22ND INTERNATIONAL CARILLON FESTIVAL • PEAK BLOOM • LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT INTERVIEW
The
Vol. 6 | Issue 1 | Spring 2014
Preserve the Legacy, Steward the Future The Campaign for Bok Tower Gardens
A newsletter from Bok Tower Gardens www.boktowergardens.org
A Letter from the President
It’s an exciting time in the history of Bok Tower Gardens as we are about to undertake our vision for the future. We’re making changes—without changing the spirit of the Gardens you have grown to love. Not only are we celebrating our 85th anniversary this season, in this issue we are proud to share our plans and designs for new garden spaces, increased access for all, as well as for much-needed restorative work to the Singing Tower and historic Olmsted gardens. Throughout most of 2013, our staff, Board, and landscape architects from the firm of Nelson Byrd Woltz have been hard at work preparing to initiate Phase I of our 25-year master plan. We
want you to be a part of the excitement for what is to come as we preserve the legacy and steward the future of the Gardens. Your support, energy, and partnership are critical as we enter into the public phase of a major fundraising campaign, which will be announced during our Dedication Day festivities on February 1. We began quietly fundraising nearly two years ago and have achieved 100% financial participation by our Board, Campaign Cabinet, and Gardens’ staff. But there is still much work to be done, and there are a number of ways you can help. Please review our plans and give us your feedback. You are getting the first look at the Preserve the Legacy, Steward the Future campaign, which you can learn about in more detail at www.boklegacy.org.
Also, it’s up to you as members to be our ambassadors, to share your passion for the Gardens, to tell your stories about this place, and to connect us with others who will embrace our mission. Most importantly, we invite you to support the Gardens this year with a gift to this campaign to help us reach our goal. Philanthropy is critical to our ability to fully deliver on this incredible vision. We will do our very best to help you stay connected and involved, and to continue the conversation moving forward. Together, we can chart the course for the next 85 years of Bok Tower Gardens. Thank you,
David Price, President
2 | Spring 2014
ON THE COVER An illustration of the new oval walkway and pollinator garden as designed by landscape architecture firm Nelson Byrd Woltz.
T he
Dedication Day Celebration February 1
David Price President
Join us for our Dedication Day Celebration on Saturday, February 1 as we celebrate our 85th anniversary with a variety of special activities and the public announcement of our new expansion plans and fundraising campaign. Admission is free in honor of this special moment in Gardens’ history. Beginning at 10:15 a.m., Japanese drums will sound out to invite all present to the Singing Tower for a ceremony featuring the National Anthem and presentation of the colors by the Lake Wales High School JROTC. Geert D’hollander will perform on the carillon, and special guests will speak about the rich history and passion of Edward Bok, including former U.S. Senator Bob Graham. Complimentary refreshments will be provided. Guests also have the opportunity to cross the moat surrounding the Tower and examine Samuel Yellin’s masterpiece, the Great Brass Door. Take pictures, and examine the details of the brass panels depicting the story of creation in Genesis. At 2 p.m., we are hosting a special tree planting event in honor of Bok’s enduring interest in nature and as a tangible way to follow the advice given to him by his grandmother to “make you the world a bit better or more beautiful because you have lived in it.” Additionally, 2,500 longleaf pine seedlings will be provided for visitors to plant at home.
Brian Ososky Editor
Martin Corbin Graphic Design
Editorial Contributors Joy Banks Jennifer Beam Glen Bupp Martin Corbin Sandra Dent Geert D’hollander Julie Diaz Christine Foley Greg Kramer Christopher Lutton Brian Ososky Cheryl Peterson David Price Joan Thomas Thomas Woltz Rose Young
Mission
Connor Christian
SAVE THE DATE!
Concert Under the Stars Returns! Save the date for the Gardens’ premiere outdoor live music event on April 26. This year’s concert
The Greencards
features progressive American folk rock and “newgrass” band, The Greencards, as well as the harmonic sounds of roots-rock, country and Americana that is Connor Christian & Southern Gothic. Advance tickets are $20 for adults ($18 for members), and include allday admission to the Gardens.
Tickets available now at www.boktowergardens.org/tickets
To share Edward Bok’s gift of a beautiful and serene garden with music, architecture and nature so that all who visit will be inspired by his vision: “Make you the world a bit better or more beautiful because you have lived in it.” Bok Tower Gardens, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is supported by tax-exempt gifts and contributions and is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. CTP/6.5M/0114
Spring 2014 | 3
Recognizing Our Generous Sponsors Holiday Home Tour at Pinewood Estate Visit Central Florida Visit Florida WEDU WUSF
Tower Key Society Breakfast
Do you have questions about your membership to Bok Tower Gardens or want to make reservations? Contact Christine Foley at cfoley@boktower.org or 863.734.1233.
Friday, January 31 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. Saturday, February 1 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Founder’s Room Tours March 1 & April 11 9:00, 9:45, 10:30, 11:15 a.m. Members at the Sustainer level and above are invited to an exclusive tour of the Founder’s Room inside the Tower. Reservations required.
Fresh, New Look at Blue Palmetto Café by Sandra Dent, Director of Retail Services
4 | Spring 2014
Our Annual Tower Key Society Breakfast will be held on January 31 and February 1 at the Olmsted House. Members of Bok Tower Gardens with 20 or more years of membership will be recognized. Those in attendance will be among the first to cross the moat around the Singing Tower during our Founder’s Day Weekend Celebration.
Sunset & Symphony Lake Wales Medical Center Citizens Bank & Trust Music at Pinewood Classic Music Series Paul and Carol Collins International Carillon Festival Bill and Margaret Burns Frank and Margaret Hunt Pat and Don Jones Visit Central Florida Fairchild Challenge TD Bank Charitable Foundation Publix Super Markets Charities Florida Natural Growers Foundation Duke Energy Discovery Days Duke Energy
Next time you visit the Gardens, you’ll notice some big improvements at the Blue Palmetto Café. We replaced all of the tables and chairs inside, added a new beverage bar, and installed an overhead music system. The bar top and table tops are made from an environmentally-friendly product called PaperStone. It is actually paper mixed with a petroleum-free vegetable resin that is fused together under heat and pressure. The result is a very beautiful and food-safe surface for dining. The tabletops are affixed to wrought iron, Mediterranean-style bases.
B
Registration Now Open!
LOVE IN
Bloom Registration is open for our first “Love in Bloom Reunion Celebration” being held on Saturday, February 15. We are hosting an afternoon reception and program from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Olmsted House for all couples who have been married at the Gardens. Preregistration is required by February 5. Seating is limited.
Photo by Jenna Michele www.jennamichelephotography.com
According to our wedding coordinator, Rita Horton, many brides and grooms decide to marry at Bok Tower Gardens because this special place holds particular meaning for them or their family. “They visited for their first date. They were proposed to here. Their parents, grandparents, or another family member were married at the Gardens,” Horton says. “Couples are drawn here and seem to know instantly that this is the perfect place to exchange their vows. There is a certain spirituality that this natural setting evokes. I like to refer to it as nature’s cathedral.”
The menu at the Café features unique salads, fresh sandwiches and wraps, homemade soups and chili, kosher-style hot dogs, fried fare prepared in zero trans fat oil, fresh-cut fruit, breakfast bagels, muffins, and great coffee. A wide variety of beverages including beer and wine is always available. Specialty desserts and hand-dipped ice creams provide the finishing touches to a pleasurable dining experience. Our full menu is posted on the Bok Tower Gardens website for your convenience. The Blue Palmetto Café is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Call 863.676.1355 for take-out service or email cafe@boktower.org for more information.
Registration is required for both events. Register online at boktower.org/love or contact Christine Foley at 863.734.1233 or cfoley@boktower.org. If you got engaged but not married at the Gardens, please join us at 4 p.m. at the Tower for a special commemorative Crossing of the Moat. There will also be romantic, live carillon concerts throughout the day for your enjoyment. “We form lasting relationships with couples, and it’s an honor to be a part of one of the most special days of their lives,” Horton says.
Grab your camera...
is here! by Greg Kramer, Director of Horticulture
Spring blooms are often considered the forerunners of warmer weather and winter’s dwindling presence, and plants that produce flowers with exuberant colors like camellias (Camellia japonica) and azaleas (Rhododendron sp.) are the ones most really enjoy seeing firsthand. We have numerous varieties of both species at the Gardens that will impress both aficionados and casual plant enthusiasts alike. Together, they produce an amazing display that immerses the senses.
New Music On Old Bells at 22nd International Carillon Festival Bok Tower Gardens welcomes four emerging guest carillonneurs who will debut world premiere performances on the Singing Tower carillon during the 22nd International Carillon Festival from March 8 to 16. The 2014 festival features “New Music On Old Bells,” a musical departure celebrating contemporary music on the carillon. Visitors will hear selections from important American composers, digitally-synthesized music with live bells, new compositions, and several world premieres. The selected guest carillonneurs are all first-time festival participants who are considered leading world performers among their peers. Led by the Gardens’ acclaimed carillonneur Geert D’hollander, these accomplished guest artists are pioneering new sounds on the carillon and will perform throughout the nine-day festival at 1 & 3 p.m. daily. They all have recently won international competitions, come from a variety of backgrounds, and are dedicated to promoting the awareness and enjoyment of carillon music. 6 | Spring 2014
Wildflower Walk Friday, March 14
In Florida, we don’t experience much of a winter like other areas of the country. Rather, we gauge seasons as being either rainy or dry, and flowering plants will bloom in response to this water cycle. Additionally, chilly days with temperatures in the low ‘30s (without freezing) will yield the most colorful, vibrant blooms. Winters with a hard freeze will cause azaleas to bloom all at once, while
warmer winters will yield blooms over a longer period of time. Camellias and azaleas can be observed blooming at the Gardens from late fall until late spring. However, peak bloom takes place mid-February through mid-March. And the best way to observe these displays? Grab your camera and casually walk the Gardens to welcome the dawning of a new spring season.
In partnership with South Florida State College’s Pygmy Fringe Tree Wildflower Festival, our Director of Horticulture Greg Kramer is hosting a two-mile Wildflower Walk on Friday, March 14 at 10 a.m. along the Gardens’ new Preserve Trail. Greg will talk about the various plant species and answer any questions you might have. This event is included with admission and is sponsored by the Florida Wildflower Foundation and the Florida State Wildflower license plate.
GUEST CARILLONNEURS Tiffany Ng is the Associate Carillonist of the University of California, Berkeley, where she teaches performance and carillon history through the DeCal program. She has played over 80 concerts in 11 countries.
Jeremy Chesman, AAGO, ChM, Carillonist and Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Missouri, is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where he was the first graduate to earn a Master of Music in Carillon Performance.
The Gardens’ Visitor Center features historical exhibits on the history, construction, and sound of the carillon from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, included with general admission.
Tom Van Peer is the City Carillonneur of Lokeren, Belgium. Although vision-impaired, he received his carillon diploma Magna Cum Laude at the Royal Carillon School “Jef Denyn” in Mechelen, Belgium in 1998.
Monika Kaźmierczak is the City Carillonneur of Gdansk, Poland. She studied piano at the State Academy of Music in Gdansk and obtained a master’s degree in Music Theory from the Conservatory in Gdansk in 2003.
The International Carillon Festival is part of the Gardens’ ongoing mission to share and engage with learners of all ages in music, history, and the arts. This programming is critical to the collective human experience of cultural institutions across the globe. Spring 2014 | 7
Campaign Cabinet Cindy Alexander J.F. Bryan IV William G. Burns Co-Chairs Michael Aloian Tomas J. Bok Paul Collins Dorothy Chao Jenkins Patsy Stokes A. Bronson Thayer Richard D. Wood, Jr. David Price President Joan Thomas, CFRE Director of Development Rhonda Todd Special Projects Assistant
About The Tower Key Our campaign design inspiration comes from the Samuel Yellin-designed wrought iron key that opens his iconic brass door to the Singing Tower. It is a unique representation of Bok Tower Gardens; a carillon bell surrounded by the leaves of the Olmsted gardens. The key reminds us we are the stewards of Edward Bok’s legacy and the key to its future.
For the past two years, it has been daunting, exhilarating, and gratifying for us to undertake what has become a $12 million campaign to Preserve the Legacy and Steward the Future of this garden. Leadership first took a critical look at our operations, and then drafted LongRange and Master Plans for us to remain relevant and financially sustainable 20 years into the future. In these plans, we address the most pressing needs of our historic core garden, while identifying strategic initiatives that must be taken if we are to thrive. Preserve the Legacy, Steward the Future is a campaign to support the first phase of our Master Plan. It is by far the largest fundraising initiative in our 85-year history. Its overarching goal is to keep the unique spirit of Bok Tower Gardens intact, while enriching the visitor experience in new and engaging ways. Inevitably, the landscape will be altered, but slow and subtle changes have always been a part of our garden.
It is important to note we are announcing this campaign on the 85th anniversary of the Gardens as Edward Bok’s gift to the American people. It signals a new era of philanthropy here, one that invites a deeper, more meaningful level of participation from our friends than ever before. To date, we have experienced a great outpouring of giving from the heart, and at levels that have enabled us to move forward with these innovative, new projects. Now is the time for you to join us as we enter the next chapter of Gardens’ history. There are a number of exciting opportunities on these pages and at www.boklegacy.org for you to leave your mark on Bok Tower Gardens. Our board, volunteer cabinet, and staff are 100% financially committed to this campaign. We invite you to participate now with your gift to help us take this bold move into the future.
Cindy Alexander JF Bryan IV William G. Burns Co-Chairs, Preserve the Legacy, Steward the Future Campaign
Improved plant dIversIty, colors and textures.
Rejuvenate The Historic Core Garden ResToRe The ToweR
ReviTalize The GaRdens
The 60-bell carillon Tower and historic Olmsted gardens are at the heart of the Edward Bok legacy. To ensure this National Historic Landmark is preserved for future generations, we must first ensure the Tower is well-maintained. Particular attention must be given to the tile grilles surrounding the bell chamber at the top of the Tower.
The Gardens delight and inspire, but behind the scenes our horticultural staff and volunteers work hard to maintain the “magic.” Every 25 to 30 years, we conduct a thorough evaluation of plantings in the historic core garden to ensure we are keeping true to Olmsted design principles and maintaining a healthy and thriving landscape. Larger, critical restoration projects require funding above and beyond normal annual operating budgets.
Tile Grille Restoration
• Removal of rust around the tile grilles
Horticultural Improvements
• Grilles must be repainted and sealed
• Comprehensive editing and replacement of older plantings
• Combination of State and matching private funding is needed
• Greater plant diversity, colors, and textures
“This is a special place. A place of healing. A place of beauty. A place of joy. A place of music. There’s nothing else around that can compare to that.” Marilyn newell MeMber
The Goal $2.5 million
new oval walkway and pollInator garden behInd vIsItor center
aCCeSS “Accessibility for everyone has been a really important piece of our planning process, so that young and old can together enjoy the entire Gardens.” Cindy alexander
CaMpaign Co-Chair
The Gardens Differently
oRienT youRself
expeRience MoRe
Currently, the steep grade along the main walkway behind the Visitor Center is difficult to traverse. Additionally, some guests lose their bearings while navigating the Gardens’ meandering pathways. With this project, we will create a delightful new arrival sequence and complementary spaces for a more enjoyable garden experience.
An increasing number of visitors with limited mobility utilize wheelchairs, and families require the use of strollers in the Gardens. We must address the conditions of some of our current mulched paths to provide easier accessibility, and create more of an immersive experience with shuttle transportation.
A New Gateway
• Gentle grade to a spectacular new oval walkway and special event lawn • Expanded outdoor café seating and colorful pollinator garden filled with birds and butterflies
The Goal $1.5 million
Paths And Shuttles
• Re-grading and hardpaving of the primary path to meet ADA compliance • New dedicated shuttle route through the core Gardens with convenient pick-up point adjacent to the Visitor Center
The Goal $2.1 million When visitors arrive at our Entrance Gate, they begin a journey through a garden rich with history and meaning. However, many come away without knowing even the most basic of stories about Bok Tower Gardens. To improve our “storytelling,” we seek community investment to complete these important interpretive projects.
enRich youR expeRience Exhibit Hall Renovations
Inside the Visitor Center are a number of exhibits that tell the story of Edward Bok and the Gardens. However, these exhibits are static and dated, and have not changed since the Visitor Center’s opening in 1997.
• New, dynamic exhibits that tell a more comprehensive and richer story of the Gardens • Use of modern technology and other media to engage and inspire guests of all ages
Be iMMeRsed in naTuRe Florida Wild Garden & Preserve
To the north of our historic landscape garden is an amazingly diverse native habitat that tells a very ancient story about Florida. Those familiar with our “wild side” at Window by the Pond and the Pine Ridge Trail know this part of the Gardens is a magnet for wildlife and will remain off the beaten path.
• Garden restoration and expansion of an eightacre area taking visitors through an oak hammock, sandhill preserve, and wetland bog
“The idea of sanctuary, of beauty, of people immersed in nature presents a tremendous opportunity to capture their imagination and emotions. As people come to know more about this place, Bok Tower Gardens can help build a new generation of environmental stewards.” ThoMas wolTz LandsCape arChiteCt and prinCipaL, neLson byrd WoLtz
• Repairs to the existing pond
teLL
Our Story
boardwalk through wetland bog near wIndow by the pond
water feature In new chIldren’s garden
SteWaRD “We need to have refuges like this that can be maintained for future generations. If this place were to go away I feel that the State of Florida would turn into a big parking lot. We have too many places where we have immediate need for gratification and I think the Gardens offer the complete opposite of that.” MiChael aloian board Chair
Our Future
A public garden can be world-class, but if it isn’t relevant to society it will not last through the next generation. It must be adaptable and connect with a variety of visitors in different ways, all while staying true to its own identity.
inspiRe a love of naTuRe The Children’s Garden Keeping children in touch with nature is important to building their confidence, independent spirit, critical thinking, and ultimately their capacity for environmental stewardship. Our new Children’s Garden will be a place of handson fun, natural beauty, learning, and creative play for children and adults.
• Teaching conservation and the vital connection between animals, plants, and people • Boardwalk, canopy climb, performance stage, music area • Art, interactive water features, vibrant plantings • Things to climb on, under and through; places to build, dig and create • Discovery Center for programs and field trips Children’s Garden fundraising includes an endowment component to ensure its annual operation
SuppORt The Campaign Recent research into our daily visitation revealed that while a new generation of visitors ages 40 and under is coming to the Gardens, they are not staying very long and not inclined to return. These visitors want to learn. Those with young children are looking for an opportunity for unrestricted play and more modern, family-friendly amenities. Therefore, we must address these concerns in order to thrive.
ReconnecT wiTh hoMe-GRown food
Making Your Gift Gifts of cash or securities may be made outright or pledged up to a maximum of five years. Specific gift provisions through one’s estate (if the donor is over age 70) will qualify for campaign recognition. Named Gifts We have identified a number of creative naming and recognition opportunities in this campaign. Consider making a gift in honor or memory of someone close to the Gardens. Or, associate your name with a major feature in our new garden areas or an endowed fund opportunity.
For full details about gift and naming options please visit our campaign website www.boklegacy.org or contact campaign staff at (863) 734-1213.
The Kitchen Garden
Edible display gardens surrounding an outdoor kitchen will be a welcoming destination for daytime or nighttime programs and events showcasing lifestyle gardening and the culinary arts.
• Hub of culinary activity with cooking demonstrations, VIP receptions, private rentals, and school group programs • Complements our University of Florida/IFAS partnership to develop school vegetable gardening programs throughout the State
pReSeRve the LegaCy, SteWaRD the futuRe Campaign Summary Tower restoration
$2,000,000
Horticultural improvements
$500,000
Paths and shuttles
$500,000
New Gateway
$1,000,000
Exhibit Hall renovations
$600,000
Florida Wild Garden & Preserve
$1,500,000
Endowment
The Children’s Garden
$3,500,000
To sustain and support these expansions to Bok Tower Gardens, we are inviting community investment into our current endowment to generate necessary ongoing operating income.
The Kitchen Garden
invesT in The fuTuRe
The Goal $5.9 million
Endowment
$900,000 $1,500,000
Total: $12,000,000 Raised to Date: $7,700,000
Thomas Woltz, Landscape Architect & Storyteller One of the rising stars in landscape architecture, Thomas Woltz sheds some light on his holistic design approach and how the stories behind Phase I of Bok Tower Gardens’ master plan can help build a new generation of environmental stewards.
Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Restoration Project in Orongo Station, New Zealand
Tell us about yourself and your firm. Our work centers on revealing the layers of a place, its history, geology, hydrology, plant communities, wildlife and culture, looking to the past to create a kit of parts, and how to make an appropriate garden in the 21st century. It’s rooted in science and observation, finding the voice of a site, and interpreting that for people to see and hear. Making the land visible is a big part of what our design work is about. Explain what’s so intriguing about working on the Bok Tower Gardens project. The first thing that caught my attention about Bok Tower Gardens is that Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. designed it. Currently, our firm is working on 14 | Spring 2014
six different Olmsted landscapes in different parts of the U.S. So we’re becoming recognized publicly as the firm that understands that history, is a responsible steward of that history, and can use our influence to turn it into something very contemporary and relevant. I was also excited to work on this project because of the remarkable and adventurous nature of what’s here. It’s extraordinary when you think about building an entire garden and bird sanctuary on top of a dune, one of the highest points in peninsular Florida, and then building this amazing carillon. It catches your imagination, and it’s an opportunity to build an even stronger, more relevant bond between people and place.
Tell us a little bit about the selection of the Gopher Tortoise story that is reflected in the new Children’s Garden. One of the ways we try to hear the voice of a site is by looking to the local ecologies. In this case, you have a sandhhill ecology adjacent to the Children’s Garden, and one of its denizens is the amazing Gopher Tortoise. We started to think, “What are some of the stories we could tell connected to the idea that nature operates in a web?” It’s an animal that is co-dependent on other plants and animals, and vice versa. More than 360 different species rely on the Gopher Tortoise and its burrow for survival. We want children to see and experience the animal perspectives of this place, and these relationships between nature and people were an interesting place to start. You have visited the Gardens several times as part of this process. What do you enjoy most? My favorite thing to do at Bok Tower Gardens is to start at the ridge of the sandhill and walk through the wiregrass and longleaf pines to see the amazing diversity of plants. Then moving down off the ridge and taking the North Walk up to the Tower. I really love that sort of transect, going from a raw ecology to a highly developed garden at the other end. You feel like you’re moving along a timeline. What were the challenges of introducing new garden spaces while maintaining the integrity of the historic garden? Fortunately, the areas designated for new gardens won’t disrupt current visitation, and we’re staging construction in a way that least impacts the visitor experience. Balancing the historic with the new is interesting because in a way, we’re telling the story
“I am always looking for the story of a site,” says landscape architect Thomas Woltz in a recent interview with Wall Street Journal Magazine after being named its Design Innovator of 2013. “One of the reasons I get up every morning with so much energy is the urge to make this profession, and the landscape itself, visible to the public.” that came before Bok Tower Gardens. These new garden spaces will expand the spectrum of experiences by interpreting stories of regional ecology, agriculture, and the interconnectivity of wildlife. What is so special about Bok Tower Gardens? One of the most exciting things about Bok Tower is its ability to reach people emotionally. The idea of sanctuary, of beauty, of people immersed in nature presents a tremendous opportunity to capture their imagination and emotions. And that’s a very important moment when you have someone’s emotional attention because you can start to tell other stories. As people come to know more about this place, Bok Tower Gardens can help build a new generation of environmental stewards.
Pinewood Estate Enhancements Improve Visitor Experience Although the 1932 Mediterranean-style Pinewood Estate wasn’t part of Edward Bok’s original plan for the Gardens, the Board acquired the property in 1970 at the urging of Bok’s daughter-in-law, Nellie Lee Holt Bok, and tours have grown to become a favorite activity among visitors. Attendance at the historic property has been steadily increasing and never more evident than during the recent 19th annual Holiday Home Tour when a record 15,000+ visitors enjoyed the Christmas decorations. A new amenity this year was the addition of “Pinewood Place,” a convenient outdoor seating area adjacent to the home serving light snacks and drinks. Additionally, ADA-compliant public restrooms were completed in midNovember to replace the temporary, portable alternative. As to not detract from historic aesthetics and to keep costs down, the new facilities were installed inside one of the home’s three garage bays. The project took two-and-a-half months to complete and included the installation of a new septic system. Rehabilitative projects soon to be completed include the Moongate Garden, a popular oriental garden on the northwest corner of the residence, as well as restoration of the original copper gutters. Partial funding is being provided by Historic Preservation grants awarded by Florida’s Division of Historical Resources The long-term importance of Pinewood Estate to the overall visitor experience is also evident in the Gardens’ expansion plans. A new paved walkway will provide quick access directly from the Visitor Center in a few short minutes without the need for shuttle transportation.
CALLING
SOS and Our Rare Plant Curator To The Rescue
···–––··· by Glen Bupp and Cheryl Peterson
An SOS call is by definition a call for rescue. The SOS distress signal became the worldwide rescue call in 1908, originating as the only nine-element Morse code pattern, and one that is easy to recognize. Although the letters SOS don’t stand for anything, popular usage has attributed them to an acronym for “save our ship” or “save our souls.” For the Rare Plant Conservation Program (RPCP), the letters could just as easily stand for “save our species.”
Working to identify Polygnella basiramia for rescue.
On occasion, the RPCP gets called to rescue rare plants that would otherwise be destroyed. These calls come from state agencies, such as the Florida Department of Transportation who will be impacting species through road projects, from county governments working with developers to mitigate the impacts of development projects, or from the developers themselves. Other calls come from private landowners who want rare species on their property preserved at Bok, prior to the start of an impactful project.
Glen Bupp showcasing a specimen of Paronychia chartacea to be transplanted into a quart pot.
Such a call came in November from biologists with the Florida Park Service. A parcel of land within Highlands Hammock State Park in Sebring was being prepared for a prescribed burn. Although the purpose of the fire is to manage the habitat for the protection of rare species, part of the preparation involved cutting fire breaks around the perimeter, which meant destroying numerous rare plants. Our Rare Plant Curator, Glen Bupp, devised a plan, solicited volunteer help, and led the rescue effort. Forty-
Music at Pinewood Estate A Classic Delight Featuring Curtis Opera Theatre artistic director Mikael Eliasen on piano accompanying four students, this program includes opera arias, and likely a Broadway tune or two. Please note change of date & time to what was published in our Programs & Events Guide.
February 12 at 6:30 p.m. •
Visiting guest artist Tom Van Peer presents an eclectic program for piano ranging from jazz and classical to romantic 19th-century selections and unique improvisations. Tom Van Peer is the City Carillonneur of Lokeren, Belgium and currently teaches at the Royal Carillon School in Belgium.
March 9 at 5 p.m. •
Enjoy a very special performance by Bok Tower Gardens’ award-winning carillonneur, Geert D’hollander. Guests will be delighted with the special guest performer he has invited to join him during this intimate evening of piano music at Pinewood Estate.
April 6 at 7:30 p.m. •
$25 per person, per concert. Reservations required.
“Only when I saw the Earth from space, in all its ineffable beauty and fragility, did I realize that humankind’s most urgent task is to cherish and preserve it for future generations.” Sigmund Jahn German cosmonaut
Calendar Calendar FEBRUARY
1 Tower Key Society Member Appreciation Breakfast 1 Founder’s Day Weekend Celebration 8 Discovery Saturdays: Happy Hives 9 Moonlight Carillon Concert 12 Live at the Gardens! Curtis On Tour 14 Valentine’s Dinner at Pinewood Estate 14 Valentine’s Day Carillon Concerts 15 Love In Bloom Reunion Celebration 22 Intermediate Watercolors with Cathy Futral 22 “La Florida: 500 Years In the Place of Flowers” Opens 23 Harmonious Fare “Jazz in the City”
five plants, 360 cuttings, 15 bulbs, and thousands of seeds from five different species were removed from the site and brought back to Bok Tower Gardens. Glen then began re-potting the plants, rooting the cuttings, and cleaning and counting the seeds. All rescued plant material gets accessioned into the National Collection for germplasm preservation, which we curate as part of the Center for Plant Conservation. Rescue efforts have become increasingly important for species preservation, especially in the
long-term storage of seeds. It may be difficult to conceptualize that an entire plant population might exist solely as a vacuum-sealed pack of seeds hidden away in a dark freezer. However, this seemingly bleak existence may be a key to the prevention of extinction. Each accession in the collection not only represents the genetic distinctiveness of a population, but also provides the raw material for introductions and much-needed research into the unique species of Florida.
Themed Sunset Concerts Create Harmonious Fare
Jazz in the City
Spend an evening beneath our canopy of majestic live oaks as carillon melodies float down from the Singing Tower. Enjoy delicious food and drinks from vendors paired with the evening’s musical theme during these live sunset carillon concerts by Geert D’hollander. Bring your own chairs and blankets, and enjoy!
St. Patrick’s Day
$5 per person. Free for members.
Sunday, February 23 at 6 p.m. Relaxing tones transport you to a jazzy nightclub in the big city.
Sunday, March 16 at 7 p.m. Journey to the Emerald Isle and find your pot o’ gold.
Cinco de Mayo
Sunday, May 4 at 7 p.m. It’s a Mexican fiesta as Latin-themed music plays on the Singing Tower.
MARCH
1 Founder’s Room Tours 8 - 16 International Carillon Festival 8 & 9 Hidden Garden Melodies 9 Live at the Gardens! Tom Van Peer 10 - 14 Lunch & Learn Guided Tour & Concert 13 Moonlight Carillon Concert 14 Wildflower Walk with Greg Kramer 15 & 16 Hidden Garden Melodies 16 Harmonious Fare “St. Patrick’s Day” 17 St. Patrick’s Day Carillon Concerts 21 Family Camping Adventure 21 Flicks in the Garden “The Wizard of Oz” 28 Flicks in the Garden “Casablanca”
April
1 Flicks in the Garden “Sleepless in Seattle” 6 Live at the Gardens! Geert D’hollander 11 Founder’s Room Tours 12 Quilting Florida by Carolyn Friedlander Exhibit Opens 13 Moonlight Carillon Concert 20 Easter Sunrise Service 26 Concert Under the Stars
May
1 Earth Day Celebration 3 Carillon Classic 5K Run/Walk 4 Harmonious Fare “Cinco de Mayo” 9 National Public Gardens Day 11 Mother’s Day Concerts & Plant Sale
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2013
BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIR Michael Aloian, President
Charlotte State Bank Trust Department – Tampa
VICE CHAIR Cindy Alexander, Community Volunteer Lake Wales
TREASURER Tomas J. Bok, Ph.D., President
Cambridge Analytics LLC – Somerville, Mass.
SECRETARY Frank M. Hunt II, Chairman of the Board Hunt Bros. Cooperative – Lake Wales
BOARD MEMBERS J. F. Bryan IV
The Bryan Group – Jacksonville
William G. Burns, Retired Lake Wales
Paul Collins, Retired PJC Partners, London
Frank Driscoll, President/CEO
Driscoll Group – Winston-Salem, N.C.
Derek Dunn-Rankin, President
Sun Coast Media Group, Inc. – Charlotte Harbor
Chip Elfner, President
Mountain Lake Corporation – Lake Wales
Robin Gibson, Senior Partner Gibson Law Firm – Lake Wales
Heather Jordan-Holmes, CEO/President The Omnia Group, Inc. – Tampa
L. Evans Hubbard, Chairman of the Board A. Friends’ Foundation Trust – Orlando
Dick Wood, Retired
Wawa, Inc. – Wawa, Penn.
EMERITUS MEMBERS Louise B. Adams Lake Wales
J. Shepard Bryan Jr., Attorney
Holland & Knight LLP – Atlantic Beach
Joy Banks and volunteer Nancy March work together to identify and catalog items in our collection.
Gardens Receives CLIR Grant for Collections and Archives Bok Tower Gardens is one of 22 prestigious organizations to receive grant funding for the 2013 Cataloging Hidden Collections & Archives program, sponsored by the independent Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR). Our project will focus on processing the non-cataloged materials in the Anton Brees Carillon Library, including the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America archives, to make them more accessible online.
Nancy J. Davis, President & CEO
McArthur Management Company – Miami
John Germany, Attorney
Holland & Knight LLP – Tampa
Robert Graham, Senator U. S. Senate – Miami
M. Lewis Hall Jr., Partner/Attorney Hall & Hedrick – Coral Gables
Joan Wellhouse Newton, Chairman Emeritus Regency Centers Corporation – Jacksonville
18 | Spring 2014
Over the next 33 months, Bok Tower Gardens Librarian Joy Banks will increase her hours to full-time, hire a dedicated project assistant, and work with interns and volunteers to process more than 100 linear feet of materials. Collectively, these materials represent the artistic development and continued growth of an entire field of musical performance. Cataloging these materials allows us to not only promote the profession and its instrument, but also to provide more efficient access to a much broader scholarly audience.
Special thanks to the following donors of Florida native plants and the property owners who allowed Bok Tower Gardens to survey for and collect native plants from Sept. to Dec. 2013:
Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Osprey, FL
Pamela Coleman, Homestead, FL
Finish Line Homes, Inc., Wellington, FL
Charlie Pederson, Florida Forest Service, Gainesville, FL
Ed and Karen Ksepka, Ft. McCoy, FL
Charles Collins, Ocala, FL Katherine Edenhofer, Ocklawaha, FL Pamela Coleman, Homestead, FL
Native Wildflower Photography Exhibit The Florida Wildflower Foundation’s Viva Florida 500 exhibit “La Florida: 500 Years in the Place of Flowers” will be on display from February 22 to April 10 in the Visitor Center. The exhibit commemorates the natural history and culture of our state, which Juan Ponce de Leon named in 1513. Roughly translated, La Florida means “place or land of flowers.” The display features 15 large-format photos by nature photographer John Moran, perfectly illustrating the intricate beauty of wildflowers found in swamps, springs, and other natural areas. The exhibit captures the timeless appeal of Florida’s native flowers, while an accompanying panel relates the history and culture of early Florida. John Moran’s photography has appeared in numerous books and magazines including National Geographic, Life, Time, Newsweek, Smithsonian, The New York Times Magazine, and the National Audubon Society Field Guide to Florida.
Exhibit opens Saturday, February 22 The exhibit is sponsored by the Florida Wildflower Foundation with proceeds from State Wildflower license plate sales. To learn more about Florida’s wildflowers and the work of the Foundation, visit www.FlaWildflowers.org.
Volunteers are Worth a Million
and reward their dedication. Please join us in welcoming Rachel in her new role the next time you visit the Gardens.
by Jennifer Beam, Director of Visitor Services & Programs
Bok Tower Gardens is a place where volunteer service makes a tremendous positive impact and is deeply appreciated. On a yearly basis, our 400+ volunteers donate more than 48,000 hours. Based on the national volunteer timevalue rate, this equals about $1 million annually.
We’d like to announce that Rachel Henderson has been named our new Visitor Services & Volunteer Manager. Rachel will bring new ideas to our volunteer program and daily operations. She is evaluating ways to better communicate with current volunteers, recruit new volunteers,
Partner Profile:
We would like to thank TD Bank for their continued support of Bok Tower Gardens. Sponsorships and grants from the TD Charitable Foundation have supported events including
Thanks to all our wonderful volunteers!
Boktoberfest, Earth Day and The Fairchild Challenge. The company first opened its doors as Portland Savings Bank in Portland, Maine in 1952. Today, TD Bank is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S. The bank provides its services to more than 8 million customers with a full range of retail, small business, and commercial banking products and services at approximately 1,300 locations, including Lake Wales.
Special thanks to Robert Brown, store manager at the Lake Wales branch, and his staff for their support in making our events a success! We are pleased to have TD Bank as one of our partners and appreciate all they do for Bok Tower Gardens and our community.
Spring 2014 | 19
1151 Tower Boulevard Lake Wales 33853
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2014
Kids Photography Contest Winner Congratulations to Gideon McKennon for winning last summer’s Kids Photography Contest. His photo titled “The Lonely Tree” won the People’s Choice Award from a group of 12 weekly winners posted to our Facebook page over the summer.
History in the Making February 1! We invite our members to stand alongside us as we enter the next chapter in the history of the Gardens during our Dedication Celebration on Saturday, February 1. This special occasion will be marked with activities throughout the Gardens including Japenese drummers, guest speakers, Crossing the Moat, and special carillon concerts by Geert D’hollander. See full details on page 3.
CO N N E C T W I T H U S
Does it ring a bell? If you hear the familiar sound of carillon music coming from a vehicle while you’re driving around Central Florida, don’t be surprised to see Carillonneur Geert D’hollander in the driver’s seat as he sports this new license plate (and shows his support for the Florida Wildflower Foundation, too)!
Instagram Photo Contest Winner Congratulations to Christopher Reyne for winning our Christmas Instagram Photo Contest during this year’s Holiday Home Tour at Pinewood Estate. Follow us on Instagram to see our latest photos at instagram.com/boktowergardens!
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