B E R K S H I R E B OTA N I C A L G A R D E N
SPRING/SUMMER 2022
SPRING/SUMMER 2022
JUN
10 Symbiosis Opening and Gallery Reception We celebrate the opening of Symbiosis, an outdoor sculpture exhibition and the first gallery exhibit in this year’s ART/GARDEN series curated by Beth Rudin DeWoody.
M AY 1
M AY 6 – 7
M AY 7 – J U N E 5
Roy Boutard Day
45th Annual “Plants and Answers” Plant Sale
Hunt Country in the Leonhardt Galleries
Highlighting “A Garden in Your Arms,” an opportunity to increase awareness of native plantings that add ecological value to our landscapes.
A vibrant installation of Hunt Slonem’s signature paintings. Opening reception May 7.
Our 88th season opens with free admission, a garden tour, children’s activities, Mai Bowle reception, workshops, and more.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
S TA F F
Matt Larkin, Chair Madeline Hooper, Vice Chair Janet Laudenslager, Secretary John Spellman, Treasurer
Dana Audia Director of Special Events
Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo Mary Copeland Adaline Frelinghuysen Maura Griffin Lauretta Harris Nancy Hickey Ian Hooper Tom Ingersoll Jane Iredale Daniel Kasper Joanna Miller Linda O’Connell Wendy Philbrick Ramelle Pulitzer Elizabeth Roberts Mark Walker Rob Williams Suzanne Yale KK Zutter
Christine Caccamo Senior Gardener Virginia Caponera Educator Felix Carroll Director of Marketing Communications Shaun Colon Manager of Facilities and Operations Duke Douillet Senior Gardener Rachel Durgin Camp Director Kevin Johnson Gardener Kessa McEwen Education Coordinator Kristine Romano Visitor Center Manager
Trustees Emeriti
Eric Ruquist Director of Horticulture
Jeannene Booher David Carls Cathy Clark Craig Okerstrom-Lang Wendy Linscott Gloria McMahon Jo Dare Mitchell Judie Owens Martha Piper Jean Rousseau Gail Shaw Jack Sprano Ingrid Taylor
On the cover: Detail of Lichee Luna Again, 2021, oil on wood by Hunt Slonem
Amy Butterworth Office Manager
John Ryan Gardener Bridgette Stone Director of Education Thaddeus Thompson Interim Executive Director
CUTTINGS Robin Parow, Editor Julie Hammill, Hammill Design, Designer
This page: Sunflowers in the Children’s Garden
JUNE 22 – JULY 2
JULY 2
JULY 11 – AUG 29
JULY 31 – AUG 26
Garden Treasures from Our Friends
Fête des Fleurs Gala
Music Mondays
Family Fridays
A whimsical evening slipping “Down the Rabbit Hole” at the magical Searles Castle.
Eight consecutive Mondays of live music in the Garden featuring bands from our local music community.
Our popular series about the world around us featuring guests from the wild.
Bid online for one-of-a-kind, gardenthemed items donated by gardeners from throughout the Berkshires and beyond.
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DIRECTOR’S CORNER THADDEUS THOMPSON
“The garden suggests there might be a place where we can meet nature halfway.”
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
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—Michael Pollan Each year at BBG, we choose an overarching theme around which to focus our exhibits and programs. This past winter we settled on the theme of Symbiosis for our 2022 season. The concept is one we’re all familiar with even those of us who might have glossed over the term during middle school biology. Symbiosis speaks to the relationships that exist between species living alongside one another. Sometimes these relationships are of mutual benefit, and sometimes not. Our exploration of the theme throughout the year will examine — through art, our programs, and our horticulture — what the concept of symbiosis means in the context of the Garden. One might call it the art (and science) of living together. While symbiotic relationships play out on the micro-scale all around us each day (think of honey bees and flowers), there is a more conceptual level on which we might also consider symbiosis, and it begs some big questions. To what degree, for instance, might symbiosis be used to describe the relationship of humans to nature? In which ways do we view our environment through a lens of mutualism? In which ways are our behaviors towards nature parasitic? Certainly, symbiosis could offer a framework for how we, as gardeners, might choose to cultivate our land and live more harmoniously with nature. Our work to establish a meadow garden at BBG is one of many places in which you’ll see the fingerprints of symbiosis in the life of the Garden — both at the micro and the macro scale. This native-plant meadow will provide a rich and diverse habitat for native birds, insects, and other fauna. While the meadow plants provide nourishment and shelter, the fauna pollinate the plants and spread their seeds. All the while, visitors will have the chance to appreciate the beauty of the new landscape and perhaps take home an idea or two to their own gardens (a kind of inspirational pollination). In a balanced ecosystem, there is bountiful reciprocity and a beautiful harmony — symbiosis writ large. I hope you will join us throughout the season as we explore this theme. Come to the plant sale in May to learn about and buy native plants as part of our Garden in Your Arms initiative. Beginning in June, enjoy our four-part indoor and outdoor art exhibit, Symbiosis, featuring over 100 well-known and emerging contemporary artists. Take a class on invasive jumping worms and learn what you can do to respond to the emerging ecological challenge they pose. Or follow our social media accounts to learn more about our STEM work with at-risk kids in regional elementary, middle, and high schools classrooms, where we provide experiential education on plant ecology. I look forward to seeing you at the Garden as we throw the doors open wide on May 1st with our annual Roy Boutard Day, which is free to all. And, also in May, I encourage you to come and see our fabulous exhibit, Hunt Country, in the Leonhardt Galleries showing the works of artist Hunt Slonem. Finally, I thank you for being part of this symbiotic ecosystem that is Berkshire Botanical Garden. We always strive to provide our community with joy and inspiration and, in turn, you sustain us and help us to spread the joy of the Garden to more people. All of us at BBG are grateful for your support.
Hunt Slonem Opens BBG’s ART/GARDEN Season Followed by Symbiosis, A Four-Part Exhibition Series Curated by Beth Rudin DeWoody By Laura Dvorkin March 1st, 2016, oil on wood by Hunt Slonem
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he Garden gears up for a radiant season featuring two prominent art world figures —internationally renowned artist Hunt Slonem and esteemed collector and curator Beth Rudin DeWoody. Friends for over 30 years, Slonem and DeWoody both conceive rich, immersive environments and will surely bring to BBG a feast for the eyes. Within the maximalist aesthetic that they both share comes depth, meditation, intention, and passion. First to take the stage will be Hunt Country, a comprehensive, vibrant installation of Slonem’s signature paintings of bunnies, butterflies, and orchids, set amongst reupholstered furniture and freestanding sculpture. Salonstyle compositions of bunnies are arranged atop a cobalt, golden wallpaper, and larger paintings of perched birds adorn the walls. In his book, When Art Meets Design, Hunt writes, “There’s a spiritual message behind everything I do, and I’m fascinated by nature and its purity. I’m endlessly mesmerized by patterns in nature, which is why I use so much repetition just as in nature there is repetition in blades of grass, the leaves of trees, and feathers of birds.” Akin to a snowflake, the repetition of his subject matter also speaks to nuance and the idea that no two animals are alike. Slonem’s practice is deeply rooted in the act of painting. The application and manipulation of the paint, and at times materials such as diamond dust, happen in various ways. Seen in select works, crosshatch marks give the feeling of a tapestry and are made by pulling the paint into fine lines using the sharpened back of a paint brush. Within this installation we see Slonem as a collector and curator of objects. He even has a term for his style of assembling — collectorating. The antique frames that embellish his work are very much a part of the piece. They are also an extension of the artist’s personal collection and often come before the piece itself. Inspiration then guides Slonem to paint what will occupy the frame. Hunt Slonem is no stranger to the BBG community and art world at large. Throughout his career, he has had over 350 shows, including 20 museum exhibitions. His work is in the collections of the The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, to name
Hunt Slonem, Male Cardinals, 2022, Courtesy of the artist
Within this installation we see Slonem as a collector and curator of objects. He even has a term for his style of assembling— collectorating.
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a few. Slonem’s very own local abode will be the site of BBG’s 2022 Fête des Fleurs gala taking place on July 2nd. Guests will be treated to an evening in the grand Searles Castle in Great Barrington, MA. The historic castle was built in the 1880s in French château style and acquired by the artist just last year. Starting in June, Beth Rudin DeWoody will be curating Symbiosis, a four-part exhibition series, featuring over 100 well-known and emerging contemporary artists. Symbiosis will bring together both indoor and outdoor artworks centered around the natural world. Sub-themes include landscape, animals, plant life, and organic material. The exhibition will not only focus on the interaction between two organisms that mutually benefit each other, but also will speak in a greater sense about our overall interconnectivity. In this curated series, art and Garden merge aesthetically and conceptually to enhance one another, and the Leonhardt Galleries at BBG will be just as alive as the Garden itself. Traveling from The Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston, Daniel Gordon’s first public sculpture will be included in Symbiosis and on view for visitors to the Garden. Blue Poppies
Michele Oka Doner, Mana, 2012, cast bronze
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is a three-dimensional representation of the artist’s unique photographic process. He first creates individual paper objects from photographs, then arranges them into a still life and rephotographs the composition. The intensity of color always present in his photographs is evident in Blue Poppies. Photographs by Gordon will also be on view in the Leonhardt Galleries. Deriving from Melanesian and Polynesian culture, mana is the spiritual energy and force of nature that pervade the universe. In Michele Oka Doner’s Mana the artist reimagines this energy into a headless figure seemingly made of roots, vines, and bark. Sculptures in this series are first molded of those organic materials, then cast in bronze. Earthy tones give the appearance that the figure has been naturally patinated with time. Art world humorist, Erwin Wurm has a body of work that traditionally invites lighthearted viewer participation to animate sculpture. In Untitled (The Hitchhiker’s Project), the beyond life-size piece illustrates human intervention with a large hand and fingers playfully poking oranges. One can imagine the performance in real life and how the gesture is not complete without both the fruit and the individual. Other artists in Symbiosis include Paula Hayes, Thaddeus Mosley, Kiki Smith, Tom Sachs, Donald Baechler, David Brooks, L.C. Armstrong, Dana Sherwood, Poppy Jones, Nancy Monk, Firooz Zahedi, Marsia Holzer, John McAllister, Lee Relvas, William Binnie, and many more. Laura Dvorkin is the producer of BBG’s upcoming exhibition, Symbiosis, curated by Beth Rudin DeWoody, and the Co-curator of The Bunker Artspace: Collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody in West Palm Beach. Dvorkin has worked with the Collection since 2008, managing large presentations of the Collection at institutions and the exhibitions that DeWoody curates. She is also the Co-curator of 53 West 53, the Residential MoMA Expansion Tower designed by Jean Nouvel, and 1228 Madison Avenue, designed by Robert A.M. Stern. Laura Dvorkin lives and works in New York City and West Palm Beach.
Come visit and see what makes Bay State special!
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Daniel Gordon, Blue Poppies, 2021, Courtesy of the artist and Kasmin Gallery Photo by Hills3 Studio
Erwin Wurm, Untitled (The Hitchhiker’s Project), 2021, Courtesy the artist and Lehmann Maupin, New York, Hong Kong, Seoul, and London
PAYING IT FORWARD A Gift to the Garden and a Memorial to a Beloved Father
The gift to BBG of 3.46 acres was given in memorial to William Lambert (right), the first-ever landscape architect at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, who died March 3rd, at the age of 90. He is shown here in 1957, when he served as landscape architect for the city of Huntington, WV, where he oversaw an expansion and improvement program for the city’s parks.
We have a new neighbor and friend here at Berkshire Botanical Garden. Scott Lambert, along with his five siblings, has donated 3.46 acres to us. The gift, which became official in September, originally was intended to honor the Lamberts’ father. Now, it memorializes him. William Lambert, the longtime landscape architect at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, died March 3rd at the age of 90. “Our dad had such a rich horticultural and landscape background, and this just seemed like the most appropriate way to honor his legacy,” said Scott, who moved to Stockbridge in 2019 and lives in a new house built just to the south of the meadow, on Westdale Road. The land, a long, rectangular stretch of meadow along Route 102, just west of BBG, will remain a beautiful piece of protected greenway at the town’s western edge.
Since moving to town, Scott has developed a deep appreciation for BBG. While his father, who lived on Cape Cod, never had the opportunity to visit us, Scott, an avid photographer, had put together numerous virtual tours of the Garden to show his father. “I would show him on his TV screen using my phone,” Scott said. “He absolutely loved the Garden.” A lifetime gardener who took particular care to create bountiful landscapes and habitat conducive to native fauna, the late William Lambert earned undergraduate and graduate degrees at UMassAmherst in landscape architecture, with concentrations in horticulture and botany. Later, as a staff member, he particularly was proud of playing a lead role in supporting access to the many buildings on the UMass campus for those with disabilities, and he took particular care to ensure the campus was in full bloom at graduation time. “We grew up with the most amazing flower and vegetable gardens,” recalled Scott. “My dad was in the garden almost 24/7. The things he did were just incredible. He was famous for dressing in the wackiest clothes you ever saw when he worked outside. He was a child of the Depression, so he just wore clothes until they practically fell off his body.” With his father’s advice, Scott has planted more than 2,500 plants and shrubs on his Stockbridge property. The plantings have been done with a particular eye toward creating habitat for native species, including songbirds. With the land donation, he said, “We’re just paying it forward.”
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The first season of GardenFit includes 13 episodes available through local public broadcasting stations and streaming on PBS.org.
Your Most Important Gardening Tool Inspired by Gardening, GardenFit Goes Nationwide
“We’re starting
a ‘GardenFit’ movement that integrates gardening with Jeff’s fitness techniques to prevent aches and pains and keep your most important gardening tool in good condition.”
—Madeline Hooper
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Congratulations to BBG’s Madeline Hooper, Vice Chair of our Board, who with personal fitness trainer Jeff Hughes has created “GardenFit,” a new TV series that premiered on PBS in March. A destination garden and fitness series, “GardenFit” aims to inspire viewers to take care of their bodies while taking care of their gardens. After all, one’s body is the most important gardening tool! Over the past year, Madeline and Jeff have visited more than a dozen private gardens and specialty farms all across America — Japanese, English, Dry Desert, Native American heritage and more — learning about each unique environment and its knowledgeable owner. Every show starts with a tour of the property, highlighting its particular characteristics while discussing the gardener’s insights,
tips, and techniques before learning about the physical aches and pains involved in maintaining it. Using his common-sense approach to fitness, Jeff Hughes, from Chatham,NY, observes the gardeners, listens to their problems, identifies the cause and provides solutions and habits that will make them “GardenFit.” He gives them four weeks to practice and, at the end of every episode, Madeline and Jeff return to find a rejuvenated and pain-free gardener. “We’re not teaching people how to garden,” says co-host Madeline. “We’re starting a “GardenFit” movement that integrates gardening with Jeff’s fitness techniques to prevent aches and pains and keep your most important gardening tool in good condition.”
Monarda fistulosa, Wild Bergamot, is recommended for a sunny, dry site. Copyright: Native Plant Trust
A Garden In Your Arms A call to action worth embracing By Felix Carroll
L
ast November, BBG reached a seminal moment in our efforts to restore a two-and-a-half-acre meadow acquired in 2019: We stepped out upon the bare, freshly raked dirt, and seeded it. Now we eagerly await a biodiverse gem to emerge from the earth — one that we expect will be ready for public enjoyment in 2023, with thoughtfully placed paths and benches. But all that sowing got us thinking about larger-scale possibilities, and responsibilities. So we offer the suggestion that you grow along with us… literally! We invite you to create your own native patch of beautiful landscape to benefit critical species of birds, bees, butterflies, and insects. What’s more, we’ll help you do it!
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Creating a Biodiverse Garden The writer Doug Tallamy, in his 2007 book Bringing Nature Home, described biodiversity as using “native species to create simplified vestiges of the ecosystems that once made this land such a rich source of life.” To that end, we offer A Garden in Your Arms. We developed this initiative in collaboration with noted ecological landscape designer Edwina von Gal; it will launch at our annual Plant Sale, running May 6 to 7. Our goal is to increase native plantings and to follow Tallamy’s call that gardeners “become important players in the management of our nation’s wildlife.” So, new this year at Plant Sale, you’ll find a variety of garden designs, tailored to a variety of site characteristics and growing conditions. From shady wet spots to full sun to woodland border, you’ll find the right plan to get you started. Then you can shop the sale to find the plants specified! You can walk out with A Garden In Your Arms, one that will help you grow your skills as a steward of the environment. In this issue of Cuttings, you’ll also find suggestions for other highly beneficial plants, shrubs, and trees you can purchase on your own, including seed varieties such as those we’ve planted in our new meadow here at BBG, all native to the Northeast (see page ?). Our suggestions, designed to add ecological value to your landscape, are drawn from a plant list approved by Uli Lorimer, director of Horticulture for the Native Plant Trust in Massachusetts.
An environmental battle cry! The call for biodiversity protection has been resounding around the country, led by professionals like Edwina von Gal. For von Gal, founder and president of the Perfect Earth Project and the 2/3 for the Birds campaign, and speaker at our 25th annual Winter Lecture in February, the message is both frank and inspiring: “Too many of us have filled our yards with inedible exotic plants and ecologically useless green turf uninhabited by insects. As a result, our birds have fewer and fewer bugs and berries to eat, fewer cavities for nesting, and fewer thickets for protection from predators.” Specifically, she asks us to “embrace native plant species, which provide food both for birds and for the precipitously declining populations of insects upon which birds rely to feed their young offspring; stop using herbicides; and think of your landscape as a process rather than a product.” von Gal launched her 2/3 for the Birds campaign in 2021 after reading about bird decline – some 3 billion birds lost over the past 50 years, almost a third of the entire bird population — as noted in Tallamy’s 2020 call-to-action book, Nature’s Best Hope — A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard.
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“We’re losing species on this planet at a catastrophic rate,” says Director of Education Bridgette Stone, who is leading the Garden in Your Arms program along with our Director of Horticulture Eric Ruquist. “This all relates to the food web and habitat loss due to development and other human pressures. Animals have lost food resources. So, any habitat that we can add is a very good thing.” You can start small, perhaps by planting an alternative patch to the ecological “desert” that is the typical American lawn. Most lawns provide little value to declining populations of native species of birds and insects once abundant throughout the Northeast. What’s more, lawns are expensive and require a lot of work (and often chemicals) to maintain. Or, consider reclaiming an old meadow and woodlands, as we’re doing here at BBG. Before restoration work began, our future meadow had fallen prey to a host of aggressive invasive species found in the region — like goutweed (which has been called the cockroach of the botanical world), bittersweet, multiflora rose, and bush honeysuckle. In their place, we have sown dozens of hardy, native plant species that will provide critical habitat and nourishment. Your own native garden could be as small as a raised bed or as large as our own meadow-in-the-making here at BBG. Whatever the size, you’ll be helping our region’s precious biodiversity.
PLANT
Why all this effort?
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Friday and Saturday,
MAY 6–7
(Mother’s Day Weekend) ANNUALS • PERENNIALS • VEGETABLES HERBS • CONTAINERS • WOODLAND PLANTS RARE TREES & SHRUBS • EXPERT GARDENING ADVICE EARLY BUYING FOR BBG MEMBERS: FRIDAY 9–11 AM HOURS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC: FRIDAY 11 AM – 5 PM, SATURDAY, 9 AM – 5 PM FREE ADMISSION | TIMED TICKETING REQUIRED AT BERKSHIREBOTANICAL.ORG
“If we could plant even half of our 40 million acres of lawn in 2/3 native plants and keep them pesticide-free,” says von Gal, “we could turn the bird losses into gains. She continues, “We are the solution. Our residential, ornamental and recreational landscapes can provide sufficient habitat to restore the bird population. We just need to provide the essential ingredients and stop using pesticides. No petitions, no donations, no bureaucracy. We can simply stop being the problem by changing the way we garden.” Larry Weaner, the noted landscape designer and meadow specialist who designed our meadow and matched our site to the dozens of seed varieties we’ve now sown, has long advocated the practicality of planting native meadow species. He speaks of their aesthetic beauty, their symbiotic relationship with native wildlife, and their low maintenance over the long run (as in, you can eventually get rid of your CO2-spewing lawnmower). “The current trend toward ecological concern, economy, and appreciation of the natural world,” says Weaner, “has created a public eager for new ways to incorporate nature into their homes, businesses, and public lands.”
From a single meadow to a great beyond? As Ruquist looks out upon BBG’s future meadow, he envisions a biodiverse showpiece filled with micro-habitats. He envisions color, variety, and a wondrous confusion of ecologically and aesthetically complex biomass in the form of Foxtail Barley, Little Bluestem, Pearly Everlasting, Butterfly Weed, White Beardtongue, Golden Alexander, Columbine, Silverrod, Poverty Grass, Stiff Aster, and dozens of other plant species. He also envisions the need for a lot of weeding in the first two years, as the meadow species establish themselves on tough turf formerly overrun by invasive species. Still, all these efforts will be well worth it, he says. “This meadow is a gift to our pollinators. It’s two-and-a-half acres of native plant material that will be a great resource for our insects and consequently our birds.” An active corps of volunteers to help with the monitoring and weeding of the meadow will also enable us to maintain a commitment to avoid the use of chemical herbicides and to pursue an organic approach to the stewardship of the property, as a whole. Stone envisions “a network of pollinator gardens that radiate out to the land near and far beyond Berkshire Botanical Garden. The whole idea of A Garden in Your Arms is to try to create these networks, these patches or corridors, throughout our communities, so that the efforts don’t simply begin and end here.” She hopes people planting their own gardens will take pictures as their gardens develop to share on social media. “Together,” affirms Stone, “we can create a community around this network of pollinator gardens. By the time our meadow here is ready for its big reveal, so will all of these other gardens that people are planting. That way, we’re all truly growing together.”
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NATIVE PLANTS AND SYMBIOSIS
Won’t you be my neighbor?
Plant Lists for A Garden In Your Arms NATIVES FOR A WET MEADOW Page Dickey, designer
Consider that over a span of tens of thousands of years, a given region’s native plants and animals evolved together, forming symbiotic relationships.
TREES
Derived from sumbiōsis, Greek for “living together,” symbiosis refers to the relationship between two organisms living in physical proximity, commonly to the advantage of both. So, a symbiotic garden is one in which individual living things benefit from other living things. When we create a native plant garden, we can expect a spectacular, symbiotic drama to unfold.
Ilex verticillata, winterberry Cornus sericea, red osier dogwood Cornus racemosa, gray dogwood
Three site conditions – and three examples of native plants available through A Garden in Your Arms:
Carpinus caroliniana, American hornbeam Larex laricina, tamarack SHRUBS
PERENNIALS
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, New England aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum, panicled aster Eupatorium maculatum, Joe Pye Weed Eupatorium perfoliatum, White boneset Veronicastrum virginicum, Culver’s root Lobelia syphilitica, great blue lobelia Asclepias incarnata, swamp milkweed Osmunda cinnamonea, Cinnamon fern
On woodland sites, the options include bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii), a food source for American bumblebees, whose population has plummeted by nearly 90 percent in 20 years. Critically important pollinators of wild plants and agricultural crops, hungry bumblebees execute a forced entry into the famously shuttered blooms of this purplish perennial that, itself, is listed under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act.
Eupatorium perfoliatum, white boneset Copyright: Prairie Moon Nursery
On sunny, dry sites, the options include wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), a food source for native butterflies, bees, moths, and hummingbirds. Aromatic and with a beautiful lavender-pink blossom, wild bergamot can also serve up a heaping helping of seeds for wintering birds. On wet meadow, the options include the nectar-rich white boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), a favored dining spot for such graceful beauties as tiger swallowtail and spicebush swallowtail butterflies and a host plant for larvae of several dozen other species of butterflies and moths.
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Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, New England aster
NATIVE PLANTS FOR A SUNNY, DRY SITE Deborah Munson, designer
Monarda fistulosa- Wild Bergamot Penstemon digitalis -Foxglove beardtongue Campanula rotundifolia –Harebell Asclepias tuberosa- Butterfly Weed Symphyotrichum laeve-Smooth Blue Aster Schizachyrium scoparium- Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium, Little Bluestem Copyright: Uli Lorimer for the Schizachyrium scoparium
Monarda fistulosa, Wild Bergamot Copyright: Native Plant Trust
NATIVE WOODLAND
Phlox divaricata - Wild Blue Phlox
Robert Reimer, designer TREES
Cornus florida, flowering dogwood Cercis canadensis, redbud SHRUBS
Hydrangea quercifolia, oak leaf hydrangea Rhododendron maximum, rosebay rhododendron Fothergilla major ‘Mt. Airy’, mountain witch alder Leucothoe axillaris or fontanesiana, drooping leucothoe PERENNIALS
Phlox divaricata, woodland phlox Polystichum acrostichoides, Christmas fern Tiarella cordifolia, and T. ‘Brandywine’, foamflower Spigelia marilandica, Indian pink Gentiana andrewsii, bottle gentian Solidago caesia, bluestem goldenrod
Gentiana andrewsii – Bottle gentian Copyright: Prairie Moon Nursery
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MAY 1 TO OCT 31
WELCOME BACK TO
C ALENDAR OF E VENTS
2022
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ROY BOUTARD DAY | Sunday, May 1 All day In the Center House and outdoors in the Gardens
Roy Boutard Day is a free event celebrating the opening of the Garden’s season. Held the first Sunday of May and honoring the Garden’s past director who served the horticultural community from 1954–1984. Activities include a Garden tour at 10 a.m. and the Horticulture Certificate Program graduation at 11, followed by a traditional Mai Bowle reception hosted by BBG’s Herb Associates. Additional activities include a children’s workshop from noon – 1 p.m.; a direct-sowing workshop for vegetable gardeners at 11:30; and a dahlia propagation workshop at 1:30. Registration required for these workshops; please visit the BBG website Programs page.
HUNT COUNTRY | May 7 – June 5 Opening reception May 7, 5 – 7 p.m.
BBG is thrilled to present a vibrant, immersive installation by world-renowned artist Hunt Slonem. A feast for the eyes, the maximalist composition brings depth, meditation, and passion to our Leonhardt Galleries. Hunt Country is a presentation of Slonem’s signature paintings of bunnies, butterflies, and orchids, set amongst artistreupholstered furniture and freestanding sculpture. Salon-style compositions of bunnies are arranged atop a cobalt, golden wallpaper, and larger paintings of perched birds adorn the walls.Slonem’s work is in many institutional collections including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. Now it is your opportunity to see these engaging creationsat BBG! Join us for a show and sale of the artist’s work, on display through June 5.
designers with pollinators in mind. Use these lists and site-specific designs to shop during the Plant Sale and enhance your gardens with pollinator-friendly patches. Our featured designers include Deborah Munson, Page Dickey and Robert Reimer. We are excited to encourage the whole community to plant A Garden in Your Arms and invite you to share your progress on social media this summer by tagging BBG and using the hashtag #agardeninyourarms. Our ever-popular “Ask Me” staff and BBG Volunteers will be on hand throughout the sale to provide expert advice. All proceeds from Plant Sale support the Garden’s horticulture and education programs. Members receive early buying privileges and a discount on BBG plant purchases. Free admission and parking.
GUIDED GARDEN TOURS | June 1 – Aug. 31
Tour the Garden led by our Volunteer Guides who provide an overview of the 24-acre Garden, its history and mission. Free with admission, tours leave from the Visitor Center daily at 11 a.m.
GARDEN SPROUTS | May 26, September 29,
October 27
Garden Sprouts, our young learners program for children ages 3-5 and their caregivers, meets 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. to learn about the natural world through hands-on exploration. Free with Garden admission.
Members-only early buying: Friday, May 7, 9 – noon Hours for the general public: Friday, noon – 5 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Curated by BBG’s horticulture staff, this year’s Plant Sale features plants chosen for their ability to attract pollinators and their proven reliability in the Berkshires. You’ll find hundreds of perennials, annuals, and vegetables as well as our signature hanging baskets. This year we are excited to feature A Garden in Your Arms, a new community project in collaboration with Two-Thirds for the Birds. This initiative features plant lists for a variety of garden environments, created by local
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Join us for a magical evening as we stroll Down the Rabbit Hole at the magnificent Searles Castle in Great Barrington, home of renowned artist Hunt Slonem. Tickets limited for this very special event! Visit berkshirebotanical.org for more information.
MUSIC MONDAYS | July 11 – August 29,
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Each week, a band from our local music community will perform in the Garden while our guests stretch out on the tree-shaded lawns. Bring your chairs, blanket, and picnic and enjoy the musical evening along with beer and wine for purchase from Big Elm Brewing. Spontaneous dancing encouraged! Visit berkshirebotanical.org for more information.
FAMILY FRIDAYS | July 29, August 5, 12, 19 and 26, 11 a.m. – noon
Join us starting July 29 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.
SYMBIOSIS — ART/GARDEN GALLERY AND OUTDOOR SCULPTURE OPENING RECEPTION | June 10, 5–7 p.m.
Our curator, renowned art collector Beth Rudin deWoody, brings her exceptional art prowess to BBG for an amazing season. Outdoors, she has curated a sculpture collection created by prominent artists, displayed throughout BBG’s gardens (through October 28). Indoors, visitors are treated to a rotation of three consecutive exhibitions in the Leonhardt Galleries, interpreting our seasonal theme, Symbiosis. See “At-A-Glance” Calendar for individual listings
GARDEN TREASURES FROM OUR FRIENDS: A DAZZLING ONLINE AUCTION | June 22 – July 2 45TH ANNUAL PLANTS AND ANSWERS PLANT SALE | May 6–7
FÊTE DES FLEURS ANNUAL GALA |
Saturday, July 2, 5 – 8 p.m.
Our third annual curated online auction presents an irresistible array of garden-themed and one-of-a-kind experiences and treasures from our patrons’ personal collections.
SYMBIOSIS 2, OPENING RECEPTION | July 29, 5 – 7 p.m.
Opening reception for the second in a series of exhibitions in the Garden’s Center House Leonhardt Galleries. Closing date: September 11.
THE GROW SHOW | August 20 – 21
Backyard gardeners and floral designers focused on the theme of Symbiosis 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. Event includes an expert demonstration of Sogetsu Ikebana floral arranging and an exhibit of selected works. Free with Garden admission.
BERKSHIRE WOODWORKERS GUILD FINE ARTS SHOW | September 3 – 4
BBG proudly hosts the Berkshire Woodworkers Guild where Guild members exhibit and sell unique, hand-made products ranging from furniture to musical instruments. Guild members also provide ongoing demonstrations highlighting their trade and providing an educational component to the weekend event.
The Garden is open daily, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Admission: $18 for adults, $16 for students and seniors (over 60); free admission for Garden members and children 12 and under. EBT cardholders receive free admission through the MASS Cultural Council’s Card to Culture program. Every Tuesday, admission is free for all. To arrange a private group tour, please call ahead.
SPRING/SUMMER 2022
THE GARDEN! SYMBIOSIS 3, OPENING RECEPTION |
September 16, 5 – 7 p.m.
Opening reception for the third in a series of exhibitions in the Garden’s Center House Leonhardt Galleries. Through October 30.
88TH ANNUAL HARVEST FESTIVAL |
October 8-9, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
BBG is thrilled to announce that our legendary Harvest Festival will return after a COVID-induced hiatus, continuing our beloved Berkshire tradition. This major autumnal celebration features continuous entertainment, craft and food vendors, workshops, children’s games, hay rides and more.
THE SEASON AT A GLANCE MAY
1 Roy Boutard Day, opening day of the Garden’s 88th season 6-7 45th annual “Plants and Answers” Plant Sale 7 Opening reception Hunt Country in the Leonhardt Galleries, 5–7 p.m. Exhibition on display through June 5. 28 Food and beverages available Thursdays through Sundays, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. in the Center House through Labor Day
JUNE
10 Symbiosis outdoor sculpture exhibition and first gallery exhibition reception 5–7 p.m. Outdoor exhibition ends October 28. 22 Garden Treasures From Our Friends online auction begins 27 Farm Camp begins
JULY
2 Fête des Fleurs Gala at Searles Castle, 5 - 8 p.m. 11 Music Monday, 5:30–7:30 p.m. Gine Coleman & Misty Blues 18 Music Monday, 5:30–7:30 p.m. Mary Witt & the O-Tones 25 Music Monday, 5:30–7:30 p.m. Performers TBD 29 Family Friday, 11 a.m.–noon: The Amazing Amphibians of the Berkshires 29 Symbiosis 2: Second presentation in the Leonhardt Galleries. Opening reception 5-7 p.m. Exhibition closes September 11.
1 5 8 12 15 19 20-21 22 26 29 AUG
Music Monday, 5:30–7:30 p.m. Zikina Family Friday, 11 a.m.-noon: Nature Matters Music Monday, 5:30–7:30 p.m. The Lucky Five Family Friday, 11 a.m.–noon: Under One Sky – Songs & Stories for the Whole Earth Music Monday, 5:30–7:30 p.m. Union Jack Family Friday 11 a.m.-noon: The Wild World of Reptiles The Grow Show Music Monday, 5:30–7:30 p.m. Performers TBD Family Friday, 11 a.m.–noon: Birds of Prey Music Monday, 5:30–7:30 p.m. Wanda Houston
OCT
16 Symbiosis 3: Third presentation in the Leonhardt Galleries. Opening reception 5–7 p.m. Exhibition closes October 30. 29 Garden Sprouts program, 10:30–11:30 a.m. 8-9 27
Fête des F leur s JULY 2, 2022, 5–8 P.M. AT SEARLES CASTLE GREAT BARRINGTON, MA Thanks to the generosity of our host, Hunt Slonem. A limited number of tickets go on sale April 15. Visit berkshirebotanical.org
Garden Treasures From Our Friends:
A Dazzling Online Auction! LAUNCHES JUNE 22!
COMING UP IN THE FALL! SEPT
SLIP DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE FOR OUR ANNUAL
Harvest Festival Garden Sprouts program, 10:30–11:30 a.m.
BBG is thrilled to present our third annual Garden Treasures From Our Friends — A Dazzling Online Auction. Running June 22 to July 2, our curated auction presents an irresistible array of garden-themed experiences and one-of-a-kind treasures from our patrons’ personal collections. Highlights include a 19th century cast iron urn on stand; a pair of cast concrete lions; concrete toadstools and frogs; garden furniture; a ravishing 19th century copper horse weathervane; 19th century copper lantern; many patinated pots, lovely vases and plenty more! Garden Treasures From Our Friends will be accessible from the BBG website homepage starting June 22nd. Your bids will support BBG’s cultural and educational programming, so do visit berkshirebotanical.org, bid generously, and “win” a fabulous treasure!
T-Shirts Sponsored By:
BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN
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berkshire international film festival june 2-5, 2022
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in person and online
tickets visit biffma.org call 413.528.8030 become a REEL Friend to enjoy year-round events join today at biffma.org
Loveis Wise , Nurture, detail, 2018. Cover illustration for The New Yorker, June 2018. ©2018 Loveis Wise. All rights reserved.
Norman Rockwell, Spirit of Lincoln, poster illustration ©Norman Rockwell Family Agency All rights reserved.
Bascove, The Waves, 1995. Book cover. Norman Rockwell Museum Collection ©Bascove. All rights reserved.
#BIFFsweet16
Always something new to see! BASCOVE: The Time We Spend with Words, March 12 - June 5 The Lincoln Memorial Illustrated, May 7 - September 5 NRM.org 16
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Stockbridge, MA
SPRING/SUMMER 2022
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Imprinted: Illustrating Race, June 11 - October 30
413.298.4100
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KIDS & TEENS FREE!
EDUCATION
APRIL – SEPTEMBER 2022
Education Our Spring/Summer issue is always an exciting one to share. We have the rush of classes from April through June to prepare us for the growing season. They invite us to be better stewards of the land, to look thoughtfully at all the life bursting around us. Then, from July through August, classes shift to savoring summer with field studies and art classes. They allow us to drink in the warmth and life of the summer months.
For more information on classes and events happening at the Garden, visit berkshirebotanical.org. We are a COVID-compliant facility.
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Planting and Stewarding Native Meadows An Intensive One-Day Workshop with Larry Weaner Learn more on page 28.
BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN
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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 The location of onsite classes is subject to change in accordance with state and federal guidelines. 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 in-person and outdoors.
Professional Members Workshop Series: Open to professional members only, this series offers horticultural learning and insights on running a gardening business. To learn more about our professional membership contact Amy Butterworth.
APRIL New England Spring Wildflower Primer Online Wednesdays, April 20 – 27, 4 – 5:30 pm Members: $35/Non-members: $45 This two-part series on wildflowers will present an overview of the native forest flora that bloom in the Berkshires in spring. The first presentation will discuss the flora in the mixed hardwoods, white pine, and hemlock forests that cover so much of Berkshire County. The emphasis of the presentation will be on herbaceous wildflowers, but we will also present some of the trees, shrubs, and ferns that commonly grow in these forest communities. The second presentation will highlight the flora that grows in rich hardwood forests under a canopy of sugar maple, white ash, and basswood. Spring wildflowers are especially abundant and varied in this forest habitat, and the presentation will showcase many of them, in addition to trees, shrubs, and ferns. Led by Ted Elliman.
Planting Perennials the New Wave Way
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In-person Saturday, April 23, 11 am – 12:30 pm Members: $20/Non-members: $25 Naturalistic perennial plantings are all the rage, but adapting them to smaller-scale gardens can be a challenge. Join artist/gardener Robert Clyde Anderson for an illustrated lecture that clarifies the main concepts behind the New Perennial Movement and offers techniques, based on his own experience, for combining three to five compatible perennials that become a living mulch for weed suppression and moisture retention. Specific plant combinations will be discussed as well as how-to planting and staging techniques that Robert has used over several seasons developing a mature wet meadow planting.
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The Dye Garden: Grown and Gathered Online Thursday, April 28, 6 – 7:30 pm Members: $12/Non-members: $18 Join artist, gardener, and educator Nicole Campanale for this onehour online class on dye plants. As we approach the growing season, she invites you to not only add new plants to your garden but also discover how some garden mainstays can be used in new ways. She will cover the cultivation, collection, and storage of dye plants. It’s easy to incorporate so many of these beautiful plants into the home vegetable or flower garden. A great class for those interested in botanical dyes, or gardeners looking to add a dye bed. Sourcing, collection, and storage will be covered as well as the basics of creating a dye bath. A post-event recording will be available.
H This symbol denotes HORTICULTURE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM classes, workshops, and lectures open both to 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.
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Rendering Notes From Nature Online Tuesdays, April 26 – May 10, 1 – 4 pm Member: $125/Non-members: $155 Taking place over three sessions: 4/26, 5/3, and 5/10. Make your own nature note cards. Capture moments of nature in a corner of the garden, a field, or the tides’ edge, and bring your subject to life with pen and color. Follow along with botanical artist Carol Ann Morley as she shows you how to illustrate your images of nature. This fun technique starts with tracing over your photocopies with a micron pen onto translucent paper. Add shading to give depth, then bring it all to life with colored pencil and watercolor. Photo images of nature will be supplied. You may also add your own images, words, and ideas. Come celebrate nature in this fun class, all levels of drawing experience are welcome. A materials list will be provided.
GUIDO’S GB IS GROWING! Come check out our expanding Great Barrington location for MORE local produce, MORE delicious meals, MORE imported treats, & MORE of everything you love about Guido’s.
Rain Gardens: How Plants that Love Wet Feet Can Solve Home Garden Issues Online Tuesday, April 26, 5 – 6:30 pm Members: $12/Non-members: $18 Shop our locally owned Family of Businesses:
Water issues often perplex home gardeners, but many beautiful shrubs and perennials can be part of enduring solutions. The best thrive in boggy conditions and withstand drought, too. Learn how to prevent erosion, capture run-off, and keep pollutants out of streams and rivers in this online course led by gardening speaker, writer, and consultant Chris Ferrero.
Get Growing: School Gardens and Children’s Gardens In-person Saturday, April 30, 11 am – 2 pm Member: $30/Non-members: $45
BELLA FLORA MAZZEO’S MEAT & SEAFOOD THE CHEF’S SHOP
LOCATED ALONG RTE 7 PITTSFIELD & GB @GUIDOSFRESHMARKETPLACE
Get BBG Member Benefits & Earn Garden Rewards Learn More In-store or Online
Gardening is a fun and educational way for children and adults to spend time together. Whether your garden is at work or at home, we’ll help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to create an engaging, beautiful space. In this workshop, we will cover the basics of starting a garden, including how to structure your garden, what to plant, and how to utilize the garden for learning and play. Designed for teachers and caretakers of children, students will receive lesson plans, plant lists, and seedlings to bring home to get gardens started! Led by BBG’s Education Team.
Serving the greater Berkshire area since 1992; providing cross disciplinary expertise in design, horticulture, arboriculture, irrigation and excavation for both residential and commercial clients. Countrysidelandscape.net 413.458.5586
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Ward’s Nursery & Garden Center - Open 8-5 600 Main - Great Barrington
413-528-0166
WardsNursery.com
BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN
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The Perfect Chicken Caesar Salad from Scratch In-person Saturday, April 30, 2 – 5 pm Members: $45/Non-members: $55 Join chef/educator team Steve and Julie Browing of the Prairie Whale in Great Barrington, MA, for this seasonal cooking class that can be adapted into a year-round staple. With seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, learn how to properly roast a whole chicken either as a main part of your meal, or to use throughout your week for other recipes. We will also teach how to make delicious croutons as well as homemade caesar dressing with a lesson on emulsifying culminating in a caesar salad for everyone to enjoy. The class will also show ways that you can make other weekday meals out of the basics that go into a caesar salad.
M AY Direct Sowing for Vegetable Gardeners In-Person Sunday, May 1, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm BBG Members: Free/Non-Members: $10 It is never too late to start your garden. Many vegetables can be easily direct-sown into the garden and, indeed, even benefit from not experiencing transplant shock as young seedlings. This onehour course led by Lee Buttala will cover crop selection, basic site preparation, best practices for sowing and ongoing care, for those of us who did not manage to get out into the garden as early in the season as we had hoped.
Spring into the Garden! In-person Sunday, May 1, noon – 1 pm Members/Non-members: Free Children are invited to attend a workshop designed especially for younger visitors. Participants will become acquainted with some of the animals that live at the garden, and learn about their roles in our ecosystem and gardens. Get ready for fun, hands-on activities as we welcome spring!
Propagating Dahlias Through Cuttings In-person Sunday, May 1, 1:30 – 2:30 pm BBG Members: Free/Non-Members: $10 Join Director of Horticulture Eric Ruquist who will discuss how to grow and propagate dahlias. He will demonstrate how to increase your collection of this popular garden plant through seed, division, and by cuttings.
Botanically Infused Spring Craft Cocktails Online Monday, May 2, 5:30 – 6:30 pm BBG Members: $15/Non-members: $25 Join BBG and Billy Jack Paul from Mooncloud for a “Leap Into Spring” Cocktail Class & Soiree. Tune in to a fun and enlightening Zoom Cocktail Class where we will journey into the mind of mixologist/ bartender Billy Jack Paul and explore some of his delicious concoctions. Join the fun and mix delicious, original Cocktails with the owner of MoonCloud Cocktail Bar & Restaurant. Swing by MoonCloud to pick up your cocktail bar kit, which will include a series of MoonCloud’s specialty infusions and macerations incorporated in our original cocktails. Included in your bar kit ($35): Mooncloud Ginger Cordial, Coffee & Clove infused Rouge Vermouth, Billy Jack’s Honey Gentian Liqueur, Chili & Coffee infused Bitters, and other delicious specialty elixirs for the finest cocktail experience.
A Beginners’ Guide to Vegetable Gardening Online Friday, May 6, 6 – 7:30 pm BBG Members: $5/Non-members: $10 For those new to growing their own vegetables, this online course will present the basics of growing a vegetable and herb garden. Soil preparation, transplanting, direct sowing, and harvest all will be covered. Students will receive resources and knowledge they can use for years to come. Recording available to registered participants. Led by Bridgette Stone, Director of Education at Berkshire Botanical Garden.
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Beginner Botanical Watercolors and Mimosas for Mother’s Day In-person Sunday, May 8, 10 am – 3 pm Members: $95/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. It will give you an introduction to sketching and painting botanicals with watercolors. Start the morning exploring art exercises to loosen up, have fun, and build the skills you need. After lunch, begin creating a work of art to bring home! No previous experience is necessary. All materials will be provided for your use during the class. Scholarships are available for all classes. Bring your own bagged lunch. Led by artist Cheryl Moore.
Workhorse Plants and Design Tips for Time-Pressed and Maturing Gardeners Online Wednesday, May 11, 5 – 6:30 pm Members: $15/Non-members: $20 Job demands, kids, hectic schedules, aging bodies, and changing interests have led to gardens that are not in balance with our lifestyle. This inspiring lecture provides easy-tofollow, right-sizing strategies; recommended no-fuss plant material; and design tips for stunning, year-round gardens that will be as close to “autopilot” as you can get. This lecture is based onThe Right-Size Flower Garden, by Kerry Ann Mendez.
Mastering your Smartphone for Garden Photography In-person Saturday, May 14, 10 am – 1 pm Members: $30/Non-members: $35 Current smartphones and tablets offer simpleto-use, dynamic, professional-level camera systems. Learn about the basics of your device’s camera functions and how to compose better images of your garden and landscapes. Taught by highly experienced instructor and professional photographer Thad Kubis, (tbkphotos. com), this class will provide a hands-on, application-based introduction to composition, editing, posting, sharing, archiving, and more! The three-hour session will be especially targeted to garden, floral, and landscape photography. Class begins with an overview of smartphone camera systems and functionality, followed by applications and practice. Suitable for users of iPhone models 6 to 13, similar Android models and tablets. Participants will receive Thad’s guide to smartphone photography. Bring your fully charged devices to learn more about their functions and expand your photography skill set.
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GRANT LARKIN INTERIORS LIGHTING FURNITURE 414-698-2599 GRANTLARKIN.COM
BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN
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Botanical Cyanotypes on Fabric
Introduction to Natural Wines
In-person Saturday, May 14, 1 – 4 pm Members: $50/Non-members: $60
In-person Thursday, May 19, 6 – 7 pm Members: $48/Non-members: $58
Coating fabric with cyanotype solution can be exciting, but also tricky! In this workshop, we will begin with a brief demonstration of cyanotype printing on paper. This will be followed with a demonstration of applying a solution to fabric. Participants will then practice on fabric test strips, and observe the process of exposing and rinsing pieces of fabric that have been previously coated and dried. A discussion of fabric care will follow. Each participant will then compose, expose, and rinse their fabric items. Students will bring home their own cyanotype tote bag. Led by Madge Evers.
Golden Hour in the Garden: Horticulture Walks with Eric Ruquist In-person Tuesdays, May 17, June 21, and July 19, 5:30 – 7 pm Members: $15/Non-members: $20 Each month join BBG Director of Horticulture Eric Ruquist for a golden hour tour of the Garden. Each tour will feature a different seasonal topic, highlighting areas of specific interest in the Garden. Topics will vary depending on the season. They may include native plants, trees, shrubs, interesting annuals, and favorite perennials. With over 30 years of experience, Eric will offer horticultural knowledge and design insights in real-time. Join us for this unique opportunity to get an intimate look at the Garden during one of the most beautiful times of the day.
Jumping Worms in Field and Forest Online Wednesday, May 18, 5 – 6 pm Members: $12/Non-members: $18 Earthworms have long been hailed as a friend of the gardener, but nearly all earthworms in New England are introduced from Europe and Asia. While some species of earthworms are beneficial, the introduction of invasive earthworms has caused major shifts in North American plant communities. Jumping worms, alternatively known as pheretimoid earthworms, crazy worms, snake worms and Alabama jumpers, are an emerging conservation threat to a broad suite of native taxa, habitats, industries, hobbies, and vital ecosystem services. These earthworms in the family Megascolecidae originate in Asia, while the more widespread European species are in the family Lumbricidae. Jumping worms dramatically alter the structure and chemistry of the soil and can damage lawns, landscapes and forest habitat. This talk, led by Dr. Annise Dobson, will explore the impacts and invasion history of earthworms and provide information on identification of jumping worms. A recording will be available for registered participants.
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In recent years, the natural wine movement has produced a new wave of environmentally friendly, low-additive wines that celebrate nature, simplicity, and deliciousness! During this workshop, led by Benjamin and Mary Daire, of Dare Bottleshop & Provisions, you’ll learn about the different forms of virtuous viticulture, from organic to biodynamic and natural wines. We will also discuss why some dismiss natural wine producers as charlatans who willfully break rules to sell crazy wine. And why others champion them as creating the simplest and purest expression of what wine can be. Taste three different natural wines and explore such topics as: • What is natural wine? • What about the mysterious and, at times, bizarre world of biodynamic viticulture? How is it similar to, and different from, organic farming? • Do sulfites cause headaches? • How did natural wine become so trendy? • All the talk about “natural wine” is centered around topics like sulfites and yeast, but what about the wider-reaching conversations around sustainability and injustice? Where does natural wine crossover into those topics? • Is natural wine a style of wine, or more a spirit or ethos? • Should I drink it?
New England Plant Communities
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Hybrid Thursday, May 19, 5 – 6:30 pm (online lecture) Saturday, May 21, 10 am – 3 pm (field study) Full Course: Members: $80/Non-members: $100 Lecture only: Members: $15/Non-members: $20 This hybrid course features an online lecture on Thursday, May 19, and in-person field study Saturday, May 21. 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, for a close look at the flora and features of each. Ted will also discuss the impacts of invasive species and possible changes to natural communities in response to climate change. Please dress for the weather, wear comfortable shoes (we will be walking nearly the entire day) and bring a bagged lunch, if attending the Saturday field study.
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Focusing on DSLR Photography in the Garden In-person Saturday May, 21, 10 am – 1 pm Members: $35/Non-members: $40 Gardens and landscapes offer multiple fertile photographic opportunities for knowledgeable users of traditional camera systems. After an overview of basic systems and functions, this class will address a range of photographic techniques, including close-up, depth of field, lighting, scenes, pre-sets, landscape, and image composition. Following demonstrations by our highly experienced instructor and professional photographer Thad Kubis, (tbkphotos.com), participants will practice their new skills in specific situations in our garden. Thad will be roaming the garden to answer questions and provide continuing guidance. This hands-on session will conclude with a review and discussion of some of the day’s actual images. Participants will receive Thad’s guide to digital photography. All should bring their fully charged devices, traditional or DSLR cameras for the photo session. Use of tripods is optional but will be covered.
Cheese Making for Everyone! In-person Saturday, May 21, 10 am – 1 pm Members: $65/Non-members: $69 Learn the basics of cheesemaking using what you have in your kitchen. In this class, participants will learn the hands-on process of making ricotta, paneer, and caso rexo (buttermilk farmer’s cheese). We will go through the processes of culturing (using buttermilk), setting the curd, cutting the curd, cooking the curd, and draining and salting to produce squeaky cheese curds. Presented by motherdaughter team Jean and Linnea Koons,
Garden Fit In-person Saturday May 21, 2 – 3:30 pm Members: $15/Non-members: $20 Join Madeline Hooper and Jeff Hughes of the PBS GardenFit TV series for a fun and informative workshop about how to take care of your body while taking care of your garden. Jeff will share his common sense fitness approach to help gardeners develop techniques and habits that alleviate and prevent their aches and pains from gardening. Madeline will give an inside scoop on some of the amazing gardens and gardeners featured in the 13 episodes highlighting the variety of garden styles, tips and techniques they have developed.
Deer Defense: How to Co-exist with the Wiliest of Wildlife Online Wednesday, May 25, 5 – 6:30 pm Members: $12/Non-members: $18 There are lots of ways to garden without sacrificing all of your hard work to marauding deer. Join Chris Ferrero as we will explore Cornell research-proven methods in three categories: barriers, repellents, and alternative landscape choices, providing ideas for best-odds, deer-resistant landscape plants. Recordings will be available for registered participants.
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BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN
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CREATING BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES
est
1998
design • installation • maintenance churchillgardens.com
413 448 2215
energetic landscaping, inc. expert design, construction & year-round maintenance
The Northeast Native Plant Primer with Uli Lorimer, Director of the Native Plant Trust Co-sponsored by the Academy Garden Club of Lenox In-person Friday, May 27, 5 – 7 pm Members: $25/Non-members: $29 Native Plant Trust and Horticulture Director Uli Lorimer are excited to announce his new book, The Northeast Native Plant Primer — 235 Plants for an Earth-Friendly Garden (Timber Press). This book is about the native plants of the Northeast, a region of spectacular diversity and varied habitats. His book provides a roadmap to include native plants in your garden, whether you are new to gardening or a seasoned professional. For those who care about the natural world, the decision to plant natives in the garden is one of the most impactful and important choices we can make. With so much under threat from a changing climate, invasive species, habitat loss and fragmentation, and declining numbers of birds and insects, planting natives in your garden shows that you are trying to make a difference. Native plants have the power to heal our landscapes, welcome wildlife into our gardens, and inspire us. Enter into a new partnership, as your garden provides a bridge between us and the wonders of the natural world.
Offsite Field Study: Tree Peonies in Bloom with Dan Furman at Cricket Hill Nursery In-person/Off-site Saturday, May 28, 1 – 3 pm Members: $38/Non-members: $45
Bringing the natural beauty of the Berkshires to homes and offices since 1979.
Join Dan Furman, a second generation peony grower, for a tour of Cricket Hill Garden in Thomaston, CT, where his family has been growing and selling peonies for over 30 years. Dan will lead participants through production and nursery areas, sharing his vast knowledge about the history and culture of peonies along the way. Our tour will occur at the peak season for tree peony blooms. Dan will be on hand to provide advice to anyone interested in purchasing specimens to bring home. A rare opportunity to learn directly from one of the nation’s premier peony growers.
(413) 442-4873 energeticlandscaping.com 24
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JUNE Gardening for Baby Boomers: 10 Ways to Garden Smarter as We Get Older Online Saturday, June 11, 10 – 11:30 am Members: $12/Non-members: $18 Even dedicated gardeners wonder how long they can maintain the perennial borders, foundation plots and vegetable gardens they created over the years. We can reshape our garden design, types of plants we use, the process itself and our attitudes too! Led by Chris Ferrero, a gardening speaker, writer, and consultant.
Fireflies in the Meadow In-person Thursday, June 23, 8 – 9:30pm Members: $15/Non-members: $19 Explore the magic of fireflies with Mass Audubon. Learn about fireflies and how best to view or gently catch and release these mystical glowing lights of summer! We’ll take an evening walk in the meadows for firefly viewing while keeping our eyes open for the stars, planets, and twilight birds and mammals!
Shades of Summer in Natural Wines In-person Thursday, June 16, 6 – 7 pm Members: $39/Non-members: $49 This wine workshop will explore refreshing wines in not-so-typical styles from not-sotypical grape varietals...because as much as we all love pale, Provençal-style rosé when the temperatures rise, summer is a great season to explore textured whites, darker-hued rosés, and chillable reds! Summertime is so fleeting in the Berkshires, we want to help you savor this magical season (with all that there is to see and do) with some thirst-quenching wines. We will also reveal our favorite summertime wines, along with some extra special bottles for those special evenings. Bring a curious (and thirsty) palate and explore the world of wine with us! Led by Benjamin and Mary Daire of Dare Bottleshop & Provisions in Lenox, MA.
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
Terrariums with the Plant Connector In-person Saturday June 18, 10 am – 12pm Members: $55/Non-member: $65 This communal workshop led by Emilee Yawn, co-founder of the Plant Connector, teaches you the basics of terrarium-making as you create your own miniature, symbiotic world inside glass. We’ll provide all the fixins, including 8” glass vessels, potting soil, moss, and plants to bring your world to life. We’ll also teach you the proper care of your terrarium and tricks to keep it thriving.
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Herbs for Lyme Disease Online Tuesday, June 21, 5 – 6 pm Members: $10/Non-members: $15
Serving the Berkshires since 1981
Herbalist and wellness coach Hannah Jacobson-Hardy will share a botanical approach to the prevention and treatment of Lyme disease, using herbal remedies made from local plants. Wellness protocols with specific herbs will be discussed, along with recipes and information on sourcing remedies. Students will receive a coupon code for free shipping at the Sweet Birch Herbals online shop.
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J U LY Plein Air Painting: The Garden in Watercolor In-person Wednesdays, July 6 – 27, 10 am – 1 pm Members: $225/Non-members: $265 Join us for four plein air sessions. Explore the garden through the pleasure of watercolor painting with artist Ann Kremers. Students will learn about composing space, using color, and expressing light through demonstrations and assignments offered at the beginning of each class. We will then move outdoors to practice seeing and painting the beauty of the garden. Ann will offer individual encouragement and suggestions throughout the painting sessions. Beginning and experienced painters are welcome. Classes will be held rain or shine; the Center House and its porch provide a lovely waterproof venue. Materials list available upon registration.
Field Study: The Wilds of Church House In-person/Offsite Friday July 8, 10 am – 12 pm Members: $45/Non-members: $55 Join us as we explore the gardens of Church House in northwestern Connecticut with acclaimed gardener and writer Page Dickey. While Church House is encircled by flower gardens, our visit will focus on how Page has worked to integrate these gardens into the wilder parts of the landscape she stewards. Page says, “We are fortunate to have some native grasses and forbs in both the front and back meadow. Little Bluestem seems to love our sandy, poor soil, and as I pull competing invasives like spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe), I am rewarded to see little bluestem spreading more each year. We are graced with stretches of bergamot and asclepias, and black-eyed Susans weave through fleabane and the delicate Lobelia spicata. Our high, rocky, oak-littered woods are decorated with our native columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) in May and the blue Campanula rotundifolia in summer, among a wealth of natives that thrive in limestone. Paths we’ve made in the low rich woods lead to a boardwalk through a fen, a calcareous wetland, full of eupatoriums and asters. It is a thrill to have these various habitats that are a haven for birds and butterflies as well as us!” Join us for this unique and intimate opportunity to explore one of the well-loved gardens in our region, documented in Page’s book Uprooted. Scholarships are always available.
Behind-the-scenes tour of Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, MA, and nearby Brigham Hill Farm In-person/Off-site Friday, July 22, 10 am – 4 pm Members: $65/Non-members: $75 Join Berkshire Botanical Garden for a behind-the-scenes tour of the stunning Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, MA, and nearby Brigham Hill Farm. The Worcester County Horticultural Society was incorporated in 1842 as a non-profit educational organization for the purpose of advancing the science of horticulture and encouraging and improving its practice. As the third oldest active horticultural society in the United States, the Society offered flower shows and educational programs in downtown Worcester for more than 150 years. In 1986, the Society purchased Tower Hill Farm to develop as a botanic garden where the ideals of the organization could be put into practice for the community. With 18 distinct gardens on 171 acres, much of it preserved as woodland and open space, Tower Hill is dedicated to the cultivation and display of some of the most exquisite plants in the world. Explore the many gardens, each with its own unique character. The shade garden tucked into the forest, the garden of inspiration built to guide your design practice, the new ramble garden designed for play and youth, and so much more will excite any plant and garden design enthusiast. Brigham Hill Farm is taken care of by Shirley and Peter Williams in North Grafton, MA. Purchased in 1975, the grounds surround a beautiful, 225-year-old colonial house and barn. The first 13 years Shirley and Peter spent dealing with the ailments of an old house and in the rebuilding of old stone walls on the property. After all this work was finished, the gardens were planned and planted one by one. With much of the gardens designed by Warren Leach, the property boasts a woodland water garden, herb and vegetable gardens, perennial beds, terraces and a swimming pool for entertaining, and the joys of a homesteading garden with a hen house and raised beds. Brigham Hill Farm has been a multiyear project sure to capture your imagination. Please note participants are responsible for their own travel and lunch.
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Bats of the Berkshires with Mass Audubon In-person Tuesday, July 19, 7 – 9 pm Members: $15/Non-members: $19
AU GU ST
Join Mass Audubon for an exciting journey into the world of our incredible flying mammals. We will explore bat hibernation, identification, and the challenges they face on a conservation level. Beginning with a slideshow and discussion about bats, we will watch the evening wind down and try to capture the exciting moments when the bats come out to feed.
Field Study: Digging Deeper at Twin Maples In-person/Offsite Friday, July 29 10 am – 1 pm Members: $45/Non-members: $65 Come dig deep at Twin Maples where we will discuss the dynamics of ecological land care with a focus on woodland edges, shade gardens, and meadows. Based on 22 years of observations and stewardship on this property, horticulturist Deborah Munson will share insights on using native plants as living mulch; mowing and strimming techniques; and the encouragement of self-sowing native species to both reach and manage your desired results. Visit the formal gardens as an added bonus.
Plein Air Painting: The Garden in Watercolor In-person Wednesdays, August 3 – 24, 10 am – 1 pm Members: $225/Non-members: $265 Join us for four plein air sessions on 8/3, 8/10, 8/17, and 8/24. Explore the garden through the pleasure of watercolor painting with artist Ann Kremers. Students will learn about composing space, using color, and expressing light through demonstrations and assignments offered at the beginning of each class. Class will then move outdoors to practice seeing and painting the beauty of the garden. Ann will offer individual encouragement and suggestions throughout the painting sessions. Beginning and experienced painters are welcome. Classes held rain or shine. The Center House and its porch provide a lovely waterproof venue.
Wetland Flora
Nighthawks with Mass Audubon
In-person/Offsite Saturday July 30, 10 am – 3:30 pm Members: $55/Non-members: $65
In-person Friday, August 19, 5:30 – 7:30 pm Members: $15/Non-members $19
The class led by Ted Elliman will explore and identify the plants that grow in marsh, swamp, and wet meadow communities in Berkshire County. The class will begin with a PowerPoint presenting an overview of the Berkshires’ variety of wetlands and the plants that inhabit each one, followed by a full afternoon investigating wetland habitats and identifying plants in the field. Mid-summer is an ideal time for observing wetland flora!
Spend a beautiful evening at Berkshire Botanical Garden with Mass Audubon and enjoy the spectacle that is nighthawk migration. We will begin with a slideshow presentation on bird migration and common nighthawks, followed by a relaxing evening of watching nighthawks make their way from the Northeast to South America. Be sure to bring a folding chair to make the waiting for these amazing birds comfortable. Binoculars and snacks could also be helpful additions.
Studies in Watercolor In-person Wednesdays, August 31 – September 14, 10 am - 1 pm Members: $170 /Non-members: $195
Come play in the Berkshires!
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Join us for three classes on 8/31, 9/7, and 9/14. During this class, we will return to the same area of the garden each week, giving students the opportunity to complete a single painting over time or develop a theme through several paintings of a single subject or related subjects. Artist Ann Kremers will guide students through compositional sketches, value studies, and the possibilities of developing a subject with long study, and she will offer individual encouragement and suggestions throughout the sessions. Beginning and experienced painters are welcome. Classes held rain or shine, exploring further areas of development in the Center House if necessary. Materials list provided upon registration. BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN
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SEPTEMBER
Planting and Stewarding Native Meadows: An Intensive One-Day Workshop with Larry Weaner In-person Saturday, September 17, 10 am – 4 pm Members: $165/Non-members: $185 Demand for native meadows, particularly as an alternative to lawn, is dramatically increasing. That said, few planting types are more misunderstood. Many failures result from inadequate planning and management; as well as the use of plants that are poorly adapted to the site and unable to survive in a highly competitive meadow environment. Far better results can be obtained when the plants and processes used reflect the ecological character of our native meadow communities. More than one-year wonders, meadows modeled on these ecosystems can provide long-term, easily managed landscapes that harbor a myriad of wildlife and provide color and texture throughout the year. The program will begin with Landscape Designer Larry Weaner discussing the design, implementation, and management of native meadows on a variety of scales and in residential and public settings. The remainder of the day will include viewing on-property meadows including a meadow-in-progress and an area with high potential for a future meadow planting.
Session 1 | Ecological Principles in Meadow Design While meadows are in high demand, effective protocols for designing and implementing them are in short supply. This session will delve into the nitty-gritty of meadow design: site analysis, species selection, seed mix formulation, live plant inclusion, planting and management. The inclusion of shrub thickets and drifts will also be covered, including the arrangement of clonal vs. clump forming species, and the use of shrublands as ecological and visual “connective tissue” between meadow and woods.
Session 2 | Field Visit: Observation & Exploration Through an exploration of the Berkshire Botanical Garden landscape, this session will examine how the principles presented in the introductory presentation play out in various types of meadows.
Session 3 | Meadows on the Garden Scale Meadow-like plantings need not exclusively be consigned to large open spaces like pastures, abandoned fields, and mowed turf areas. In this session, Larry will illustrate how the meadow establishment techniques described in the earlier sessions can be altered to create refined meadow gardens on the small scale. Alterations to plant selection and arrangement, planting procedures, and management techniques will be covered.
Identifying Invasive Plants in the Landscape
Seasonal Cooking Surprise
In-person/Offsite Saturday, September 24, 10 am – 3:30 pm Members: $55/Non-members: $65
In-person Saturday, September 24, 2 – 5 pm Members: $50/Non-members $60
This class will focus on the identification features, ecological impacts, and population trends of many of the invasive trees, shrubs, vines, and herbaceous plants that grow in forests, fields, and wetlands in Berkshire County. The class will include a morning PowerPoint presentation and an afternoon in the field investigating invasives in a variety of habitats. We will look at both widespread and less common species of invasives. Led by Ted Elliman.
Join chef/educator team Steve and Julie Browning for this fun and collaborative cooking lesson. At the start of the class, we will open up a basket full of secret seasonal ingredients and then, as a class, discuss and plan a dinner recipe out of the ingredients that we will enjoy at the end of the class. Using mystery ingredients, we will discuss the potential dishes and how they could all come together. Drawing on years of building menus from a chef’s perspective, the lesson will reveal how to use farmers market ingredients in different ways.
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HORTICULTURE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM 2022-2023 The Horticulture Certificate Program is a non-credit, adult enrichment program designed for the professional, aspiring professional, or serious home gardener. Students can choose either to take classes towards receiving a certificate, or audit individual classes of interest. Staffed by seasoned and practicing horticulturists and landscape designers, these in-depth classes provide a strong foundation for all horticultural pursuits — whether one is exploring or advancing career goals or simply acquiring or expanding their knowledge, skills and enjoyment of gardening. Classes include lectures, hands-on workshops and field trips. Through seven core courses, Level I students learn material that’s essential for a foundation in good gardening practices, and the courses are sequentially designed beginning in September and progressing through April.
Core Curriculum: Herbaceous Plants Tuesdays 9/6–9/27 Understanding Woody Plants Tuesdays 10/4–10/25 Soil Health and Structure Tuesdays 11/1–11/22 Plant Health Care Tuesdays 11/27–12/20 Plant Propagation Saturday and Sunday 1/7–1/8 Sustainable Garden Care and Maintenance Tuesdays 1/17–2/21 Landscape Design I Tuesdays 3/14–4/18
Join us for Garden Sprouts! The third Thursday of each month from 10 – 11:30 am Free to members or with adult admission Garden sprouts is a hands-on learning program for toddlers and their caregivers. Garden Sprouts Help care for the garden and learn about the natural world through handson exploration. Flowers, planting, insects, and observation are just a few of the themes they will investigate. Sessions include activities such as crafts, stories, scavenger hunts, and nature walks designed to introduce young children to the wonders of nature in a fun and welcoming environment!
Upon completing the Level 1 Horticulture Certificate Program, students can work towards additional Advanced Certificates in the following areas: n Advanced Horticulture n Landscape Design n Sustainable Land Stewardship n Native Plant Landscapes Registration for this program will begin July 1.
Learn more at berkshirebotanical.org
The Garden Conservancy
Open O pen Days 2022 The Garden of 1391 Barnum Street, located in Sheffield, MA
Visit America’s most interesting, creative, and inspiring private gardens through Garden Conservancy Open Days.
Travel with BBG! Join BBG’s staff as we resume travel to the most extraordinary gardens in the U.S. and around the globe! Coordinated by the exceptional staff at Classical Excursions, our trips are led by horticultural-savvy guides who plan unforgettable itineraries that include both well-known and private gardens in their region. Our 2023 travels include Japan (Spring) and the Netherlands (Fall).
Our 2022 season includes many exciting garden-visiting opportunities, Digging Deeper programs, and other educational offerings in Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts.
See you in the gardens! Open Days is a program of the Garden Conservancy, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve, share, and celebrate America’s gardens and diverse gardening traditions for the education and inspiration of the public.
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B E R K S H I R E B O TA N I C A L G A R D E N P E R E N N I A L S O C I E T Y
“BBG helped Ian and me take our first baby steps on the road to becoming gardeners, and we’d like to help ensure that it can continue to do that for our grandchildren’s generation. Gardens are for ever,” says Madeline Hooper. Ian adds: “I’ve always been touched by the thought that has been ascribed to various authors dating from the Greeks, that ‘the true meaning of life is to plant a tree under whose shade you do not expect to sit.’ Many of the creators of the great gardens we visit today never saw them in the splendid condition that we do. They saw beyond the confines of their own lifetimes to the beauty that would evolve and the pleasure it would give to future visitors.” Madeline’s and Ian’s comments go to the heart of the inspiration for the Perennial Society. Thanks to sentiments like theirs, the Perennial Society has made a significant contribution to the growth and sustainability of today’s Berkshire Botanical Garden.
Join Madeline and Ian Hooper in supporting the future of the Garden by including BBG in your estate plans or other planned giving through the Perennial Society.
If you would like to find out more about joining BBG’s Perennial Society, please contact Thaddeus Thompson, Executive Director at (413) 320-4772 or tthompson@berkshirebotanical.org for a confidential conversation.
GREAT ART INSIDE. SPECTACULAR NATURE OUTSIDE.
WILLIAMSTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS CLARKART.EDU
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AROUND THE GARDEN
Communications Director Robin Parow Retires Our gentle and generous, multi-talented and deeply connected marketing pro, Robin Parow, messenger of all good tidings at Berkshire Botanical Garden, began her wellearned retirement on April 1st.
A recent song of hers is called “Slow, Slow, Slow.” It’s a “love song/retirement song,” she said. The lyrics, in part, are: Looked up at the sky. Looked down at the ground below me. No need to reply. No more demands upon me.
Starting in 2010, Robin was BBG’s first communications director, charged with building a department and leading it through a period marked by strong growth in membership, educational initiatives, cultural events, and community outreach. “Robin is especially thoughtful,” said Board of Trustees vice-chair Madeline Hooper. “She brings an open mind, creativity and an abundance of can-do energy to everything she does. The result is, she’s been a wonderful asset to BBG’s growth and reputation. Over the years, I have looked forward to working with her, and I have always learned so much from her. I appreciate the relationships she has developed with media and influencers in our garden world. We all will miss her smile.” A native of New York’s Dutchess County, Robin was co-owner of an orchid nursery, and working as a public relations director for the New York Botanical Garden’s Cary Arboretum (now the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies) in Millbrook, when she first stepped foot on the grounds of BBG in the late 1970s. “I was interested in all things garden,” she said, “and I had heard about BBG and decided to go visit. I remember being struck by its lovely charm and knowing I wanted to come back again someday.” That someday came in 2010, when she stepped back onto the grounds for a job interview. By that time, she had worked for 13 years as a therapeutic riding instructor. It was a student of hers who told her about BBG’s search for a communications director. Robin recalled that she immediately felt at ease when she entered BBG’s Visitor’s Center for her interview. Among the first things she noticed was a pretty plant – white, with a blush of pink, in full bloom. It was a Phalaenopsis orchid, like she used to grow. “I took note,” she said with a laugh. Robin worked at BBG from 2010 through 2012
You’ve got me now, you beautiful bird. I’m with you now, you have my word. And we’re going to go slow, slow, slow. You’re my best, best beau. Here we go into a beautiful dream.
“And that’s the thing about the Garden. There’s always the opportunity to observe something new. There’s always a sense of exploration there. It’s a growing, living thing.” and again from 2017 through this March. “In addition to working with everyone there at the Garden, some of my most wonderful memories are from before or after hours, when I would walk through the Garden to photograph. One image comes to mind from early on a September morning. The herb garden had this mist rising off from it. It became this idyllic, quintessential BBG photo. “And that’s the thing about the Garden,” she said. “There’s always the opportunity to observe something new. There’s always a sense of exploration there. It’s a growing, living thing.” Robin, who has a 33-year-old daughter named Aubrey, will continue to help BBG for the next year in a part-time capacity from her adopted hometown of Palm Bay, FL, where she plans to spend a good portion of her free time continuing to craft her skills as a musician, singer and songwriter.
Cuttings For advertising opportunities, please call 413-298-3926.
She and her boyfriend, fellow musician Jeff Dalton, are recording songs she’s written over a span of 45 years. BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN
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Welcome, Shaun Colon! The BBG family warmly welcomes Shaun Colon as the Manager of Facilities and Operations. Originally from New York City, Shaun and his family moved “down the street” from the Garden when he was a child, and he soon began biking over to BBG to experience nature first-hand. “Leaving behind the cement world of the City was a big deal for me,” he said, “I’d go over to the Garden whenever I could.” He clearly remembers his first encounter with hay, which he’d never seen before, at BBG’s Harvest Festival soon after his arrival in the Berkshires as an eight year-old. “Do we still have the hay jump at the Harvest Festival? I’d like to do it again,” he laughed. Shaun loves “gardening and growing.” He worked as a landscaper in Bellingham, WA, a coastal city near the Canadian border, and after returning to the Berkshires in 2021, worked for landscape designer Jenna O’Brien, owner of Viridissima Horticulture and Design and good friend of BBG. When our Facilities and Operations position opened, she recognized the opportunity for Shaun and recommended him for the job. A self-proclaimed geek, Shaun is a homebody who grows his own food, enjoys reading and listening to books. His Pittsfield apartment contains an “urban” garden where containers flourish with microgreens and mushrooms, a testament to his healthy lifestyle. Shaun brings notable energy and enthusiasm to the Garden, and already feels right at home here. “I’m looking forward to keeping the Garden looking its best,” he said, “I love the property.” If you see Shaun when visiting the Garden, please stop and say hello — he’s sure to give a big smile and make your day!
Felix Carroll Named BBG’s Director of Marketing Communications Felix Carroll, a writer, photojournalist and Berkshire resident, has been named BBG’s new Director of Marketing Communications. His appointment began April 1st. Felix brings to the Garden a wealth of experience as a writer and photojournalist for publications including The Berkshire Eagle, Berkshire Magazine, Cape Cod Times, Boston Globe, and Albany Times-Union. Most recently, he served as a general assignment reporter for The Berkshire Eagle. During his term as Editor-in-Chief for The Record-Review, a weekly newspaper in New York, the publication was named Best Community Newspaper in the state three times by the New York Press Association and Felix was named Writer of the Year twice. Other awards include First Place in feature writing by the New England Press Association. As Executive Editor for the Marians of the Immaculate Conception in Stockbridge, Felix oversaw the editorial and communications efforts, serving an Association membership of more than 1.4 million people, a social media platform with more than three million followers, and a donor list exceeding 230,000 people. “We are delighted to welcome Felix Carroll to the Garden,” said Interim Executive Director Thaddeus Thompson. “His talents and skills are a great match for BBG and he is passionate about helping to share the mission of the Garden with the broader community. The entire BBG staff and board warmly welcome Felix to the Garden, and look forward to getting to know him.” A native of Scituate, Mass., and a Berkshire resident since 2000, Felix lives in Housatonic with his wife, Cara. Their son, Henry, is a freshman at the College of Charleston. Felix is a lifelong gardener, and he continues to serve as a firefighter/first responder on the Monterey Fire Company. He succeeds former Director of Marketing Communications Robin Parow, who established the Garden’s first Communications Department and served in that position from 20102012 and from 2017 until her retirement on March 31.
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Berkshire Woodworkers Guild Fine Woodwork Show & Silent Auction Returns to the Garden On September 3 and 4, (Labor Day weekend) BBG will once again proudly host the Berkshire Woodworkers Guild Fine Arts Show and Silent Auction, when Guild members exhibit and sell unique, handmade products ranging from furniture to musical instruments. The Guild will provide demonstrations, adding an educational component to the weekend event, which runs from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. both days. The show features designs by professional woodworkers from the Berkshires and neighboring towns throughout New York and Connecticut. A highlight of the weekend is a silent auction to benefit the Berkshire Woodworkers Guild Scholarship Fund, which supports individuals who aspire to make woodworking, architecture, or a related field their professional goal. Since 2013, the Guild has awarded $39,500 in scholarship monies to 29 recipients. Throughout the weekend, BWG members will demonstrate various woodworking techniques including turning, sharpening techniques, riving and finials turning. For more information, visit berkshirewoodworkers.org.
SUNSET YOGA IN THE GARDEN Thursdays, 5:15 – 6:15 pm June - September 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 through September 30, 5:15 – 6:15 p.m., and are led by Kathi Cafiero, a Kripalu-certified yoga instructor who has been teaching the physical and mental benefits of yoga for over 20 years. Classes are held on the great lawn. Please bring your own mat. No bathroom facilities are available. Classes will be canceled for inclement weather. No registration required.
Welcome Interns! An ecological landscape company
We are delighted to welcome three talented students into our summer college internship program: Naomi Fuson from UC Berkeley, Sam Fuss from Connecticut College, and Noah Schultz from Iowa State University. 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.
Landscape Design & Construction | Stonework | Fine Gardening Organic Lawn Care | Food Systems | Natives & Restoration
We are grateful to the Marcia Brady Tucker Foundation for its continued support of this program, as well as to Frank and Mary Watson
natureworkslandc are.com | 413-325-11 0 1 BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN
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YOUTH EDUCATION
Youth Education Grows! By Virginia Caponera, BBG Educator
Middle schoolers in Pittsfield have been getting hands-on experience in their school gardens through BBG’s after-school programs. At Herberg and Reid Middle Schools, students are offered a Farm in the Garden program with BBG as a 21st Century Program option, which provides students with after-school activities at no cost to families. Students meet twice per week to work in the school garden, cook together, and work on craft projects. BBG’s Farm in the Garden has been offered at Reid Middle School since 2013, but the 2021-2022 school year is the first time the program has expanded to be offered at Herberg Middle School. It has been a hit at Herberg — enrollment has grown from eight students in the fall session to 20 students this past winter! In the fall, at the start of the school year, students have boundless enthusiasm and curiosity for completing garden tasks. Weeding the raised beds becomes a mission to “rehome” found worms to the newly constructed compost pile, and harvesting
tomatoes leads to an examination of aphids and other discovered insects. During the colder months, students spend more time on garden-related arts and crafts and cooking new foods. They may come to a group consensus that hummus is not favored, but also discover a new appreciation for butternut squash when paired with macaroni and cheese. Students have particularly enjoyed experimenting with natural pigments found in fruits and vegetables, developing their own natural watercolors, and creating botanically themed postcard collages just in time for Valentine’s day.
Students experience the successes and failures of vegetable gardening, and the anticipation of waiting for bulbs of garlic and daffodils planted in October to emerge in the spring. Going forward, students will undertake garden renovations at both Reid and Herberg Middle Schools. The gardens will receive repairs to existing beds and additions based on student plans. This project, which is partially funded by a KidsGardening Youth Garden Grant, will provide students with handson experience in planning, constructing and filling the new beds, along with the Sopring-Summer Cutsatisfaction in hard work that will benefit tings: their school garden for seasons to come.
4.75”W x 3.5 “H
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 34
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www.websterlandscapes.com 93 Ashley Falls Road, Sheffield, MA 413.229.8124
EDUCATION
race mt tree services, inc. Since 1977 Certified Arborists in MA, CT & NY
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Native Habitat Restoration Returning Balance to Nature
Wetlands Woodlands Meadows Fields Invasive Plant Control
(organic options)
Pollinator Habitats Field Clearing Forestry Mowing Wetland Restoration
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VOLUNTEER NEWS
Ode to Joy With apologies to Beethoven, I would like to sing the praises of volunteering at Berkshire Botanical Garden. If you have ever thought about volunteering, now more than ever this is the place, and the time. Why the right place? Because we have so many varied and rewarding ways to volunteer, from greeting guests in the Visitor Center, to giving tours of the Garden, to being a docent in our art galleries ... or helping out at special events. And more! We have many ways to make good use of your talents. Why the right time? Because the Garden is poised on the brink of a new era, with plans to transform BBG with expansions in art, education and special garden areas. It’s going to be thrilling to see the Garden grow, and as a volunteer you can be part of the excitement. Every year our dedicated volunteers enjoy parties, presentations and recognition, along with the satisfaction of knowing they are doing good and useful work. Which is to say, as a BBG volunteer you may experience more joy in your life. There’s the sense of belonging to something important – the pleasure of new friendships – the value of learning more about gardening, the environment, and our great community. So if you have time to volunteer, we’ve got the place and many flexible ways to welcome you to our Garden family. To learn more about volunteering, visit our webpage at berkshirebotanical.org/volunteer. Sincerely, Lauretta Harris President, BBG Volunteer Association
Spring 2022 Volunteer Events Class on Pollinators Paradise by Master Gardener Chris Ferrero Volunteer Training Classes and Horticulture Tour Plant Sale – Volunteer Opportunities Opening Season positions in Visitor Center, Galleries ... and more For details, visit berkshirebotanical.org/volunteer.
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CUTTINGS
SPRING/SUMMER 2022
A Gift of Membership Lasts Way Beyond the Growing Season! Give the perfect gift — a Berkshire Botanical Garden membership! 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 Center Gift Shop
n Early buying privileges and 10% off all 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 nurseries,
garden centers and retailers n Based on Membership level, benefits in 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!
New!
Our After Hours Stroll for members is offered the second Wednesday of each month, 5–7 p.m. from May through September when we invite members to visit during the Garden’s quiet and beautiful “golden hours.”
Portrait photographer, Professional Level and Corporate memberships are also available. For more information, call the membership office: 413-298-4532. BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN
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Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Qualprint
GROW SHOW
5 West Stockbridge Road Stockbridge, MA 01262 413-298-3926 • berkshirebotanical.org
Saturday, August 20, 1–5 p.m. Sunday, August 21, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Enter the Horticulture and Floral Design Divisions!
FREE WITH GARDEN ADMISSION!
berkshirebotanical.org/ grow-show
2022 SEASON HE
AD
S
TT
E
BE
BOYD-QUINSON STAGE
AT R E
OF T HE
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at the sydelle and lee blatt performing arts center
AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’
ANDY WARHOL IN IRAN By BRENT ASKARI WORLD
THE FATS WALLER MUSICAL SHOW Conceived by RICHARD MALTBY, JR. and MURRAY HORWITZ Choreographed & Directed by JEFFREY L. PAGE
PREMIERE
Directed by SKIP GREER
JUNE 2–25
JUNE 16–JULY 9
ABCD
ANNA IN THE TROPICS By NILO CRUZ
WORLD
PREMIERE
By MAY TREUHAFT-ALI Directed by DANIEL J. BRYANT
Directed by ELENA ARAOZ
JULY 1–23
JULY 16–30
THE SUPADUPA KID
AMusicLITTLE NIGHT MUSIC & Lyrics by STEPHEN SONDHEIM
WORLD
PREMIERE
YOUTH THEATRE Book & Lyrics by by SUKARI JONES Music by JOEL WAGGONER Based on the novel by TY ALLAN JACKSON Directed by NJ AGWUNA
Book by HUGH WHEELER Musical Direction by DARREN R. COHEN Choreographed by ROBERT LAFOSSE Directed by JULIANNE BOYD
AUGUST 6–28
ALL OF ME By LAURA WINTERS
ST. GERMAIN STAGE
JULY 29–AUGUST 13
WAITING FOR GODOT By SAMUEL BECKETT
WORLD
PREMIERE
Directed by ASHLEY BROOKE MONROE
SEPTEMBER 21–OCTOBER 9
SCAN QR CODE OR VISIT BARRINGTONSTAGECO.ORG/TICKETS
Alysha Umphress in Who Could Ask for Anything More? The Songs of George Gershwin, 2021. Photo: Daniel Rader.
Directed by JOE CALARCO
AUGUST 19–SEPTEMBER 4
OR CALL FOR TICKETS:
413.236.8888