The Garden Path Newsletter Spring 2023

BRINGING GIRL POWER TO THE CARILLON WORLD

An Interview with Blanchard Fellow Annie Gao

THE GLORIES OF SPRING BLOOM

Presented by AdventHealth Notes from a Horticulturalist

DISCOVERING AMERICAN CRAFTSMANSHIP

The El Retiro Collection

THE

BEAUTY BLOOMS OF

Enjoy

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

MISSION

To inspire a better and more beautiful world by sharing Edward Bok’s legacy.

VISION

To reach out in beauty to the people, and fill their souls with the quiet, the repose, the influence of the beautiful.

RENEWING

TREASURE AN

A century ago, Edward Bok commissioned Olmsted to design a garden as a sanctuary for both man and nature. That design transformed a portion of longleaf pine forest into a shaded oak hammock with expansive views through surrounding pinelands and rolling hills of citrus.

Planted heavily with native plants to provide food and shelter for songbirds, that sunny garden supported a great diversity of the native flora of our region. Blooms of non-native plants were woven into the design, and as Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. wrote, careful not to be "too foreign to the nature of the area.”

Olmsted blended the native habitat and a planted garden of beauty and, in his own words, "creating a work of art rather than a collection of interesting plants." The garden has grown from a sunny space into a shaded one through the decades.

The garden is a dynamic and evolving work of art that requires care to preserve its design. We are embarking on a project to determine how best to restore and retain the art of Olmsted's design, encourage nature and songbirds, and set the management course for the future. This will include recommendations of adjustments and directions for managing the plantings and restoration of garden features Olmsted envisioned.

The project is supported in part by a Save America’s Treasures grant from the Historic Preservation Fund as administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, and will take a holistic approach to garden preservation.

To complete this project, we have hired Heritage Landscapes, an international leader in revitalizing cultural landscapes. Patricia O'Donnell, principal at Heritage Landscapes, has worked on more than 60 Olmsted-designed projects. With her assistance, we will:

• Identify the Bok and Olmsted design intentions and vision through research of archival text, plans, and images.

• Document the historical evolution of the landscape.

• Identify design components and form a firm basis for making decisions in future management to preserve design intent and experience.

• Integrate the preservation of open lands on the entry sequence that contributes to the views and experience.

• Develop a focused landscape management plan and establish the resources needed to support it.

The creation of a new Cultural Landscape Report & Management Plan will occur over the coming months. Once completed, the report will be used to guide the rejuvenation of select gardens and the restoration of natural areas.

In addition to the Cultural Landscape Report, the project will also encompass the architectural restoration of the Exedra fountain within the original gardens. This exciting time for the Gardens will set our course for the next 100 years, and through your membership, you are keeping the Gardens growing.

David Price, President & CEO March 2023

YOUR GUIDE

Giving

SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS YOU TREASURE

TISH SHEESLEY ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY

Our Common Goal:

Make Bok Tower Gardens one of America’s best gardens. You – and others who are equally committed to the Gardens – can work together to ensure that we achieve our shared goal. The Gardens are excited to provide you with a variety of opportunities for you to make your impact bigger.

Guide Your Giving…

You can now guide your giving to one of the Gardens’ programmatic areas: Education, El Retiro, Gardens, Pine Ridge Preserve, Rare Plant Conservation, or the Singing Tower. Can’t decide? Select A Bit Better Fund, which allows staff to use your gift where it is needed most.

Looking for a Special Tribute?

Birthdays, graduations, retirement, proposals, weddings, anniversaries, and celebrations of life are a great way to honor someone special while supporting the area of the Gardens that you treasure. Gifts at certain levels can also be celebrated with a commemorative item to the Gardens.

Our Giving Circle, the Olmsted Vision Council…

Frederick Law Olmsted Jr.’s breathtaking landscapes at Bok Tower Gardens remind each of us to be responsible stewards to ensure the enjoyment of future generations. Walking hand in hand with Olmsted is an opportunity to make your own impact at the Gardens. Gifts of $2,500 - $25,000+ can be made monthly, quarterly, or annually. You can make your gift online, through your donor-advised fund, or with other assets. Bok Tower Gardens will celebrate you in the prestigious Olmsted Vision Council; Olmsted Vision Council donors enjoy many exclusive benefits.

LOVE IT? FUND IT!

Your tax-deductible gift of any size is welcomed and appreciated. Gifts of $250 or more will be celebrated on the annual donor list and in the Chao Exhibit Hall for one year.

A BIT BETTER FUND

Inspired by Mr. Bok’s vision to “make the world a bit better or more beautiful because you have lived in it,” this unrestricted fund allows the Gardens to carry out his legacy.

EDUCATION FUND

Support programming that challenges visitors to engage in hands-on experiences that inspire lifelong connections with the world around them.

EL RETIRO FUND

Help inspire visitors to experience the iconic 1930s lifestyle through exquisite Mediterranean architecture and breathtaking Olmsted gardens.

GARDEN FUND

Ensure the gardens are bursting with life to create a peaceful environment where vibrant plantings and chirping birds evoke quiet repose.

PINE RIDGE PRESERVE FUND

Ensure the magnificent views and serenity experienced from the summit are preserved and protected.

RARE PLANT CONSERVATION FUND

Support research and rescue operations to prevent extinction of rare plants found on the Lake Wales Ridge and throughout Florida.

SINGING TOWER FUND

Help preserve the awe-inspiring Singing Tower for future generations to enjoy unique, world-class carillon music.

To learn more about each of these program areas and how we’d put your gift to work, go to: www.BokTowerGardens. org/Annual Fund or contact Tish Sheesley, Associate Director of Philanthropy, at tsheesley@boktower.org or at 863-455-5292.

Your vital philanthropic support ensures that we fulfill Mr. Bok and Mr. Olmsted’s collective vision to provide a world-class garden to the American people.

AWAKENING SPRING

People often look to the New Year to start fresh, with new ambitions. As winter subsides, there is also a natural renewal in nature. Although much of Florida does not experience the frigid temperatures of winter, many of Florida’s native plants still enter a period of dormancy in autumn, ceasing active tissue growth to protect sensitive tissues from the extreme weather that can occur, followed by a spring renewal.

The annual process of plant

dormancy and reemergence can be complex. The transcription of a multitude of genes that regulate the timing of physiological responses such as dormancy and bud break are triggered by a number of factors in the plant’s environment. These factors can include photoperiod, temperature, nutrient and water availability, and epigenetics.

Dormancy in plants is largely triggered by the short photoperiod in autumn when daylight hours shorten. This involves a genetic response that tells the

“SPRINGTIME IS THE LAND AWAKENING. THE MARCH WINDS ARE THE MORNING YAWN.”

– Lewis Grizzard

CHERYL L. PETERSON CONSERVATION PROGRAM MANAGER

plant to initiate bud formation and cease active growth. The buds actually form before the plants go dormant. The new buds can be seen along the bare stems of deciduous trees and shrubs in winter, and scales often protect the buds from cold temperatures.

The buds remain in this quiescent state until the winter is over. There is often a specific number of chilly days that are required for the plant to experience in order for a spring growth to take place. These requirements differ for each species, and can even differ among genetic varieties of the same species. “Bud break” – when buds swell, enlarge, and elongate – is stimulated by environmental conditions, such as warm spring temperatures, and involve complex genetic pathways that produce plant hormones to break dormancy and resume active growth.

In the Center for Plant Conservation National Collection at the Gardens, there are a number of endangered deciduous woody shrubs and herbaceous perennials that enter dormancy each winter. During dormancy, the shrubs can look like a collection of dead twigs, and the herbaceous species have above-ground growth that can completely disappear.

One of the most spectacular deciduous shrubs in the National Collection is the federally endangered Pygmy fringe tree, Chionanthus pygmaeus. This member of the olive family (Oleaceae) will awaken from its winter nap with an explosion of stunning, delicate, white fringe-like flowers along its bare stems.

Another unique, endangered, deciduous shrub is the Florida Ziziphus, Ziziphus celata (Rhamnaceae). Tiny, fragrant, yellow-green flowers emerge on its bare branches in January, attracting an abundance of pollinators.

Nodding pinweed (Lechea cernua), state listed as threatened, is a short-lived (1-3 years) perennial herbaceous species in the rock rose family (Cistaceae). In the wild, it is found on ancient dune sands. It often retreats underground over the winter, then develops fresh, new stems with the warmer weather in early spring.

The American chaffseed, Schwalbea americana, is a federally endangered herb in the broomrape family (Orobanchaceae). During the autumn months, the nutrients and water once held in the above-ground shoots are distributed back to the roots. New buds form at the crown, but await when conditions are optimal in the spring to emerge from the soil. The buds emerge from the soil as a bright red shoot, then the shoot elongates with densely alternating greenish-red leaves. Plants flower in the summer, set seed, and then retreat again below the soil.

Although the sunshine and fabulous weather in Florida can support lush vegetation all year long, many native and rare plant species also have their seasons, awakening with fresh growth as winter wanes.

To learn how your gift can prevent the extinction of our area’s rare plants, go to www.BokTowerGardens.org/AnnualFund or contact Tish Sheesley, Associate Director of Philanthropy, at tsheesley@boktower.org or at 863-455-5292.

BUILDING CHARACTER AT BOK TOWER GARDENS THROUGH

COMMUNICATION, COOPERATION KINDNESS AND

Edward Bok was an amazing communicator – and a successful author and editor. He inspired many through his writings and acts of kindness. He devoted one of his books, Successward, to advising young people. In it he wrote, “A successful life is nothing more nor less than living as well as we know how and doing the very best that we can.”

The beautiful Singing Tower harkens back to the 16th century in western Europe when bell towers were used to communicate – summoning people to come together; alerting people about events; making music; as well as marking time. People in many cultures around the world use bells to create harmony within themselves and with others.

In a dynamic school field trip program called Building Character, we seek to build on the foundations of Bok’s timeless wisdom and inspire students to make the world better and more beautiful by focusing on cultivating Communication, Cooperation, and Kindness. We use games and activities to build our skills in these areas in this magnificent setting.

Experts have established that communication is essential for healthy human relationships. There is a growing body of research documenting a similar dynamic occurring in nature. Scientists now understand that plants connect

ages in our group

it’s

them.

with neighboring plants and share information and nutrients through underground networks of fungi called the Wood Wide Web. Communication is essential in supporting healthy ecosystems as well as human communities. Research compiled by the Greater Good Science Center reveals that groups and individuals fare better when we cooperate.

The Building Character program helps to connect students with themselves, each other, and nature, through Communication, Cooperation, and Kindness. Participants will have the opportunity to practice communication skills, learn how to cooperate, and cultivate seeds of kindness as they work together to solve challenges in this nature-based teambuilding program.

Activities and games encourage everyone to work to get to know each other, appreciate the differences in people, create positive relationships, practice leadership skills, understand group

dynamics, and laugh together. One of the activities the students especially enjoy is drumming. Our educators are trained in a method of facilitation called DRUMBEAT. DRUMBEAT is an acronym that stands for "Discovering Relationships Using Music, Beliefs, Emotions, Attitudes, Thoughts." This evidence-based protocol combines the power of group drumming with conversations to explore what connects us. It is being used around the world with people of all ages and backgrounds to build community, increase mental health, and decrease isolation.

Edward Bok’s words and actions from more than 100 years ago continue to resonate and inspire new generations to aim for the best.

With a recently awarded grant from A. Friends Foundation, we will be enhancing existing programs and developing new field trip experiences designed to meet the newly adopted Character Education State Standards. With these program enhancements, we will utilize the Gardens to share the benefits of connecting with nature and our mission to make the world a bit better.

“Best experience ever, so far it has been my kid’s favorite field trip. We had so much fun. Our guide was so nice, kind, fun and patient with our kids. We had different

since

a homeschooling group, but she was able to engage with all of

Thanks Bok Tower!”

THE GLORIES OF SPRING BLOOM:

Notes from a Horticulturalist

BRENDAN HUGGINS DIRECTOR OF HORTICULTURE

Growing up in upstate Pennsylvania, spring was a wonderful time of year, as the woods and fields around me were bursting with life. During these childhood moments, the beauty of biodiversity always amazed me. The spring season still strikes me with that same wondrous awe as I have grown. At Bok Tower Gardens, one can be taken in by the spectacle of an early spring sunrise or be lost in thought while admiring the numerous azalea and camellia blooms around you.

What makes spring so unique? We are blessed in Florida with fantastic weather, making gardening a year-round endeavor. Our balmy temperatures produce a cacophony of seasonal wildflowers, including the Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) that entices hummingbird visits. One of the best places to catch a hummingbird in flight is walking

along the trail in the Wild Garden. The gentle scent of wildflowers and birds in flight are the subtle moments that make the spring experience truly magical.

It is the job of the Bok Tower Gardens Horticulture Department to cultivate and nurture these moments. Creating a garden that incorporates native blooming plants like Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis), Butterfly Weed (Asclepius tuberosa), or Scarlet Calamint (Calamintha coccinea) is our strategy for attracting beautiful butterflies and birds.

Our team manicures the Gardens' pathways to maintain the original Olmsted design to take full advantage of the vistas created nearly a century ago. As horticulturists, we are the keepers of this dynamic ecosystem and work extremely hard to create the experience that Olmsted described as "like none other."

Maintenance within a public garden is often subtle and can be easily overlooked. However, artistry comes in the details. Our job entails correctly pruning limbs and branches, selecting the proper planting, accurately watering, nurturing new growth, and carefully removing overgrowth. We are the caretakers of a beautiful system that provides so much joy to our visitors.

The entire Horticulture team invites you to experience all of the glories of spring at Bok Tower Gardens. It is our pleasure to deliver another season of wonder and amazement.

DISCOVERING THE

AMERICAN CRAFTSMANSHIP

IN THE EL RETIRO COLLECTION

In the early 1930s, when American industrialist Charles Austin Buck built his winter home, El Retiro, he was thinking about the Olmsted-designed gardens that would surround the house and the colorful hand-painted Tunisian tiles he would have installed. However, he was also thinking about how he would furnish the home.

Based on the surviving original furniture belonging to Buck, it is easy to conclude he wanted to furnish El Retiro to complement the Mediterranean architecture and colors found in the tilework.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, Irving & Casson – A.H. Davenport Company, out of Boston and New York, was one of the most prominent furniture makers of that time. Their superior craftsmanship spoke for itself, and the variety of styles available made it easy for Buck to pick out furnishings for his new winter retreat.

In 1930, Buck ordered numerous pieces of furniture from Irving & Casson, including the formal Italian Renaissance-style dining table, which remains, to this day, in its original location at El Retiro. Since entertaining was such a large part of the lifestyle

back then, Buck wanted to ensure that he had plenty of space for anticipated and possibly unanticipated dinner guests. Besides its beautiful design, the appeal of this particular table was that it could expand.

Each end of the table has two arms that slide out to support four leaves. Removable legs would help to support these leaves, which in turn elongate the table an additional seven feet providing room for all of Buck’s dinner guests.

After dinner, Buck would invite his guests into the formal living room for an evening of live music and dancing. The Bucks ordered numerous chairs from Irving & Casson to place throughout El Retiro, so his guests would have a place to rest. Of note, two armchairs created in the George III style are seen in the living room in the early 1930s photographs of the home.

Over the years, the upholstery has been replaced numerous times, and the chairs are now located in the Loggia. An album of photographs depicting furniture manufactured by Irving & Casson in the Historic New England Library & Archives collection shows these chairs being ordered by Buck. These two chairs

were originally upholstered in a wool or silk damask with a floral pattern. While the photograph is in sepia tone, Buck’s daughter Lucy recalled, in a 1990 interview, that the chairs were originally aqua in color.

Buck did not stop with the dining table and armchairs when ordering furniture from Irving & Casson – A.H. Davenport Company. Other company furnishings can be seen throughout El Retiro, such as the Loggia couch, two armchairs in the Round Room, and other chairs and small tables throughout the home.

Next time you are touring El Retiro, please take a moment to enjoy the fine craftsmanship that Irving & Casson – A.H. Davenport Company put into their work, and you will realize why Buck acquired so many pieces from them.

Bok Tower Gardens’ Tranquil Trails Help with

WHOLE PERSON CARE

AdventHealth Lake Wales Food and Nutrition Chef Serkan Sare often hits the trails at Bok Tower Gardens when he needs to strengthen both his mind and his body.

“The trails at Bok Tower Gardens are very peaceful,’’ Sare said. “They give you a chance to just reset. You get to stretch your body while exercising and you get to just relax and just enjoy being outdoors.’’

It is also a great place to spend time with his children.

“The kids love to go hike the trails. Every time we visit, they find something different, a new flower, a different type of bug, they love to go explore the edible garden areas,’’ he said.

Chef Sare also loves the Outdoor Kitchen area at Bok Tower Gardens. He consulted

on the garden area and offered some suggestions for the Outdoor Kitchen.

“The use of fresh ingredients really makes the meal,’’ he said. “Not only do you get the added benefit of all the vitamins and nutrients, you also get to really enjoy the true taste of the food.’’

Both AdventHealth and Bok Tower Gardens are aligned in their dedication to whole-person and wholecommunity care.

“AdventHealth is proud to be the official health care provider for Bok Tower Gardens,” said Tim Clark, AdventHealth President and CEO of the Polk market. “Nature has a special way of nourishing the mind, body and spirit, which is an important part of our whole person care approach.”

Richard Berning and his wife, Francesca, who both work at AdventHealth Lake Wales, enjoy their monthly visits to Bok Tower Gardens. Exercise is one of the best ways to

achieve that whole-person care feeling by engaging not only the body, but the mind and spirit as well.

“It is just a really nice place to come and spend the day. We usually come once a month and just walk the trails,’’ Richard Berning said, “My wife also loves to come and participate in the 5K events held there every Spring. This will be her third time running in the 5K in April.’’

The Carillon Classic, which is presented by AdventHealth, will be on April 1, 2023 at Bok Tower Gardens. The race, which is known by running enthusiasts everywhere for its demanding course, winds runners through the beautiful gardens. The course also takes runners through elevation changes and over different surfaces, such as grass, gravel, and mulch trails.

Berning, who is also a firefighter/ paramedic at the Lake Wales Fire Department, serves as his wife’s cheering section and also helps with any first aid needs of the runners.

“It is such a beautiful location for a 5K,’’ he said.

Berning said exercising at Bok Tower

Gardens is more relaxing than going to a gym.

“You don’t have all the noise you have at a gym with the loud music and the clanging of the equipment. Here you can just enjoy the peace and quiet of the gardens,’’ he said.

“It is a wonderful place to just go and relax. You can set your own pace and explore the different areas of the gardens. It doesn’t matter what time of year it is when you go, there is always something in bloom and the trees provide great shade during the summer months,’’ he said.

Sare said his three children, Dilara, 13; Evren, 10; and four-year-old Atlas love to go to Hammock Hollow.

“It is a great, safe place to take the kids,’’ Sare said. “You can let them play and explore and not worry.’’

For more information on dates and time of AdventHealth-sponsored events at Bok Tower Gardens, please be sure to visit the website.

Each year Carillonneur Geert D'hollander invites a rising star to become a Bok Tower Gardens Blanchard Carillon Fellow. Over the past months, Carillonist Annie Gao has served as a 2022-2023 Blanchard Fellow providing beautiful music and amazing concerts for our visitors.

Her energy and enthusiasm for the experience come through in each of her Singing Tower performances. A resident of Southern California, Annie's musical studies began with the piano at age five. A computer scientist by training, Annie also enjoys competitive ping-pong, reading, running, and brainteasers. The only thing that does not bring a smile to her face is spiders!

We were able to catch Annie between performances to learn more about her approach to the carillon and her perspective on being a female carillonist.

I : Tell us more about how your carillon journey began and how you decided to pursue music.

Before attending college five years ago, I had no idea what a carillon was. Coincidentally, my roommate at Yale had taken an elective carillon course in high school and dragged me to an information session for the Yale Guild of Carillonneurs. Reluctantly I went, but the moment I touched the practice carillon keyboard for the first time, I was entranced by the sound. It was so round, so warm, and turned the air around me into shimmers of gold. I knew at that moment, and only five minutes into my first practice session on an entirely new instrument – that learning this

instrument was something I had to do.

Since then, each year on the carillon has only opened more doors along my musical journey. I am constantly inspired by my peers, teachers, and the world-class carillonneurs who constantly expand the horizons of musical possibility on the carillon. The challenge to create beautiful sounds never ends, which makes the realm of music so irresistible to me.

I : What is different about being a carillonist compared to other musicians? The carillon is unique in how mechanical and physically demanding it is. The instrument is second only to the organ in sheer size. The playing technique for the

carillon is often compared to an organ performance, as the musician must use all ten fingers and both feet. The playing style requires hand-eye coordination to react to sheet music while controlling all twelve moving appendages.

However, while the main action of an organ is comparable to that of a piano, the keys on a carillon are responsible for moving clappers that weigh hundreds of pounds, and we need to move them at a controlled velocity to produce sound. Every key is a different weight, which makes the evenness of the sound trickier to control, and sometimes it requires all of my body weight onto a key to sound the lowest note on the carillon!

ANNIE GAO BRINGS A FRESH PERSPECTIVE AND SOME GIRL POWER TO THE CARILLON WORLD

I : Is the path different for female musicians – is it more challenging or accessible, and why?

Male musicians have traditionally dominated the role of carillonists because of societal restrictions on training and the physical demands of the instrument. Fortunately, I feel high-level carillon/ music instruction is now accessible for most musicians. Still, it can sometimes be harder for people with smaller builds to handle the weight/action of certain instruments. It is always amusing when people's eyes bulge after they realize I was the one up there ringing the bells.

Sometimes I have to do some bench acrobatics to reach notes at the pedalboard's extreme high or low end, whereas some of my taller male colleagues can reach the notes effortlessly. The coordination challenge for me is a thrill. However, as challenging as the potential strength and size differences are, they should not be limiting factors for female carillonists – we have to train harder!

I : What inspires you musically? Do you have a favorite genre or style of music?

I love listening to all the different colors and subtle mood changes in a piece of music, and seeing the concentration and fulfillment when performers are inspired by the music they play. The audience is yet another source of inspiration, and knowing that you could have the power to enthrall or heal another person's soul is a big motivator to keep improving. Of course, I also receive much inspiration from all my outstanding teachers, whose creative interpretations of music and prowess over the instrument are always a joy to experience.

I have a soft spot for classical music, specifically for intricate baroque music and dramatic, romantic fantasies. I mix

my repertoire with music from all genres and eras, from Bach to Philip Glass, to Disney anthems and pop song covers –there is always something fun to explore!

I : How has becoming a carillonist changed you as an artist?

I have played piano for eighteen years, but I have never taken it as seriously as I am now with the carillon. The carillon has taught me more about the intricacies of music over the last five years than any other musical instrument or exercise. It may be the rich sonic textures of the bells, or the physical movements of playing on the keyboard that feels more intuitive. I have more control over a larger expressive range on the carillon than on other instruments, making me more sensitive to the energies and colors music can embody.

I : Where do you see the future of carillon in the next 50 years?

I hope that the carillon becomes more integrated into broader society and recognized as a highly expressive instrument, despite its mechanical nature. Many carillonists worldwide are experimenting with ensemble music for bells and all sorts of other instruments, as well as designs for portable instruments for the concert stage. It is fascinating to witness the instrument's evolution in action, and I hope to see it grow more in the public eye as both a solo and ensemble instrument.

I : What powers your creativity – where do you draw inspiration?

I get inspired a lot just by listening to how other musicians interpret specific works, which gives me more choices in how I ultimately phrase particular passages. Sometimes, looking through parts of the sheet music will give me images of specific natural phenomena or the raw emotion

itself. By leaning into these feelings, I can tap into the flow of the music and create more sensitive interpretations. I also enjoy seeking a wide range of beautiful experiences. And Bok Tower Gardens is a fantastic place to do that!

I : What has been the best advice given to you by a musician?

A beloved teacher in Amsterdam once shared this advice, “do not be afraid to make mistakes and always keep the fresh mindset of a student. The prefix 'ama-' of 'amateur' denotes 'love,' so an amateur is not necessarily incompetent but pursues something out of love for it, which is the best, most genuine way to grow. As long as you love the music, have an open mind, and are ready to learn new things, improvement will be inevitable.”

I : Where do you see yourself in the next ten years?

Still making music and consistently trying to become a better musician! There is so much about music to learn, and I will continue working on supplementing my knowledge and practical abilities. I am excited to keep discovering the next step on this joyously infinite journey.

I : If money was no object, what musical collaboration would be your ultimate dream?

I have always admired the delicacy and expressivity of Yo-Yo Ma's musicianship. Since so much cello music works so beautifully on the bells, it would be my dream to perform alongside him.

I : What is your best advice for young women wanting to become professional musicians?

Follow your dreams! There is so much to discover, and some people may have a subconscious expectation that, for whatever absurd reason, we girls cannot do it as well as the boys, but that makes it more exciting when proven wrong!

LifeGiftInsurance Will Support THE FUTURE OF BOK TOWER GARDENS

J.F. Bryan, IV, was 10 when he first visited Bok Tower Gardens on a tour of Florida with his family. J.F. did not become actively involved in the gardens until an adult, but the memory of that initial visit stays with him.

J.F. grew up very close to his dad who loved to garden and also worked unceasingly to support their community. “I saw what he made happen – it was powerful!” he says.

“I wanted to follow his example.” As with Bok, making the world a bit better is a powerful mantra and Bok Tower

Gardens is a shining example of exactly that, for all the world to enjoy.

After decades of support including serving on the Bok Tower Gardens Board since 1992, as Board Chair repeatedly and currently philanthropy Committee Chair, J.F. has made an estate plan gift to ensure this support continues beyond his lifetime. “I purchased a life insurance policy and made the Jacksonville Community Foundation the owner of it,” J.F. explains. “They pay the premiums out of my donor-advised fund, and Bok Tower Gardens is a beneficiary of the policy.”

As retired president of Independent Insurance Group and, as “an insurance man,” J.F. understands the benefits of life insurance gifts. “It is tax advantaged and very affordable,” he says, “and I was able to give much more than I could have otherwise.”

Peggy, J.F.’s wife of 54 years, also heartily supports Bok Tower Gardens. When Hurricane Charlie devastated the Gardens in 2004, Peggy sent a truckload of oak trees from the family tree farm to help replace those lost to the storm.

The Bryans hope their gift will encourage generosity in others. “Bok Tower Gardens feeds your soul,” J.F. concludes. “It is important to inspire the next generation to protect it—and inviting them to enjoy it now is a great way to do that.”

EDWARD W. BOK SOCIETY MEMBERS

Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous

Bonnie Faye Bergeron

H. Abigail Bok

Curtis Bok and Sharon Bailey-Bok

Linda L. Browning in Honor of Terry Browning Ford

J.F. Bryan IV

Keith & Yvonne Bunce

Mr. & Mrs. Lynn Burdeshaw

Dr. & Mrs. George Butz

Carol C. Chandler

Little Richard Crowell

Susan M. Diebel

Frank Drake

Marion T. Yongue & Evan C. Earle

Ken Taylor Endline

Howard E. Ferris

Carol First

IN MEMORIAM

Phyllis J. Bailey in Memory of Mary K. Beyrer

C. Harvey Bradley

Margaret D. & William G. Burns

Ruth F. Conn

Carol C. Drake

Mr. Donald C. Frueh

John F. Germany

John B. Goodwin

Belinda Cutshaw in memory of Marcus, Lillian & Nancy Cutshaw

Clifford C. Freund

Douglas and Jeanne Gayhart

Jane in memory of Demaris P. Goodwin

John R. Goodwin Jr.

P. Timothy Hartsfield & Jody C. Shellene

Kurt and Edith Hoppe

Jack and Landy Little

Charles Eric Matheny

David M. Price

Roger E. Robson

Jim Rothman

Enid Curtis Bok Schoettle

Broster J. Schroeder

Jonathan A. Shaw

Rick T. Short

Nancy J. & Robert P. Sullivan

Joan A. and John R. Thomas

Cynthia J. Turner

Melissa C. Tyrone

Olga E. Hernandez

Ruth & Frank Hubbard

Charles Banks King, Jr. IV

Lois E. & Howard L. King

Ruth V. Marchione

Dr. & Mrs. Bruce Newell

Gwen C. Seliga

Dorothy Suchner

Raymond W. Suchner

Mamoru Yoshida

You can join the Edward W. Bok Society by leaving a legacy at Bok Tower Gardens with a gift of life insurance or other charitable arrangement. To learn more, call Melissa Tyrone, Director of Philanthropy & Membership 863.734.1213 or email mtyrone@boktower.org

The Edward W. Bok Society honors those who support the Gardens through thoughtful charitable arrangements.

ON DREAMS &GARDENS:

Edward Bok, Maxfield Parrish, Louis Comfort Tiffany, and Clarence J. Tibado

In the last edition of Garden Path, we shared Edward Bok’s journey through civic art and his dream to place a masterful mosaic in the lobby of the Curtis Publishing in Philadelphia.

A DREAM REALIZED

After the unfortunate deaths of Abbey, Pyle and de Monvel, Bok inquired with Louis Comfort Tiffany, the New York City-based glass artisan, to create a

piece of public art. He recalled the glass mosaic stage-curtain Tiffany built for the National Theatre in Mexico City, depicting a natural setting that used more than 2,500 square feet of glass mosaic and weighed twenty-seven tons. Tiffany Studios wrote of the piece, “On viewing the curtain, the spectator is impressed with the deftness of the artisans at the studios who executed this poem in glass.” (Mosaic, p.11) Sold on

Tiffany’s ability to deliver, Bok needed another artist to reveal the vision. He recalled a discussion at Maxfield Parrish’s summer home in New Hampshire: the artist described a dream garden he wanted to construct, “not on canvas but in reality.”

(Americanization, 177) Bok suggested Parrish visit Tiffany in New York to see if his dream could become a reality. Parrish was attracted to the idea, but, not being familiar with mosaics, was not enthused by the idea of having his work “rendered in that medium.”

(Americanization, 177)

A MASTERFUL COLLABORATION

After a successful introduction by Bok, the two artists agreed to cooperate. Parrish agreed to sketch for Tiffany’s approval, “and within six months, after several conferences and an equal number of sketches, they were ready to begin the work. Bok only hoped that this time both artists would outlive their commissions!” (Americanization, 177)

Photo Credit David Price

SAMUEL RUSSELL LIBRARY & ARCHIVAL COLLECTIONS MANAGER

The mosaic they envisioned required over a million pieces of glass and the services of thirty skilled artisans for a year. It measures 15’ x 49’ and weighs over seven and a half tons. After its completion in 1915, the massive mural received public visitation in Tiffany’s Studio for six months. After thousands of visitors, a year later Dream Garden found its home in the lobby of Curtis Publishing.

Around this time, Bok gazed upon a maelstrom: global war and a global influenza pandemic. Horrified by what he saw, he looked to see what he may do to make the world a bit more beautiful and better—as his grandmother instructed. Bok aided the home front through the efforts of The Ladies Home Journal.

On September 22, 1919, after thirty years as editor, Bok retired. The last visitor he received in his editorship office was a gravely wounded soldier he comforted in France during the war. After meeting with the man, he likely walked past Dream Garden on his way out the door, perhaps reflecting on it one last time.

After retiring, he began using his immense energy, knowledge and influence for philanthropic endeavors. Among them, he built The Mountain

Lake Sanctuary and Singing Tower and gave it as a gift to the American people. The Mountain Lake Sanctuary and Singing Tower was to be Dream Garden come to life with the skillful hand of Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. and Milton Medary, among others.

AN ENDURING INSPIRATION FOR WORKERS OF THE MACHINE AGE AND BEYOND

Kim Sajet, director of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, said of the piece in 2017,

“Dream Garden is a work of art manufactured at the behest of a businessman to create a moment of mental respite for workers of the Machine Age in the foyer of a commercial company reliant on advertising. As a patron, Edward Bok was a vocal advocate for the Arts-and-Crafts movement and what he termed “domestic architecture," which would provide a new class of urban workers respite from their labors by creating intimate and soothing places of quiet contemplation. Made of glass that could be easily cleaned and suitably ahistorical and apolitical by design, Dream Garden reflected the uneasy coming together of art and

industrialization for workers of the Machine Age.”

Over the years, many reports of the impending sale of Dream Garden to private buyers caused public outcry. Thankfully, the Pew Charitable Trust provided funds to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts to purchase the important work and the artwork remains in its rightful home in the Curtis Center lobby.

Join us for the next edition of The Garden Path to learn more about Bok’s Dream, a painting by regional artist Clarence Joseph Tibado completed in the late 1940s.

Bok, Edward William, and William G. Nagel. 2003. The Americanization of Edward Bok. [Bradenton, FL]: Ospreyclassics.

Mosaic Curtain for the National Theatre of Mexico. Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.). New York, New York: Tiffany Studios, 1911. https://libmma. contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16028coll5/ id/1161.

Sajet, Kim. “Dream Garden.” Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. Mid-Atlantic Regional Center for the Humanities (MARCH) at Rutgers-Camden, February 26, 2022. https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/ dream-garden-the/.

Mosaic for National Theatre in Mexico City Tiffany Studios. (1911). Mosaic Curtain for the National Theatre of Mexico [photograph]. Metropolitan Museum of Art Libraries: Digital Collections https:// libmma.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/ collection/p16028coll5/id/1167

RESTORING THE

Western Vista

A HORTICULTURAL AND HISTORICAL JOURNEY

BRENDAN HUGGINS DIRECTOR OF HORTICULTURE

AN AMERICAN HORTICULTURE LEGACY

Bok Tower Gardens continues to remember, foster, and celebrate the legacy the Olmsted landscape firm created in Central Florida.

In 1916, Frederick S. Ruth of Baltimore established the enclave of Mountain Lake near Lake Wales, Florida. He envisioned a winter retreat colony and reached out to the premier landscape architecture company –the Olmsted firm.

In 1921, impressed with Mountain Lake Estates, Edward Bok and his wife, Mary

Louise Curtis Bok, purchased a piece of land there and began building a winter residence.

One year later, Bok purchased 14 acres atop nearby Iron Mountain. Bok reached out to Fredrick Law Olmsted Jr. with the instructions to create the most beautiful spot. He gave him full license to express himself without hindrance. When Olmsted submitted the plans, Bok's only question was, "is it your best?"

REVEALING THE WESTERN VISTA: A LEGACY PROJECT

One of Bok Tower Gardens' iconic views

is the breathtaking Western Vista that looks roughly 16 miles west nearly to the city of Mulberry. It has been said that when Olmsted designed Bok Tower Gardens, it was not the beauty of The Singing Tower that would be the penultimate view but the natural beauty of the Lake Wales Ridge.

Reclaiming this view was quite the undertaking for the Horticulture team. Working in collaboration with President & CEO David Price, the project team intentionally selected plants for this re-visioning project that was a part of the original Olmsted

Other places have good citrus lands, though none have better. Other places have good climactic and healthy conditions though none have better. Other places have the same opportunities for the growth of beautiful tropical vegetation. But nowhere else in Florida are such outlooks to be had as from Iron Mountain, and nowhere else is a systematic effort being made to conserve and develop the landscape beauty of a large tract to the fullest extent in connection with its economic development.

palette. Obtaining the optimum view was the ultimate goal, and loads of overgrowth were removed cart by cart.

While the work was slow and methodical, each plant removed and limb trimmed offered a cleaner glimpse into the original view. This patient approach allowed the Horticulture team to balance the need to reopen the view while working on framing the vista.

A MODERN HORTICULTURALIST'S JOURNEY

As the team completed the restoration work, I had the opportunity to walk

the path from the northern end of the garden to the western vista. The sun streamed through trees, dripping with the color of red and yellow around me, and as I climbed to the vista, the image I looked out upon accentuated these colors and truly allowed the serenity of the moment to come through.

We often fill our lives looking for the new item on the windowsill, but sometimes we should look around and ask how we can rediscover the beauty in the world already around us. Olmsted was a master at sharing the world's natural beauty, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to continue sharing that beauty with our visitors.

FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED JR.

Letter to Frederick S. Ruth, December 1914

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