (he loves to be groomed), and try spinning it into yarn.

Saturday, August 19, 10 am – 2 pm

Friday, August 25, 10 am – 11 am

Workshop/demonstration: Worm Houses

Lecture/demonstration: The Fabulous Snakes of Berkshire County with Tom Tyning, Professor of Environmental Science at Berkshire Community College.

Learn about worms and how to make worm composting bins in this journey into the world of underground botany. We’ll take a close look at soil and what it is made up of, including what lives in it.

Thursday, August 24, 10 am – 2 pm

Workshop/demonstration: Wet Felting with Sheep Wool Learn about the importance of wool and the animals that wear it! A great workshop for all ages, participants will card sheep wool and create a felted project to take home.

This program is designed for all ages and highlights some of the least known and most fascinating animals of our backyard.

The illustrated talk will include methods of identifying snakes, a bit about their biology, interesting tidbits about their behaviors and the methods that snakes use to protect themselves and reproduce.

Saturday, August 26. 10 am – 2 pm

Workshop/demonstration: Bee Houses Learn about honey bees and how they thrive in their homes. There will be an observation box to look up close at what honey bees do inside their hive. In addition, we’ll make small bee condos out of wood for our native bees.

Come visit and see what makes Bay State special!

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Contributors

The following constituents made contributions of $150 or more during the Garden’s 2016 fiscal year, from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016. Contributions include membership dues, unrestricted contributions to the Garden’s Annual Fund, donations to designated funds, as well as grants and sponsorships. Contributors marked with an asterisk (*) supported our Center House Capital Campaign during 2016. Thank you very much to all of our individual and organizational members, donors, funders, and other friends who help make our Garden such a wonderful community! $50,000 and above Anonymous (2)* Maria and David Carls* Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo* Madeline and Ian Hooper* $25,000 to $49,999 The Jack and Jane Fitzpatrick Trust* Mary Harrison* Carol and Robert Williams* $10,000 to $24,999 Anonymous Dena and Felda Hardymon* Sherry and Daniel Kasper* The Lenox Garden Club* The Marcia Brady Tucker Foundation* Matt Larkin and Elaine Grant* Elizabeth Ford Sayman* Honey Sharp and David Lippman* The Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust Kathleen and John Zutter $5,000 to $9,999 Carol and Paul Collins The Frelinghuysen Foundation Marian Godfrey and Thomas Gardner Skippy and Vaughn Nixon* Georgeanne and Jean Rousseau Carol and Irving Smokler* Cynthia Valles and George Hebard* Elisabeth and Robert Wilmers $1,000 to $4,999 Linda Allard* Michael Beck and Beau Buffier Lee and Syd Blatt Jeannene Booher Diane and Richard Brown Bonnie and Terry Burman Catherine Clark and Edward Ivas Mary and James Cooper* Mary Copeland and Jose Gonzalez, Jr. Jeanine and Herbert Coyne Michele Dodge Betsy and Jonas Dovydenas Judith Fetterley and Sara McCain Nancy Fitzpatrick and Lincoln Russell Adaline Frelinghuysen and Titus Ogilvie-Laing Ellen and Christopher Greendale Anne and David Griffin* Ellen and Scott Hand Elise and Carl Hartman Maureen and Paul Hickey Bette Hill and Bruce Sagan* Donna and James Hurley Tom Ingersoll Pamela and BJ Johnson Wendy Linscott and Jim Lamme* Betsey McKearnan Caitlin and Mitchell Nash Linda O’Connell Wendy Philbrick and Edward Baptiste Martha Piper* Rodney Pleasants and Steve Godwin

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Mary Ann and Bruno Quinson Jeffrey Solomon Maureen and Jack Sprano* Katie and James Stewart Ginnie Styles Ingrid and Richard Taylor Reginald Taylor Sheila and Randy Thunfors Margot and Kip Towl Gay Tucker Tania and Mark Walker Western Massachusetts Master Gardener Association Harriet Wetstone Gregory and Lillian Whitehead Sandra Zwink $500 to $999 Anonymous Katherine and Leopold Abraham Amy and Bradford Barr* Stephanie Beling Lucy and Nat Day John and Janet DePiero Susan and J Williar Dunlaevy Sheldon and Barbara Goldberg Jane and William Havemeyer William and Joy Howe Lydia Irwin Diane Kern Patti and Harvey Klein Janet Laudenslager and Maxime Aflalo Judy and Dennis Mareb Millie and David McCoy Leonard and Barbara McCue Dr. Gail and Dr. Allen Meisel John Millar and Rault Kehlor Jo Dare and Bob Mitchell Alice Platt Barbara and Michael Polemis Ramelle and Michael Pulitzer Donna Raftery and Vincent Inconiglios Stuart Rosen and Suzanne Butterfield Anna and Starbuck Smith Aso Tavitian Lynn Villency Cohen and Stephen Cohen Greg Ward $250 to $499 Julie Abramson Lucy Alman Stephen and Shari Ashman Larysa Bachinsky Jeff Bailey and John Lillis Susan Barnett Peter Bevacqua and Stephen King Glenna and Martin Bloom Chase Booth and Gray Davis Natalie and John Boyce Jytte and John Brooks Susan Bubenas Timothy and Patty Burch Kathi Cafiero Terri Chegwidden and Nathan Casto Neil and Kathleen Chrisman

Miriam and Tom Curnin Mary Anne Davis Christina and Paul del Balso Gordon Dinsmore, Jr. and Susan Dumont Joan Dix Blair Sarah Duprey Anne and Rose Dupuis Constance Eagan Janet and John Egelhofer Ginger and George Elvin Elizabeth Gall Miriam and Christopher Galligan Sara and James Garretson Mr. Marion G.H. Gilliam Ann Gilpin Lauretta Harris and Louis Cohen Barbara Hazen Peter Heller and Abbie Wyman Matthew Heyd Gary and Beverly Igleburger Peter Kalil Holly Kempner and Warren White Joanne and Daniel Maier Marcia and Patrick Mattingly Richard Matturro and Mary Trev Thomas Judith and Kim Maxwell Thomas McCann Cynthia McCollum and John Spellman Ellen McTigue and Robert Harris Mrs. Rolf Merton* Susan Morris Elizabeth and James Murray Cynthia Newby and Jan Napier Elizabeth Olenbush and Roger Levine Eric and Ellen Petersen Ian Porter and Josey Twombly Juergen and Leslie Reiche Linda Reynolds Deborah Roberts and Albert Roker Barbara and Charles Robinson Elizabeth and Michael Robinson Adele Rodbell Denise and Jeffrey Roszkowski Suzanne Sanduski and Tom Vresilovic Eleanor Saunders and James Murray Charles Schulze and Lucy Holland Ginger and Arthur Schwartz Carol and Richard Seltzer Peter and Lynn Shaffer Jane and Terrence Shea Robert and Roberta Silman Appy and John Stookey Ginnie Styles Lenore Sundberg Rebecca and Robert Thomas Edward and Judy Warren Jeanne Weller and Marcey Bemiss Tom Whalen Veronica and Ron Yaple $150 to $249 Emily Aber and Rob Wechsler The Academy Garden Club of Lenox Glenda Anderson and David Lossez Janet Ansbro

Anthony and Pauline Archer-Wills Anne Auberjonois and Sebastian Bonner Bruce and Anne Aune Penny and Ted Babbitt Michael and Sibylle Baier Deborah Barry and Ron Holdman Baradel Beard Gail Belmuth and Cece Caldwell David and Cindy Berger Greta Berkson Laura and James Blodgett Kathy and Steve Bluestone Heidi and Jennifer Bock Penelope Borax and John Donald Cipora Brown and Steven Feiner Robert Bujalski and Loretta Scheel Richard Bump and Vincent Kelleher Patty and Timothy Burch Abraham Castillo and James Badore Jacqueline and William Connell Gary and Deborah Crakes James Daily Susan and Edmund Dana Helen and John Davies Susan Diamond and Henry Michaelis Anita and Nicholas Diller Carol and James Edelman Vicki and Michael Ernst Gregory and Diane Eshleman Nancy and Frederic Fagelman Jane and Melvyn Feldman Mary Ann Fernandez and Richard Pierce Bonnie and Terry Flynn Lizanne and Michael Foley Fort Orange Garden Club Susanne Freeman Robert Fried and Karen Kowgios Catherine Gamberoni and Mary Wilcox Debbie Gangemi Roxanne Gawthrop Donald and Marie Gelston Linda and John Gillespie Pamela Goguen and Peter Conzett Andy Goldman and Karen Hennessey Marge and Peter Greenberg Dorothea Greene and Linda Morse Heather Grimes Susan and Carl Gutman Sally Hannifan James and Kristin Hatt Jane and William Havemeyer Karen and Clark Havighurst John and Deborah Helmke Elaine Hines Paul Hirt and Lynn Campana Julia Holcomb David and Maureen Hosford Valerie Hyman Barbara Johnson Gordon and Susan Josephson Thomas Justin and William Bell Belinda Kaye Anne King Lois and Catherine Klatt Thomas and Rosanna Koelle Pat Konecky and Bob Putz Ronald and Carla Krasnick Eric and Casey Krawczyk Arthur Kreiger and Rebecca Benson Malrangam and Ilana Krishnamurti Stephanie Kronau Pat Krusko Keith Krystofolsky

Mary Lou and Robert Lamb Sven and Susan Leaf Nan Leighton Linda and Robert Levitt Angela Liporace Benjamin and Sharon Liptzin Patricia and Mark Lusten John Magnesi and Carol Bowen Henry and Carol Mauermeyer Janet and Hillel Maximon Wendy McCain Ryan McMenamy and James Keating Robert Merli and Soo Sung Wong-Merli Craig and Laurie Norton Moffatt John and Charnell Moore Alan Murphy Robert and Leslie Murray Susan and Nick Nadorff Anjani and Barbara Nelson Marc and Phyllis Newman Nancy Nirenberg Jenna O’Brien Ellen Ecker Ogden Marilyn Orner Cromwell Edmund and Elizabeth Parnes Mary Jane and Ronald Piazza Jane Pinckney Sandra and Edward Rappaport Bonnie and Edward Regendahl Helen Richardson Eileen and Marc Rosenthal Crystal Ryan and Scott Chapman Irene Samuels and David Gonsalves Wilma and John Schaefer Ayn-Margret Schmidt Maria and Mark Schmidt Sally Schoenknecht David and Susan Shapiro Earle and Jeanne Shumway Mark Smith and John O’Keefe Linda Smith Kim Smithgall Beth Sperry and Marc Fromm Elizabeth Stanley Ann and Donald Steven Maureen Sullivan Claremary and Charles Sweeney Arlene and Frank Tolopko Robin Tost Randy Tryon and Daniel DeBerardinis Daniel Vincent and Stephen Borboroglu Tim and Julie Wachtmann Edward and Linda Wacks Adele Wailand Theresa Walker and Eileen Rice Marilyn Webb and John Sheedy Harriet Weiss Sally Wilder and Barbara Barrantes Anne and Patrick Williamson Sandra and Alice Wilmot Susan Wolf Rebecca Wolin and Danielle Bruno Caitlin and Vikrant Yadav Elaine Zanelli and Isa Krocheski Robin Zitter Sandra Zwink Memorial Contributions In memory of Wynn Sayman Murphy Moss In memory of Edna May Grand-Lienard Constance Pajeski In memory of Violet Switzer

Roxanne Gawthrop In memory of Caroline Church N. American Rock Garden Society, Berkshire Chapter In memory of Carole Armstrong Catherine Clark George Darey Roxanne Gawthrop Barbara May Jerome Oneil Jean Petell John Trowill Elaine Zanelli In honor of Lauretta Harris Vickie and Michael Ernst In honor of Madeline Hooper Bette Hill and Bruce Sagan In honor of Matt Larkin Carol and Irving Smokler In honor of Janet Laudenslager Carol and Richard Seltzer In honor of Jo Dare and Bob Mitchell Dana Johnson and Mark Nelson Corporate Donors, Matching Gift Companies, Foundations and Government Grantors Aetna Foundation, Inc. American Express Charitable Found Berkshire Bank COARC Evergreen Hall The Jack and Jane Fitzpatrick Trust* The Frelinghuysen Foundation The Garden Conservancy The GE Foundation The Green Pastures Fund Guido’s Fresh Marketplace The Pfizer Foundation Race Mountain Tree Services The Sasco Foundation The Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust The Marcia Brady Tucker Foundation* Plant Sale Donors ($100 or more) Amherst Nurseries Broken Arrow Nursery Callander’s Nursery & Landscaping Clark’s Garden Center Country Caretaker Countryside Landscape Holiday Brook Farm Hudson Valley Organics Ingersoll Landcare Landcraft Environments Litchfield Hills Nursery O’Brien Nurserymen Craig Okerstron Lang Pioneer Gardens Pondside Nursery Secret Gardener Summer Hill Nursery Sunny Border Nurseries Sylvan Nursery The Plant Group The Robert Baker Company Ward’s Nursery Whalen Nursery Wildflowers Florist Windy Hill Farm Zema’s Nursery

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GARDEN NEWS

Welcome Elizabeth We’re delighted to welcome our new office manager, Elizabeth Veraldi, to the Garden! Beth brings to the position a diverse range of skills that keep our day-to-day operation running smoothly.

Originally from Middletown, New York, Beth’s sense of adventure led her to Alaska, where she worked throughout the state in hospitality positions during four tourist seasons.

Her career in communications took her to New York City where she was a production assistant/associate producer for Fox News, script supervisor/associate director at VH1, and associate director/director at TRU/ Court TV. In addition, she held a position at the United Nations where she was responsible for directing live general and security council meetings and live daily briefings. Beth has worked in the Berkshires since she and her family moved to Richmond in 2013, and we are very glad she’s now at BBG. Stop in and say hello!

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

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

Welcome Ramelle We are delighted to announce the appointment of Ramelle Pulitzer to our Board of Trustees.

Ramelle is the founder of New View Tours, a company based in Lee, MA that coordinates group trips for non-profit organizations, friends or families. She is a traveler, a docent at the Norman Rockwell Museum, an art enthusiast, a writer, and the mother of three children. Ramelle taught art appreciation as an adjunct faculty member at Winston-Salem State University and was the executive director of Associated Artists of W/S. In 2010, she and her husband, Michael, moved from North Carolina to live at their family summer cottage in Stockbridge, where they have enjoyed landscaping projects involving much of the gardens.

Welcome aboard, Ramelle!

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GARDEN NEWS

PlayDate!

Fun in the Garden this Summer!

Our featured exhibition, PlayDate: Play Houses in the Garden, has brought a season filled with joy for visitors to the Garden.

The eleven installations, each unique and wonderful, with their own signature styles, remain on display through September 24. Many of the structure are for sale, with a percentage of the proceeds benefitting BBG.

Thank you, talented builders and designers who participated in this popular event: Jeffrey All, Allwoodwork Spencertown, NY Robin Berthet RBC Construction, Inc Sheffield, MA Bill Cummings Berkshire Botanical Garden Tamarack Garlow Canaan, New York Carrie Herrington C. Herrington Home + Design Hillsdale, NY Michael King, MPK Design Sheffield, MA Lou Kratt Berkshire Botanical Garden Matt Larkin Black Barn Farm Richmond, MA Clarke Olsen Clarke Olsen Design Spencertown, NY Peter Thorne West Stockbridge, MA Allen Timmons Backyard Heirlooms Great Barrington, MA

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A Gift of Garden Membership Garden Supporters receive so many benefits – why not share them through a gift of membership?

Members in our Supporter Level ($150 / $120 tax deductible) join a community of gardeners who endorse BBG’s mission to “fulfill the community’s need for information, education, and inspiration concerning the art and science of gardening and the preservation of our local environment.” Supporting this mission ensures that our education programs and gardens will continue to thrive. In return, we provide our Garden Supporters with a wide selection of benefits that last all year, including: n Unlimited free admission to the Garden for up to two adults and accompanying youth aged 12-20 years old

n Member discounts on purchases at our Visitor Center and participating regional nurseries and nearly 30 retailers.

n Cuttings, our seasonal publication, mailed to your home or business n Early admission to the Annual Plant Sale, and 10% off all purchases made at the sale

n Reciprocal admission to over 300 botanical gardens, conservatories and arboreta across the US & Canada through the American Horticulture Society.

n Advance notice and memberonly prices for all of our adult classes, lectures, workshops and children’s programs

n Reciprocal admission to over 700 arts and cultural institutions through NARM: North American Reciprocal Museum Association.

n Reciprocal admission and shop discounts at hundreds of museums and other institutions through ROAM: Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums. n Free guided tours Monday

through Saturday, 11:00am, early

June through Labor Day n Two Guest Passes to the Garden (for one-time use)

Consider giving the gift of membership today.

For more information, visit berkshirebotanical.org or call our Membership office at 413 298-3926, extension 14.

BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN

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

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