Cart (0)
26th Annual Winter Lecture Series: All Three Sessions
To quote celebrated horticulturist, designer, and philanthropist Bunny Mellon, "Gardening is a way of thinking." This year's series features three distinctive thought leaders whose passion for the horticultural world shines through in their work—from the development of a study center that honors Ms. Mellon's legacy, to the creation of a botanical oasis and mail-order nursery of rare plants in North Carolina, to the captivating art of storytelling that reveals the transformative power of trees and the communities built around them.
Hear from botanist Peter Crane, horticulturist Tony Avent, and author Amy Stewart as they share their garden philosophies, stories, and lessons learned along the way.
Peter Crane: The Botanical World of Bunny Mellon
Tuesday, February 24, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Ross Hall
When Rachel "Bunny" Lambert Mellon passed away in 2014, there was a collective hope that her library and estate could be established as a "study center" under the auspices of the Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) in Virginia. In 2016, renowned botanist Sir Peter Crane, FRS, and his wife Elinor were given the opportunity to bring this vision to life.
Over the past decade, buildings have been constructed and renovated, the garden has been rescued, and diverse programs have been implemented. OSGF has developed an extraordinary focus on Bunny Mellon's passion for plants, gardens, and landscapes, while making full use of the main residence and garden, more than 100 buildings on 700 rural acres, and the treasures of her spectacular library.
Join President of the Oak Spring Garden Foundation Peter Crane as he shares the many surprising discoveries of this special place in the Virginia Piedmont—from Mrs. Mellon's unfinished projects to the sheer diversity of her collections—further revealing the life of a restlessly creative and remarkable woman whose life spanned almost the entire 20th century.
Tony Avent: Creating a Plant's Home
Thursday, March 19, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Ross Hall
"Gardening is so much more than just digging a hole and placing a plant in the ground," says plantsman Tony Avent. One of the keys to creating and maintaining a diverse garden collection is understanding a plant's habitat and adaptability.
Tony Avent established Juniper Level Botanic Garden (JLBG) and its accompanying Plant Delights Nursery in central North Carolina in 1986, with the mission to actively promote and preserve botanical diversity. Today, JLBG serves as a repository of plant genetics, with over 27,000 different species grown and shared with gardeners around the world.
Explore the complexities of garden microclimates, soils, and habitats with Avent as he shares insights from his experience building this 28-acre horticultural wonderland and community, which consists of 30 greenhouses, expansive research gardens, and several dozen of the world's largest collections of perennials.
Amy Stewart: The Tree Collectors
Thursday, April 23, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Ross Hall
When author Amy Stewart discovered a community of tree collectors, she expected to meet horticultural fanatics driven to plant every species of oak or maple. But she also discovered that the urge to collect trees springs from something deeper and more profound: a longing for community, a vision for the future, or a path to healing and reconciliation.
In this talk, you'll hear about several of the remarkable people Stewart met from around the world whose lives were transformed by their relationships to trees and how these interactions inspired her newest book, The Tree Collectors: Tales of Arboreal Obsession. Accompanied by her own hand-drawn illustrations of people and their trees, Stewart aims to inspire us to reconsider our own connections to trees—and maybe start a collection!
We offer Continuing Education credits (CEUS) for LA CES and APLD for successful completion of this lecture series.
Tickets
|
|
|||||
| 1 Tuesday, 2/24, and 2 Thursdays, 3/19 and 4/23 | |||||
| 11:00am-12:00pm EST | |||||
| Ticket Quantity | |||||
|
|
Additional Sessions Available
There are currently no other sections available.
