GROW WITH US
SPRING 2014 | VOL. 51 NO. 1 HOME OF THE WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY
CONTENTS
SPRING 2014 4 VIEW FROM THE HILL Our Garden Within Reach puts nature at more fingertips 6 PLANT PORTRAIT The elegant beauty of the Philippine Orchid 8 HEALTHY GARDENING Growing green comes naturally at Tower Hill 24 FINDING LOST GARDENS Putting Worcester’s lost gardens back on the map 26 AN INSPIRED PRACTICE A local fireman unplugs and recharges with yoga in the garden 28 CHERISHED POSESSIONS Lifetime member and friend Russell Ward Nadeau’s beautiful legacy 30 GIVING REPORT All that we grow, care for, and share is made possible by you 36 HELPING HAND Volunteer Mary Flynn 38 BEAUTY & BOUNTY Merging form and function to feed both the body and the soul 40 SPRING AT THE SHOP Seeds, tools, books, and more! 42 FINDING JOY Tower Hill becomes a touchstone of peace in the midst of a life-threatening illness 46 MORE FOR OUR MEMBERS New additions and updates to our Membership Program
ON THE COVER Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana ‘Alexandrina’) in the Lawn Garden. ON THIS PAGE Dwarf Iris (Iris reticulata), an easily grown hardy bulb, is one of the first to bloom when the snow recedes in spring. Potted up in autumn and held in a cold dark garage or basement, it can be forced into bloom indoors before nature permits its advancement outside.
VIEW FROM THE HILL
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SPRING 2014
VIEW FROM THE HILL KATHERINE F. ABBOTT // CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Dear Members, Friends, and Supporters, At Tower Hill, nothing gives us more joy than to share our passion for plants, gardening, and nature with as many people as we can reach. To truly fulfill that mission, we must think about how we can excite and engage all people in our work, including those for whom a walk along a garden path might not be practical or possible, whether because of a disability or other mobility issues. Universal design principles are fundamental values that drive the development of our gardens and programs every day. But this spring, I’m especially excited by the construction of our newest garden, which will take these values to the next level. The John W. Trexler Garden Within Reach exemplifies all that Tower Hill aspires to be today: inspirational, informative, fun, and accessible to all. This garden of raised beds and containers speaks to those of us who want to garden sitting down or standing up, and, with its predominantly hard surfaces, is easy to traverse on foot, in a wheelchair, or with a walker. Designed to be looked at, listened to, and touched, the Garden Within Reach will offer a quiet place to sit and contemplate its exquisite plantings, catch
your breath, and visit with friends. It will also serve as an outdoor classroom for people of all abilities. Currently we host more than 40 groups with disabilities or mobility issues from various organizations, and we are developing programming partnerships with these and other organizations to take advantage of this exciting new garden. But perhaps most groundbreaking of all is that this Garden Within Reach will be our first formal garden where we encourage our program participants to get their hands dirty and help us maintain it to our high horticultural standards. Generously endowed thanks in large part to John Green Society member Robert Courtemanche, the Garden Within Reach will be a laboratory and an evolving garden as we experiment with what works best to share the wonderful sights, sounds, smells, touches, and tastes of plants with all of our guests. Novelist and poet Alice Walker said, “In search of my mother’s garden, I found my own.” We hope that the Garden Within Reach helps many new gardeners to find their own. Happy Planting, Kathy Abbott TOWERHILLBG.ORG // 5
PLANT PORTRAIT
Philippine Orchid Medinilla magnifica Native to the Philippine Islands, this spectacular evergreen shrub is not truly an orchid but rather a member of the Melastomataceae family, which includes the beloved Princess Flower (Tibouchina urvilleana) and the North American Meadow Beauty (Rhexia virginica). A denizen of the rainforest, Medinilla can be found in the light shade of the forest floor, where it can grow into a shrub up to 8’ tall and in pockets and crotches of established trees. It is an epiphyte – growing on other plants but not getting sustenance directly from its host, as a parasitic plant would. Flamboyant pink bracts surround clusters of small, but elegant true flowers. As a houseplant it requires high humidity, warm temperatures and bright but indirect light. It prefers to be evenly moist but not overwatered, and drier when not in active growth. Hardy in Zone 10. WHERE CAN YOU FIND THE PHILIPPINE ORCHID AT TOWER HILL?
The Milton Gallery, Limonaia, and Orangerie.
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HORTICULTURE NEWS
HEALTHY GARDENING
Sustainable Practices JOANN VIEIRA // DIRECTOR OF HORTICULTURE & FACILITIES
Here at Tower Hill, sensitivity to the delicate natural world under our care is integral to everything we do. We strive to be “green” indoors and out, from recycling to sourcing supplies locally to using bio-fuels. But it’s our gardens that truly showcase our commitment to responsible and environmentally friendly practices – practices that have been the backbone of our stewardship since our earliest days.
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WEED CONTROL Pesticide-free grass clippings make wonderful organic mulch in vegetable gardens. Spread clippings as soon as they are gathered in light layers over the season. As they break down, the clippings will help retain moisture, reduce weeds, and add organic matter to the soil.
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THE FOUNDATION Sustainable care starts with good garden design that recognizes the particulars of the land – the slope, the wind and sun exposure, soil conditions, and drainage. We make careful site preparations, improving drainage if necessary, mitigating steep slopes, and bringing power, lighting, and irrigation where needed. We test, screen, and improve soils. And we choose plants that meet our educational and aesthetic goals, are pest and disease resistant, and are right for the conditions before us. When we finally nestle the plants into the carefully considered setting, we use sound horticultural techniques to foster strong growth and healthy plants. We prune at the appropriate time to achieve sound structure, healthy form, and beauty, and we mulch with organic materials to conserve water, suppress weeds, and improve the soil structure. When soil tests or plant indicators dictate, we fertilize with mostly organic fertilizers and periodically top-dress herbaceous garden beds with our own garden compost or a fine, goat manure–based compost from a local farm. And we constantly keep an eye on the ever-fluctuating pest and disease populations, beneficial organisms, and weather and other conditions that pose a threat to our environs. Good cultivation techniques, strong healthy plants, and careful scouting and early removal of diseased or compromised plant material all help keep problems to a minimum. In the end, if we find a plant is overly susceptible to a disease or pest and it cannot be managed in a reasonable manner, then it’s not a plant we should be encouraging you to grow and therefore it does not belong in our collections. Does this mean that we never use chemicals? No. While it’s always a last defense, we do recognize that, at rare times, the careful application of a non-organic material is the most responsible solution to managing a problem.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE Keeping high-quality bypass pruners ever-sharp, clean, and ready for use means that pruning damaged or rubbing and crossing branches can happen on a moment’s notice. 10 // SPRING 2014
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TOOLS & TECHNIQUES
LOVING OUR LAWNS Watching children run gleefully across our Great Lawn or seeing a family spread a blanket for a picnic is not only one of the great joys at Tower Hill, it also reaffirms our commitment to low-input, chemical-free turf. The Great Lawn’s long green expanse offers the perfect foil for the beds and borders surrounding it, and provides a calming view back to the Farmhouse. Lawns in New England are a pleasant artifice, but seeking golf-course perfection is unrealistic for most of us, and certainly not our first aim here at the Botanic Garden. Achieving the rolling greensward that children find so irresistible begins with mowing: we set the mower blades high, cutting at 3½”– 4”, and drop the clippings, which returns organic matter back to the soil and allows us to use less fertilizer. Also key is keeping our mower blades sharp and avoiding mowing when the grass is wet. The distinct alternating pattern you see in the freshly mown lawn is also deliberate – this method helps to even out the compaction from the mower’s weight. When we have to irrigate, we water deeply and early in the day, which reduces evaporation as the sun heats up and allows the grass blades to dry quickly. Our organic, manure-based fertilizers are used sparingly, and we top-dress occasionally with our own “house”-made compost. With the help of volunteers, we hand-weed dandelions, plantains, and oxalis, while compacted soils get aerated regularly. And, of course, we have a high tolerance for a mixed palate of plants within the turf.
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IRRESISTIBLE Our healthy lawns are a tapestry of grasses and broadleaf plants that provide a lovely visual platform for the gardens, and an enticing carpet for play.
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WHACKING WEEDS The fine gardener fixates constantly on controlling weeds. The best line of defense? Removing them early before they can go to seed or send out stout roots. Thanks to the nimble hands of staff and willing volunteers we begin this manual work in April and it keeps us busy right into November. Identifying and knowing weeds – are they perennial or annual? Winter or summer? Aggressive spreaders from the roots or from seed? – helps us determine the critical time and way to manage them. Organic mulches that exclude light discourage many weeds from germinating and also have the added benefits of building healthy soils and retaining moisture. In the beds and borders around our trees and shrubs, we use a very fine dark-pine bark mulch laid down to a depth of no more than two to three inches. We generally apply the bark mulch in the summer after the foliage of spring-blooming bulbs has died back. We top-dress every year or two when the mulch clearly has begun to break down or gotten thin. When time permits, aged woodchips from tree removals onsite are used in our nursery area and in the orchard, while in our herbaceous borders, where annuals come and go each year and perennials abound, we use shredded leaf mulch. Each fall we collect fallen leaves throughout the property, avoiding any with a known disease or pest problem, and shred them into fine, cornflake-size mulch. When we complete our spring planting in May, we nestle the leaf mulch in and around the plants, where it provides them the perfect backdrop. By fall much of the mulch has broken down, enriching the soil. If we find ourselves short of leaf mulch we will supplement in some spots with pine needles or with the beautiful goat manure compost crafted at Royal Crest Farm in Spencer.
DANDELION’S DELIGHT Controlling weeds usually begins with preventing them from going to seed, but sometimes the magic of seed dispersal is too tempting to ignore! 14 // SPRING 2014
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KEEPING WEEDS AT BAY Keeping weeds out of the cracks & crevices is no easy challenge – reducing organic material for seed germination is key, and the use of a torch flame provides a bit of summertime excitement!
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In our Vegetable Garden we spread wood chips on the footpaths and grass clippings among the plants. The clippings are gathered from our organic lawns so we have no fear of contamination from pesticides. We carefully avoid clipping from any parts of the property where weeds – plantain or dandelions, for example – have gone to seed and spread the clippings as soon as they have been gathered from the mower. This very fresh, fine, green material quickly turns into a hot, soupy mess, so speed is of the essence. When it comes to keeping our brick, stone dust, and bluestone walks free of weeds, exclusion is key. We try to make the paths as inhospitable for seed germinating as possible. We do not rake mulch and debris into the paths, or drop soil or other organic material, which provides a bed for weed germination, onto them. When weeds do pop up between the bricks or stones, we burn them with a propane torch rather than pull them out, which would take the stone dust with them. A mere touch with the torch flame shrivels any foliage, but it takes a slightly longer sizzle to kill off the crown, making it a meditative process.
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CULTIVATING COMPOST Eventually, almost every stitch of herbaceous plant material that we pull, cut back, or sweep up from the gardens and conservatories is returned to the garden. We add to this the fruit and vegetable scraps from Twigs Café. As a result huge piles of compost increase in size in our horticultural maintenance area from spring until fall. Periodic turning with our tractor keeps the piles in check and actively composting. One pile is begun anew with fresh material each year; the previous year’s pile continues to cook and be turned throughout the summer, until it is ready to be run through a screen into the final finished pile for use on beds and borders or as potting soil amendment. No weeds going to seed, invasive or persistent plants, or diseased plant material goes into these compost piles. Instead, the diseased material is composted independently in a remote location – keeping the disease pathogens and weed seeds separate.
WEED BARRIERS JoannViera, Director of Horticulture and Facilities and Jim Nicewicz, Horticulturist, layer newspaper, compost, and mulch over turf in areas being converted to planting beds. The turf is unable to penetrate the layers of newspaper, which eventually break down, leaving a weed-free bed. 18 // SPRING 2014
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BUGS BE GONE Scouting for insects and disease is a fixation of our team and a daily activity. We manually remove insect pests and diseased leaves every day in an effort to control them before they become a problem. We work to favor natural predators and soft solutions. If we need to intervene with something more than our fingertips, we choose the safest natural or organic controls whenever possible. Horticultural oils, Neem, baking-soda mixtures, soapy water, a sharp stream of water, pruning, and repellants are our second line of defense – after the best cultural care and smart plant selection. Trapping can also be an effective defense when necessary. You may have noticed what appeared to be red croquet balls hanging from the apple trees in summer. To a female apple maggot fly, these balls look like the finest, largest, loveliest apples in the orchard. Wanting only the best for her offspring, she flies to an “apple” to lay her eggs in what she thinks will be the fruit’s soft snowy flesh. Instead a sticky castor-oil film on the fake apple’s plastic covering ensnares her. Neither she nor her eggs will escape the trap. The small apples on the trees are left unmarred by the fly and their flesh matures unblemished by this particular pest. Similar sticky traps used in the greenhouses monitor and reduce whitefly, aphids, and fungus gnats. If we can keep the pest populations low enough through good plant selection, cultural techniques, careful monitoring, and trapping, then we can reduce or eliminate the need to spritz or spray anything stronger. Our “green” gardens may be the most visible testament to Tower Hill’s environmentally friendly practices, but our responsibility to care for the natural world goes far beyond our beds and borders. By sharing our knowledge and best practices with our visitors and members, we are encouraging us all to continue to live thoughtfully and respectfully on this land with which we’ve been entrusted, and with the creatures with whom we share our journey. //
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A GOOD BUG Ladybugs are treasured inhabitants of the garden and greenhouses. The adult beetle and its hungry larvae feed on aphids, mealybugs, mites, and other small pests, helping to keep their populations in check.
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TOWER HILL’S 29TH ANNUAL
SPRING PLANT SALE
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SATURDAY, MAY 31, 2014 MEMBERS PREVIEW // 9–11AM NON-MEMBERS // 11AM–2 PM // FREE WITH ADMISSION Choose from outstanding plants of all kinds offered by Tower Hill and premier vendors and plant societies – unusual annuals, Cary Award winners, unique trees and shrubs, cacti and succulents, daylilies, hostas, bromeliads, ferns, conifers, epimediums, heaths, heathers, roses, and more. Beautiful handcrafted pottery, sculpture, birdbaths, and hypertufa troughs are among the many garden accessories. Members have access to the very finest selection at 9am and receive a 10% discount on plants sold at Tower Hill tables (no discount at vendor tables). The first 500 members to the sale receive a free seedling-size tree or shrub. MEMBERS ONLY: SILENT AUCTION // 9–11AM A great opportunity to bid on rare and unusual plants and garden items. Not a member? JOIN NOW to take advantage of this special event.
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LIBRARY NOTES
FINDING LOST GARDENS KATHY BELL // TOWER HILL LIBRARIAN
Knollwood, Iristhorpe, Hawthorne Hill, Merrifield, Juniper Hall: these distinctive names harken back to a time when grand homes and gardens didn’t need street names and numbers for identification. Some of these homes and gardens are well known and documented – others less so. But all of them, and dozens more, are the focus of Lost Gardens of Worcester County. A partnership of the Worcester Garden Club, Preservation Worcester, and the Tower Hill Library, along with several knowledgeable and resourceful individual researchers, the Lost Gardens of Worcester County project is working to identify outstanding gardens of the past and to gather, preserve, and share information about them. “Lost” becomes a relative term as we add gardens to our list. In some cases the home and/or garden is completely gone; in others, traces or plantings remain. Still others have been adapted for new owners or uses. In each case, we search out information on the gardeners and gardens in their prime, when they were best known. 24 // SPRING 2014
PLANTING SEEDS, MAKING CONNECTIONS We’ve unearthed many stories and connections inspired by the lost gardens and their gardeners. A photo of 32 Cedar Street in Worcester, for example, raised an intriguing question. The property’s owner, Mrs. Smith, grew wildflowers, but it’s the unusual cornstalk fence that fronted her property that catches the eye. The fence no longer exists on Cedar Street, but a similar fence in New Orleans at the Cornstalk Hotel holds a wonderful story: it was built for a young bride to help relieve her homesickness for Iowa! Does anyone know if the Cedar Street fence has a similar story – or what became of it?
HELP PUT WORCESTER COUNTY’S HISTORIC GARDENS BACK ON THE MAP Do you have old planting plans, plant lists, or photos from Worcester’s lost gardens? Please let us know! We’re interested in noteworthy gardens large and small. If you’d like to help with our research or would like more information, please get in touch. Email KBell@towerhilbg.org or call 508.869.6111 x116.
32 CEDAR STREET. IMAGE FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF THE WORCESTER HISTORICAL MUSEUM, WORCESTER, MA.
Not surprisingly, the larger gardens built by Worcester County’s most prominent 19th- and early20th-century citizens drew much of our early attention. The homes established by the Thayer, Knowles, Whitall, and Crompton families, to name only a few, were not unlike the country estates built in many areas of the country at the turn of the century, with grand landscapes graced by formal gardens. But gardening attracted more than just Worcester’s wealthier citizens – interest cut across age, gender, and socioeconomic levels. A glance at late-19th-century street atlases shows greenhouses on properties of all sizes, while Worcester County Horticultural Society weekly exhibition records reveal contestants ranging from governors and industrialists to schoolchildren. Learning about these remarkable gardens has been a joy, as is sharing findings and resources with our dedicated team – including Judy McCann and Mary (Sid) Callahan from the Worcester Garden Club; Susan Ceccacci of Preservation Worcester; Linda Hart of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR);
and Betsy Beth, Bonnie O’Brien, Jane Peck, John Trexler, and Isabel Wheat. To date we’ve uncovered at least some documentation for more than 30 gardens in nine Worcester County towns, but our hope is to dig deeper, identify more gardens, and expand our knowledge of each of them. You can get to know some of the Lost Gardens of Worcester County through our special display in the Tower Hill Library. Materials will rotate through the display over the next few months so we can showcase the array of remarkable materials found thus far. We also plan a series of lectures and walking tours. In addition to sharing the Lost Gardens of Worcester County with the public, we plan to create a local, searchable archive with access to digitized images and other information about these historic green spaces. We will also provide information to the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Gardens where, currently, Worcester County is very much under-represented. //
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MEMBER PROFILE
AN INSPIRED PRACTICE When Chris Tetreault walked into his first Yoga by Nature class two years ago, he wasn’t sure what to expect. A firefighter with the Northborough Fire Department, Chris had tried other yoga classes, but found them a bit too intense and inconsistent. “The instructors would alternate, so we never knew which instructor we’d get or what the workout would be like.” But at Tower Hill, Chris found Lynsey Smith’s weekly class “so comfortable and welcoming that I was quickly able to make it part of my regular routine.” Chris found it a great class for beginners like him, but challenging enough to satisfy more experienced yogis as well. “We’re not pushed to do something that doesn’t feel right,” he says.
Yoga by Nature with Instructor Lynsey Smith Wednesdays 6–7:15 pm Fridays 9–10:15 am Member $10; Non-member $17 per class Enjoy a relaxing, all-levels guided yoga class in our tranquil space. Classes emphasize integration of breath and movement in a gentle-to-moderate flow. Classes take place in the gardens, weather permitting. 26 // SPRING 2014
While more and more men practice yoga these days, none of Chris’s fellow firefighters have taken it up. “Yoga’s not typically what the guys do,” he laughs. For Chris, though, the benefits of his practice extend to his time on the job. “Yoga helps to balance out the stresses from my work, and gives me an opportunity to unplug, de-stress, and recharge,” he says. Chris has even started doing a routine on his own in between classes. Chris’s favorite part of the weekly class? Practicing in the garden. “It’s a unique and amazing experience,” he says, especially when the classes are held outdoors. “I’m able to relax, tune in, quiet my mind, and watch the clouds go by or listen to birds chirping in the background.” //
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DONOR PROFILE
Cherished Possessions From the outside, Russell Ward Nadeau lived a peaceful and unassuming life in his home in Webster. An avid gardener, Russell nurtured his backyard plantings with an eye toward attracting the birds that he loved to watch. But inside his comfortable home was hidden a unique family treasure that Russell cherished and cared for through much of his life. Russell was the sole heir of the D.J. and Alice Shumway Nadeau collection of Americana, a remarkable store of furniture – including 21 tall and wall clocks – passed down from generation to generation of Shumways, Wards, and Nadeaus. First his parents and then Russell painstakingly preserved the pieces with their original finishes, amassing a treasure-trove of furnishings – and the stories of American culture and history they hold – considered of great value to scholars of furniture history. Russell generously donated the entire collection to the National Heritage Museum in Lexington in the 1990s.
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It was in this spirit of generosity that the Worcester County Horticultural Society first came to know Russell. He joined as a lifetime member in 1958, and stayed involved for the rest of his life, serving as a Trustee from 2001–2005, and remaining an Honorary Trustee until his passing in 2013. We valued and appreciated Russell’s service and generosity to the Society during his lifetime, and are honored that, on his passing, his estate donated a bequest to establish the D.J. and Alice Shumway Nadeau Memorial Fund in support of the Systematic Garden. It is a privilege to accept this generous gift in honor of Russell’s mother and father, and we take seriously the charge Russell left us to care for the garden he loved as attentively as he did for his own family’s heritage. //
By leaving a bequest in support of the Systematic Garden [above] in his will, the late Russell Nadeau [left], a lifetime member and cherished friend of Tower Hill Botanic Garden, has helped to secure his beloved garden’s long-term care.
Planned gifts are made through the Perennial Society. If you are interested in making a planned gift, please contact Marleen Kilcoyne at 508.869.6111 x114 or mkilcoyne@towerhillbg.org. TOWERHILLBG.ORG // 29
GIVING Many thanks to our generous donors in 2013. All that we grow, care for, and share at Tower Hill is made possible only because of your generosity. President’s Circle // $10,000+ Banknorth Group, Inc. Mr. Robert E. Courtemanche Jeanne Y. Curtis Foundation The Ruth H. and Warren A. Ellsworth Foundation The Elizabeth Taylor Fessenden Foundation The George F. and Sybil H. Fuller Foundation The Greater Worcester Community Foundation, Inc. Mrs. Norma E. Holmes Mr. and Mrs. Stephen B. Loring Massachusetts Cultural Council Mezitt Horticultural Foundation Dr. and Mrs. Arthur M. Pappas Mrs. Louise C. Riemer Mrs. Chloe Nester Sundberg The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts Mrs. Marillyn A. Zacharis
Director’s Circle // $5,000+ Mr. and Mrs. George F. Bernardin Mr. and Mrs. Frank H. Bissett Mr. and Mrs. Richard W. Dearborn Julie and Dennis Murphy Family Foundation J. Irving England and Jane L. England Charitable Trust Ms. Barbara L. Morse D. Francis Murphy Insurance Agency, Inc. Peterson Oil Service, Inc. The E. Stanley & Alice M. Wright Foundation 30 // SPRING 2014
THAN Patrons // $2,000+
Allagash Mrs. Philip C. Beals Allen Berry and Sarah Garfield Berry Bigelow Nurseries, Inc. James Underwood Crockett Fund Mrs. Bayard T. DeMallie Emilie Welles Foundation Fiduciary Investment Advisors, LLC Mr. and Mrs. Warner S. Fletcher Perry V. Haines Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Dale R. Harger The Richard A. Heald Fund Mr. Ervin D. Johnson, Jr. Dr. James D. Karadimos and Mr. William Beever Richard and Jean Leif Morgan-Worcester, Inc. Mr. John W. Murphy Mr. Jeremy F. O’Connell Mr. and Mrs. Howard W. Peterson, Jr. Mr. Randall Porcella and Family Mr. and Mrs. Christopher S. Reece Mr. and Mrs. Theodore E. Shasta, Jr. Rocco and Anne Trotto Tufts Health Plan Webster Five Cents Savings Bank Mr. and Mrs. Wallace F. Whitney Mr. and Mrs. Peter H. Williams
Sponsors // $1,000+ Ms. Katherine F. Abbott Mrs. Martha E. Bigelow Ms. Patricia E. Bigelow Mr. George F. Booth II and Ms. Penelope Dewar Mr. and Mrs. George S. Butler Mrs. Mary V. C. Callahan Mr. and Mrs. Roger Doucette Mr. and Mrs. Louis L. Farber Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Mr. and Mrs. David R. Grenon Dr. and Mrs. Abraham W. Haddad Mr. Mark E. Haffenreffer Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Hanss Mrs. Phyllis Harrington Mr. and Mrs. M. Howard Jacobson Mr. and Mrs. B. Anthony King Mr. and Mrs. Allen A. Krause
Dr. Diane M. Lebel and Dr. Alan Harris MBIA Foundation, Inc. Mrs. C. Jean McDonough Mr. and Mrs. Henry T. Michie Mr. and Mrs. David S. Milton Mr. and Mrs. John O. Mirick Mr. and Mrs. Barrett Morgan Mr. and Mrs. Philip R. Morgan Mrs. Sarah D. Pettit Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Pitcher Dr. Phyllis Pollack and Dr. W. Peter Metz Mr. and Mrs. Douglas T. Radigan Mr. and Mrs. Joaquim Ribeiro Ms. Elaine M. Richardson Mr. and Mrs. Edward J. Robbins Mr. Kent D. Russell and Dr. Aisling Gaughan Mr. and Mrs. John Stoddard Tranquil Lake Nursery Mr. and Mrs. Leif Uptegrove W. Gary Smith Design Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Roger U. Wellington, Jr. Wyman-Gordon Foundation
Supporters // $500+ Mr. and Mrs. John W. Bassick Beacon Hill Garden Club Ms. Patricia H. Bukoski Cavicchio Greenhouses, Inc. Centerbrook Architects & Planners, LLC Danielson Flowers, Inc. Mrs. Russell E. Fuller Mr. and Mrs. Mark W. Fuller Halvorson Design Paternship Mr. Kenneth B. Hedenburg Mr. David A. Kirchner and Mr. Scott Warner Mr. Gary Koller Mr. and Mrs. R. Wayne Mezitt Nypro Foundation Paul Massad Landscaping LLC Pierson Nursery, Inc. Principal Financial Group Mr. David J. Sperry Mrs. Mary Ann Streeter Weston Nurseries, Inc. Windy Hill Farm, Inc. Anonymous [1]
NK YOU Friends // $100+
Allandale Farm Allegro Microsystems, Inc. Mr. Oliver Ames Suzanne Arpante and Family Mr. and Mrs. Dean B. Arvidson Mr. and Mrs. Peter L. Ballantyne Bank of America Mr. and Mrs. William F. Barrett Eva and Dan Barstow Berlin Cultural Council Mrs. Barbara P. Bird Mrs. Ernestine W. Blanchard Mrs. Kathleen V. Bowman Boylston Cultural Council Mr. and Mrs. David S. Butler Dr. and Mrs. Robert J. Cavanaugh Sharon and Eugene Chauvin Chestnut Hill Garden Club Miss Kim M. Ciborowski Mr. and Mrs. Peter D. Clapp Ms. Betsy Colburn Mirkovic and Mr. Lee Mirkovic Colorblends Mr. Michael D. Connor Ms. Linda J. Cragin Mr. and Mrs. William H. Crosson Mr. and Mrs. David F. Dalton Mr. and Mrs. Phillips S. Davis Mr. Kenneth Descoteaux and Ms. Leslie DeSimone Mr. and Mrs. Craig DeWallace Ms. Susan M. Dodd Ms. Jan Durgin Mr. Linwood M. Erskine, Jr. Mr. Curtis Falzoi Mrs. Barbara E. Fargo Mrs. Natalie N. Ferris Ms. Janet A. Fertig and Mr. Marshall E. Giguere Ms. Nancy J. Grandy Ms. Dorothy Green Green Top, LLC Mr. and Mrs. Simon H. Gregory Group5 POS Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Halpin Dr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Halpin Craig Halvorson
Dr. and Mrs. James B. Hanshaw Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey P. Hehman Ms. Catharine H. Hodgson and Mr. Frederick Crocker Mr. and Mrs. James E. Hogan Mr. Richard Hohmann Holden Cultural Council Mr. and Mrs. Roger W. Holmes Hoogendoorn Nurseries IBM Corporation Ms. Sally E. Jablonski Mr. and Mrs. Robert F. Jarvis Mrs. Robert R. Jay Mrs. James B. Kenary III Ms. Arleen Kulin Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lambert, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Warren C. Lane, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Walter A. Lapham Mr. Warren P. Leach and Ms. Deborah C. Hogan Dr. and Mrs. Laszlo Leb Mr. and Mrs. John D. Lee Mrs. Virginia L. Lindsay Ms. Ann T. Lisi and Mr. Joel P. Greene Mr. Gerard F. Mahoney and Ms. Maureen Picard Marlborough Cultural Council Mr. and Mrs. David W. Martinson Mr. Matthew Mattus and Mr. Joe Philip Mr. Joseph R. Meichelbeck Ms. Kathleen J. Menard Katharine and Henry Michie Dr. David M. Mickelson Ms. Stacy B. Miller Mr. and Mrs. Peter S. Morgan Mr. John Morris Mr. and Mrs. Dennis F. Murphy Mr. and Mrs. Donald F. Nelson Neptune’s Harvest Fertilizer Northborough Cultural Council Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Oechler Mrs. Leita M. Patterson Mr. and Mrs. Ralph A. Peck, Jr. Mrs. Susan L. Peltier Pfizer Foundation Matching Gifts Program Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Pierce Ms. Georgia S. Pierpont
Cynthia and Stephen Pitcher Mr. and Mrs. Robert P. Powers Mr. and Mrs. Franklin A. Reece Mr. Donald T. Ross and Ms. Karen Czaplicki Mr. and Mrs. Allen Rubin Mr. and Mrs. John A. Sargent Mrs. Frances R. Sawers Schwab Charitable Fund Mrs. Catherine Schwenk Ms. Carol L. Seager Ms. Patricia A. Segerson Mr. Henry C. Servinskas Shrewsbury Cultural Council Ms. Catherine H. Skove Summer Hill Nursery Ms. Deborah C. Swanson Mr. and Mrs. David F. Therrien Ms. Patti J. Thompson and Mr. John P. Ellenberger Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Tracey Mr. and Mrs. Anthony J. Tranghese Unum Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence J. Van Cura Mr. and Mrs. Herbert M. Varnum Mr. and Mrs. Paul C. Verderese Mr. and Mrs. John Vieira Dr. and Mrs. Randall S. Wagner Waters Corporation West Boylston Cultural Council Mr. and Mrs. Carl R. Wickstrom Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Woodcock Mr. and Mrs. John F. Yauckoes
$100 and below Ms. Jayne B. Abbott Mr. George Ackerson Mr. and Mrs. Reed Anthony Rich and Wendy Ardizzone Mr. David Barnett Rev. Lee F. Bartlett III Dr. and Mrs. Norman E. Beisaw Mr. and Mrs. Conrad R. Beliveau Mr. George J. Bender, Jr. Mrs. Elizabeth N. Beth Mrs. Anita M. Bezdegian Ms. Virginia Blais Boylston Garden Club Ms. Marilyn P. Brigham TOWERHILLBG.ORG // 31
GIVING
Dr. John Green Society
$100 and below continued… Mr. and Mrs. Michael D. Brockelman CA Technologies Matching Gifts Program Mr. Nelson M. Calkins, Jr. Mr. Frank R. Callahan Cambridge Plant & Garden Club Mr. Paul Carlberg Ms. Kathleen Carroll Ms. Frances Carvalho Mr. Carl Cathcart Ms. Susan B. Clark Mr. Fred Dabney Ms. Irene R. Dhosi Ms. Rachel Diamondstone Dr. and Mrs. John A. Duggan Ms. Marilyn D. Endicott Mrs. Mary P. Flynn FM Global Foundation Mrs. Suzanne M. Frederick Mr. Thomas A. Froeschle and Mrs. Phyllis M. Froeschle Mr. and Mrs. Stephen P. Graham Mr. and Mrs. Edward W. Guldner Miss Arden Gustafson Ms. Susan Hathaway-Blois Mr. and Mrs. John B. Hench Ms. Valerie J. Hobbs Mrs. Elsa D. Hornfischer Ms. Dardana Hoyt Mr. Barry A. Jordan Ms. Marleen A. Kilcoyne Dr. Richard K. Kimball Mr. and Mrs. John Krawetz Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Levy Mr. David Manjarrez Ms. Sandra McArthur and Mr. Herbert R. Collins
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Ms. Rita M. Melia Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Q. Meystre Mr. Duncan W. Munro Mrs. Dorothy Myerson Mr. and Mrs. Derek Nelhuebel Ms. Charlotte Newton Ms. Bonnie L. O’Brien Mr. and Mrs. Neal A. Ogle Mr. and Mrs. Raymond M. Olander Mr. Michael J. Parrella Mr. and Mrs. Robert Pereira Mr. and Mrs. John D. Petrin Mrs. Elizabeth G. Petter Mr. and Mrs. Craig Phyfe Ann Marie Pilch and Mr. Mike Craren Ms. Annette A. Rafferty Mrs. Jacqueline D. Reichard Ms. Ellen F. Rigatti Mr. Clesson A. Robbins Mr. and Mrs. Paul E. Rogers Ms. Barbara A. Rolfes Ms. Judith M. Sarkisian Mr. Richard Simonian Ms. Shirley F. Smiley Dr. and Mrs. Ivan M. Spear Mr. Gerard Stanley Mr. and Mrs. Joseph M. Steim Ms. Joan S. Strauss Mrs. Martha J. Strazdas The Garden Conservancy Mrs. Linda M. Underwood Mr. A. Eric van Leeuwen Ms. J. Ann Verhage Mrs. Meridith D. Wesby Ms. Jo Ann Wong Mr. and Mrs. David A. Wood
LEADERSHIP GIVING CIRCLE
Our Dr. John Green Society celebrates one of the founders and the first president of the Worcester County Horticultural Society. Dr. John Green Society Members support Tower Hill with a generous annual commitment of $1,250 and more, providing ongoing support for the Botanic Garden and echoing the values and ideals of this trailblazing leader. Ms. Katherine F. Abbott Mrs. Philip C. Beals Mr. and Mrs. George F. Bernardin Allen and Sarah Garfield Berry Mrs. Martha E. Bigelow Ms. Patricia E. Bigelow Mr. George F. Booth, II and Ms. Penelope Dewar Mr. and Mrs. George S. Butler Mrs. Mary V. C. Callahan Mr. and Mrs. David F. Dalton Mrs. Bayard T. DeMallie Mr. and Mrs. Roger Doucette Mr. and Mrs. Louis L. Farber Mr. and Mrs. Warner S. Fletcher Mr. and Mrs. David R. Grenon Dr. and Mrs. Abraham W. Haddad Mr. Mark E. Haffenreffer Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Hanss Mr. and Mrs. Dale R. Harger Mrs. Phyllis Harrington Mr. and Mrs. James N. Heald
DR. JOHN GREEN This oil painting of Dr. John Green graces the lobby of the Stoddard Education and Visitor’s Center. Be sure to search him out on your next visit.
Mr. Kenneth B. Hedenburg Mr. and Mrs. M. Howard Jacobson Mrs. Robert R. Jay Mr. Ervin D. Johnson, Jr. Dr. James D. Karadimos and Mr. William Beever Mr. and Mrs. B. Anthony King Mr. and Mrs. Allen A. Krause Dr. Diane M. Lebel and Dr. Alan Harris Richard and Jean Leif Mr. and Mrs. Stephen B. Loring Michael and Stacy Mach Ms. Marla A. Maykel Pyle and Mr. Richard L. Pyle
Mrs. C. Jean McDonough Mr. and Mrs. R. Wayne Mezitt Mr. and Mrs. Henry T. Michie Mr. and Mrs. David S. Milton Mr. and Mrs. John O. Mirick Mr. and Mrs. Philip R. Morgan Ms. Barbara L. Morse Mr. John W. Murphy Mr. Jeremy F. O’Connell Dr. and Mrs. Arthur M. Pappas Perry V. Haines Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Howard W. Peterson, Jr. Mrs. Sarah D. Pettit Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Pitcher Dr. Phyllis Pollack and Dr. W. Peter Metz Mr. and Mrs. Douglas T. Radigan Mr. and Mrs. Christopher S. Reece
Mr. Regan P. Remillard Mr. and Mrs. Joaquim Ribeiro Ms. Elaine M. Richardson Mrs. Louise C. Riemer Mr. and Mrs. Edward J. Robbins Mr. Kent D. Russell and Dr. Aisling Gaughan Mr. and Mrs. Theodore E. Shasta, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. John L. Stoddard Mrs. Chloe Nester Sundberg Mr. Robert J. Terkanian Ms. Emilie Welles Mr. and Mrs. Roger U. Wellington, Jr. Wallace and Robin Whitney Mr. and Mrs. Peter H. Williams Mrs. Marillyn A. Zacharis
FIND OUT MORE If you would like to learn more about supporting Tower Hill Botanic Garden, please contact Marleen Kilcoyne at 508.869.6111 x114 or mkilcoyne@towerhillbg.org
TOWERHILLBG.ORG // 33
TWIGS Sunday Buffet Brunch Sundays, April 27, May 4 and May 11 (Mother’s Day) Seatings at 11:30am and 1:45pm Reservations required. Call 508.869.6111 x147 Celebrate the arrival of spring with four opportunities to have Sunday brunch at TWIGS Café. Delight in dining outdoors (weather permiting) on the terrace with its magnificent views or in the Great Hall. Brunch buffet will be prepared by Tower Hill Chef Thomas Simons.
Twilight at TWIGS Wednesday evenings May 14 – December 31 Seatings from 4:30 pm through 8 pm No reservations required. Enjoy small plates, light fare, and delectable desserts made from the freshest ingredients of the season. Dine inside or outside on thet terrace (weather permitting), with its spectacular views of Wachusett Reservoir at sunset. Children’s menu available.
Open Tuesday – Sunday and Holiday Mondays 11am – 3pm 508.869.6111 x147
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TWIGS Summer Live Music Series! Savor local food and local music during our Wednesday Twilight evenings. Enjoy piano, jazz guitar, flute, and more every week, all summer long. It’s just another great reason to enjoy an evening with us at TWIGS.
FOOD WITH A VIEW! They say that food always tastes better outdoors. We couldn’t agree more, especially at TWIGS, where our terrace promises spectacular views of Wachusett Reservoir and beyond.
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VOLUNTEER PROFILE
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If you’ve stopped by the Information Desk during a visit to Tower Hill, then chances are you’ve met Mary Flynn. The retired nurse first started volunteering at the Garden nearly eight years ago and since then has logged nearly 2,500 hours of time with Tower Hill. Not only does she help out at the Information Desk, where she greets our members and guests and shares her extensive knowledge of the property, she also provides administrative support in our offices and is a regular at many of our special events.
HELPING HAND
One of Mary’s favorite memories of volunteering at Tower Hill occurred at one of those special events – an auction fundraiser. To highlight a beekeeper suit, one of the items up for auction, she donned the suit’s distinctive netted helmet and paraded around the room to encourage bidding. And, while Mary enjoys her many volunteer roles with us, she is also grateful for the many lifelong friends she’s made through her work here. Mary began to volunteer after her children left home and she retired from her work as a registered nurse at the Department of Mental Health. When she’s not at Tower Hill, the Shrewsbury resident spends time with her family – three daughters, two sons, and six grandchildren – and researches her family genealogy. Thank you to Mary and all of our volunteers for your dedication and commitment.
Interested in helping Tower Hill as a volunteer? Contact Jessica Lang at 508.869.6111 x136 or jlang@towerhillbg.org.
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BEAUTY & BOUNTY
BY JOHN LEE
It’s officially spring. At last, the sun is shining, the snow melting, and the buds swelling – all poetry of the earliest inkling of summer almost at hand. Just thinking about it brings me to thoughts of beauty and bounty. How can we accomplish both in relatively small spaces? Aesthetics and sustenance are, after all, seemingly different objectives when one contemplates their areas of cultivation, where form and function may not seem to correlate. I invite you to toss out your conventional thoughts about whatever is in your side, front, or backyard, and recast your vision of a desirable landscape. Imagine what more could be done to bring horticultural splendor to your horizons and agricultural bounty to your dinner table – to feed both your soul and your body? Surely recreational horticulturists, with their visions of sumptuous beds, share most of the same dreams as those whose garden ideal conjures straight rows brimming with edible delights of the season. These ideals can merge into a lush, colorful mélange of form, texture, seasonality, and succession. Why not plant a few cardoons or artichokes, lettuces or pole beans, bush cucurbits or ginger with ornamental exotica? Think also of the architecture you might create. Stake those hollyhocks and grow some runner beans on them. Heresy, you say?
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Not so. Dozens of seed catalogs overflow with inspiration for the curious tiller. Cultivate your fantasies (fantastic as they may at first seem!) and push the envelope a bit. Try French marigolds and sweet potato vine in a window box, ‘Bright Lights’ Swiss chard instead of the ubiquitous coleus – all can be sustainably harvested without disrupting the beauty of your landscape. So many have said it better than I, but spring is the time when all that creates and is creative runs rampant. Till your imagination. Visit Tower Hill for a primer on concept and tour a few of your neighborhood garden centers for a menu of possibilities – a new vision will make you want to chuck your routine, roll up your sleeves, and hunger for the smell of fresh earth. //
John Lee is the General Manager of Allandale Farm in Brookline and Trustee of the Worcester County Horticultural Society. Raised in a farming family in Vermont, John has managed Allandale, “Boston’s last working farm,” for more than 20 years. Visit www.allandalefarm.com photo
Play with unexpected pairings, such as cardoons (Cynara cardunculus) or artichokes, among ornamental plantings.
TOWERHILLBG.ORG // 39
spring
@ the SHOP
Shop & Stroll THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 5–8PM Welcome spring into your home and garden with seeds, tools, books, and other gifts from The Shop at Tower Hill – and sample local vendors’ artisan foods, unique jewelry, pottery, and other handcrafted wares. FREE admission.
Shop Mega-Clearance SATURDAY, MAY 31, 9AM–5PM It’s our annual spring cleaning! Take advantage of deep discounts on clearance items.
1
above
1 Mister Owita’s Guide to Gardening by Carol Wall
This spring’s must read! “A poignant tale of an unlikely teacher and a doubting student, who, by bringing a neglected patch of ground back to life, reveal the secrets of reclaiming, restoring, and freeing a wounded soul.” –jonathan o’dell $25.95 right
2 Everyday Artifacts necklaces. Simple images on sterling silver with waxed linen cords.
Created in New Mexico with low-impact methods & materials. $32 – $38 3 Kimono Clips – Annie Loto Studios, NYC. Carefully handcrafted with vintage kimono fabrics, each clip is one-of-a-kind and features incredible fabrics and colors. $12.50 – $28 40 // SPRING 2014
3
4
2
5
top
4 Be beautiful with BEE all-natural body care with the therapeutic benefits of beeswax & honey.
Handcrafted by New England artisans. $6.95 – $44 bottom
5 Hop to the Shop for these cute critters from Hazel Village who are just waiting for a friend.
Handcrafted with organic cotton and ready to be loved. $17.95 – $39.95
TOWERHILLBG.ORG // 41
MORE THAN MOSS The Moss Steps found in the Ed Mezitt Shade Garden feature Maidenhair Ferns (Adiantum pedatum), Dwarf Crested Iris (Iris cristata), native and European Ginger (Asarum canadense and A. europaeum), Lenten Roses (Helleborus x hybridus), Primroses (Primula sieboldii), and many other desirable shade plants.
FINDING JOY WORDS + PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH WEST
I don’t remember who first told me about Tower Hill, but I visited once shortly after it opened and thought, “They’ll never make a go of it. It costs too much to see too little.” It never occurred to me to look at what they had planned.
TOWERHILLBG.ORG // 43
Years went by and I didn’t visit, and then one buildings, but when I felt better I would walk day, in 2005 or 2006, I went with a group of the paths down to the wildlife areas or to the friends who garden. I was astonished by the Moss Steps, a favorite spot. I found that my changes and how interesting the place was. visits always quieted my mind, refreshed my At the time, I was still working, so I didn’t get spirits, and just gave me joy. My cancer has to visit often, maybe twice a year. Then in been under control for several years, but I visit 2007 I was diagnosed with lung monthly to see the changes, enjoy cancer and retired almost immethe flowers, and take pictures. diately, knowing that I would face I recently recommended months and months of treatments Tower Hill to a friend who was if I survived. injured in a car accident. I told After major surgery in the him that it was a spot of great late fall, I had trouble walking beauty that would provide a very far, but I thought it might be calm oasis of pleasure during nice to visit Tower Hill and just sit a difficult time. I explained that among the plants in the conservaeven people with limited mobility tory (only one had been built at could enjoy most of the place, that point). I drove out, walked as and that he could also have a far as the conservatory, and just nice lunch or a cup of coffee. THE PEACE OF WILD THINGS WENDELL BERRY sat at one of the tables there, soakFor me, Tower Hill has ing up the warmth, the scents, the come to represent a place of beauty, and the colors. I immedipeace and beauty, both natuately felt peaceful and less anxious than I had ral and made by humans. Any noise in my in weeks and vowed to return. I loved the fact head seems to turn off when I’m there, and that a visit was not physically demanding but my senses sharpen. I’m acutely aware of the had a huge reward. Sometimes I’d go only for sights, sounds, scents, and sensations as I wanan hour. der around, and I’m oblivious to worries. There A year later, I had many rounds of cheis a Wendell Berry poem that I love, called motherapy, which left me weak and tired, but “The Peace of Wild Things,” and it ends with as soon as I started feeling even a bit better, the words, “For a time/I rest in the grace of I would visit Tower Hill. In the warm weather, the world, and am free.” That’s how I feel at I would pick one spot and just go there and Tower Hill – blessed to be there, and free from sit. If I felt weak, I would stay near the main everyday concerns. //
“For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.”
Tower Hill Member Elizabeth West is a writer and photographer from Boxborough, MA. Many thanks go out to her for allowing us to use her images throughout this magazine [and the cover!]. More of Liz’s work can be found on www.eduwrite.com. 44 // SPRING 2014
TOWERHILLBG.ORG // 45
MEMBERSHIP
MORE FOR We heard YOU – our members! Tower Hill is excited to announce new additions and updates to our membership program. We are extremely grateful for your support, which helps the Garden continue to grow and connect with the greater community. JOIN OR RENEW TODAY! • Unlimited FREE admission to Tower Hill Botanic Garden. • Early admission to our celebrated Annual Plant Sale. • Our quarterly online magazine Grow With Us, and a printed calendar of our latest events and happenings. • 10% discount and special Members Only sales at The Shop at Tower Hill. • Discounts at participating nurseries, garden suppliers, and merchants. Find a complete list at towerhillbg.org. • Savings on classes, trips, special events, and workshops. • Invitations to special Members Only events. • Reciprocal admission and/or other benefits to more than 250 botanic gardens, arboreta and conservatories. • FREE gardening advice through our HORTLINE, every Wednesday from 12–4 pm. Call 508.869.6111 x104 or email hortline@towerhillbg.org.
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R OUR MEMBERS SELECT THE MEMBERSHIP LEVEL THAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU: STUDENT: 1 year, with valid school ID, $25 INDIVIDUAL: 1 year $55 / 2 years $100 All of the benefits listed [see page 46] for 1 cardholder, plus 2 complimentary gate passes upon request INDIVIDUAL +1: 1 year $70 / 2 years $130 All of the benefits [see page 46] listed for 2 cardholders, plus 2 complimentary gate passes upon request FAMILY: 1 year $80 / 2 years $150 All of the benefits listed [see page 46] for 2 cardholders and up to four children or grandchildren 18 and under, plus 2 complimentary gate passes upon request
DEEPEN YOUR COMMITMENT TO TOWER HILL AND ENJOY ADDITIONAL SPECIAL BENEFITS: FRIEND: 1 year $100 / 2 years $190 BEST VALUE! All of the benefits listed [see page 46] for 2 cardholders and up to 2 guests per cardholder, plus: • 4 complimentary gate passes upon request CONTRIBUTING: 1 year $250 / 2 years $475 All of the benefits listed [see page 46] for 2 cardholders and up to 2 guests per cardholder, plus: • Complimentary subscription to a gardening magazine • 8 complimentary gate passes upon request SUPPORTING: 1 year $500 / 2 years $950 All of the benefits listed [see page 46] for 2 cardholders and up to 2 guests per cardholder, plus: • Complimentary subscription to a gardening magazine • Tour for up to 10 guests led by a Tower Hill docent • 10 complimentary gate passes upon request
LEADERSHIP GIVING SOCIETY: DR. JOHN GREEN SOCIETY: 1 year $1,250 / 2 years $2,400 All of the benefits listed [see page 46] for 2 cardholders and up to 4 guests per cardholder, plus: • Complimentary subscription to a gardening magazine • Tour for up to 10 guests led by a Tower Hill docent • Complimentary Family Level membership to gift to a friend of your choice • Invitations to two Dr. John Green Society Members Only events DR. JOHN GREEN SOCIETY BENEFACTOR: 1 year $2,500 / 2 years $4,750 All of the benefits listed [see page 46] for 2 cardholders and up to 4 guests per cardholder, plus: • Complimentary subscription to a gardening magazine • Tour for up to 10 guests led by a Tower Hill docent • Complimentary Family Level membership to gift to a friend of your choice • Invitations to two Dr. John Green Society Members Only events • Annual garden consultation by an expert from our Horticulture Staff
NEED MORE INFORMATION? JUST ASK: phone fax email
508.869.6111 x136 508.869.0314 membership@towerhillbg.org
Tower Hill Botanic Garden 11 French Drive PO BOX 598 Boylston, MA 01505
TOWERHILLBG.ORG // 47
THANK YOU
Special thanks go to photographer and Tower Hill member Adam Rose for graciously allowing us to use his Tower Hill garden images throughout our first digital magazine. More of Adam’s work can be found at www.awrose.com. We’d love to see your photos! Share with us: www.flickr.com/groups/towerhillbg
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“IS THE SPRING COMING?” HE SAID. “WHAT IS IT LIKE?” “IT IS THE SUN SHINING ON THE RAIN AND THE RAIN FALLING ON THE SUNSHINE...” FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT THE SECRET GARDEN photo:
Rhododendron catawbiense
TOWERHILLBG.ORG // 49
Photos courtesy of Garnick Moore Photographers - www.garnickmoore.com
The perfect place to say I do.
For an appointment or to find out more, please contact our Events Coordinator at 508.869.6111 x125.
EXPLORE, TOUR AND MORE TOWER HILL BOTANIC GARDEN HOURS
Open year round 9 am − 5 pm Tuesday − Sunday & Holiday Mondays Wednesday until 9 pm, May – December Garden Closed: Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve & Day, New Year’s Eve & Day hours subject to change . please check www . towerhillbg . org before your visit .
Members/Children under 6: FREE Adults: $12 Seniors (65+): $9 Youth (6 –18): $7
Open year round 11am − 3 pm Tuesday – Sunday & Holiday Mondays Wednesday until 9 pm, May − December. Serving healthy, light fare. THE SHOP AT TOWER HILL
Open year round 10 am − 5 pm Tuesday – Sunday & Holiday Mondays Wednesday until 9 pm, May − December Books, garden gifts, tools, plants & more.
WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY TRUSTEES 2014–2015 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Christopher S. Reece PRESIDENT Dale Harger VICE PRESIDENT Barbara L. Morse VICE PRESIDENT Robin Whitney VICE PRESIDENT Howard Peterson TREASURER Theodore E. Shasta ASSISTANT TREASURER Jeremy O’Connell SECRETARY
Wednesdays 12 noon − 4 pm Call in to have your plant and gardening questions answered by the Tower Hill horticulture staff and Master Gardeners. FULLER TEACHER RESOURCE CENTER
TOURS & EVENTS
TWIGS CAFÉ
Open year round 10 am − 4 pm Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday Members have borrowing privileges.
508.869.6111 x104
Educational materials for teachers. 508.869.6111 x116
ADMISSION
LIBRARY
HORT LINE
Free garden tour Sundays at 2 pm and on select Monday holidays. Flower shows, classes, concerts, lectures, and children’s events year round. ACCESSIBILITY
Most areas accessible. Wheelchairs available on request. LOCATION & DIRECTIONS
11 French Drive Boylston, MA 10 miles NE of Worcester. Boston, 42 miles. Take exit 24, Church Street, off I - 290, proceed 3 miles toward Boylston.
TRUSTEES
Patricia Bigelow Nazneen Cooper Betsy C. DeMallie Penelope Dewar Curtis Falzoi Thomas Halpin Michele Hanss Beverly V. Harris James D. Karadimos David Kirchner John D. Lee Richard Leif Statya Mitra Douglas T. Radigan
Franklin Reece Sarah Ribeiro Elaine M. Richardson Shirley J. Williams HONORARY TRUSTEES
Isabel K. Arms Herbert E. Berg George Bernardin Allen D. Berry Cushing Bozenhard Gladys Bozenhard Mary V. C. Callahan Diane Dalton Richard W. Dearborn
Old-Fashioned Bleeding Heart Dicentra spectabilis
Linwood Erskine Scott Ewing Joyce I. Fuller Kenneth B. Hedenburg Anita W. N. Hooker Tay Ann Jay Allen Krause R. Wayne Mezitt Gale Y. Morgan Martha Pappas Sarah Pettit Paul E. Rogers John Stoddard Marillyn Zacharis TOWERHILLBG.ORG // 51
grow along with us!
Golden Skep Farm 264 Linden Street, Berlin, MA 978-838-2471
We invite you to advertise your horticultural/agricultural business in our next issue of Grow With Us, reaching a 6,000+ distribution.
Only four miles from Tower Hill ! (Take a left exiting the gate and take the first left onto Linden Street and the Farm will be about four miles away on the right.)
Open 10AM-‐5PM – Wednesday-‐Sunday May 1-‐October 13 and Monday holidays
PLEASE CALL 508.869.6111
• • • • • • • • •
Over 1,000 daylily varieties 300+ varieties of unique Hostas, including miniatures 80 varieties of Iris Germanica Large selection of New England hardy perennials Dwarf & Miniature Conifers Locally grown annuals Garden Mums and other Fall Perennials Gift Certificates available year round Garden Statuary
10% discount on plants for Tower Hill Members
Scan this code with your mobile device for direct access to our Website: www.goldenskepfarm.com
52 // SPRING 2014
selecthorticulture . com
978.365.6677
by appointment only
GR O W WI T H US
Statue of Proserpina found in the Orangerie.
SPRING 2014 | VOL. 51 NO. 1 Tower Hill Botanic Garden Boylston, MA Published quarterly / Copyright © 2014 All rights reserved www.towerhillbg.org CREATIVE DIRECTION & DESIGN
ADVERTISING
Kate Wollensak Freeborn
For advertising opportunities, please email kacerbo-bachmann@towerhillbg.org or call 508.869.6111
K.W.FREEBORN DESIGN
EDITOR
Laurie O’Reilly O’REILLY EDITORIAL
SUBMISSIONS
PHOTOGRAPHY
We invite you to submit your stories, photographs, and thoughts to us.
Elena Alexandrova
PAGES / 16–17, 52
Adam Rose
PAGES / 4–5, 6–7, 20–21, 48–49, 50, BACK COVER
Nancy Terlato
PAGE / 46
Liz West
PAGES / COVER, 2, 8–9, 11, 30–31, 35, 42, 43, 45
Kate Wollensak Freeborn PAGES / 5, 12–13, 15, 26–27, 33, 36–37, 40–41, 52
Please send them to: GROW WITH US Tower Hill Botanic Garden P.O. Box 598 Boylston, MA 01505 or email kacerbo-bachmann@towerhillbg.org
11 FRENCH DRIVE BOYLSTON MA 508.869.6111
WWW.TOWERHILLBG.COM
STAY CONNECTED WITH US!