The StoryCorps recording studio. Photo by Rob Lowell

Last week we told you about how excited we are to have StoryCorps come to the Garden in March to record our oral history.  But to truly tell the Garden’s story, we need your story.  The link is now open on our website and  for you to submit your story. If you are interested in telling how Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden has affected your life,  we hope you’ll take the time to submit 500 words or less how the Garden has impacted your life.  But do it soon, the deadline is February 15th.  If your story is chosen, it will be archived in the Library of Congress and may even air on NPR.

Beth Monroe, the Garden’s Director of PR & Marketing, shares her story as a sample submission, to give you an idea of what we are looking for:

I have the honor of working at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden,so the impact this special place has had on my life is significant. However, one of my most profound experiences was as a parent chaperone on my daughter’s kindergarten field trip to the Garden. The children planted seeds, tasted herbs and then – a toad hopped across the pathway! Their teacher gently scooped the creature up and held it for all to see. The children crowded around, eyes shining with excitement, as the teacher talked about the toad and its dependence on a healthy environment for survival. The children listened intently. I realized I was witnessing the Garden’s mission in action — providing opportunities to learn more about and to care for the natural world. It’s the magic that happens at the Garden every day. Experiencing it first-hand is something I’ll always remember. – Beth Monroe, Henrico, VA. (would like to interview Kelly Riley, Children’s Education Coordinator)

Mocking bird & cardinal at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. Photo by Micah Chelf

Plants and wildlife go together like peanut butter & jelly.  At  Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, not only do we have great wildlife  like groundhogs, turtles and snakes and also plenty of  birds.  We have birdfeeders throughout the Garden, and also a bird trail.  Last year we had  regular visits from a bald eagle in Children’s Garden looking for fish in Lakeside Lake.  We regularly see beautiful large blue herons and hawks.

This fall, the Garden hosted our first ever Photography Day in the Garden, featuring a full day of workshops by renowned local professional photographers  on various aspects of photography.   Micah Chelf, one of the participants, and a student at Chesterfield Technical Center under teacher Lynda Richardson,  took this  photo of a Northern mocking bird  and a cardinal feasting on berries.  Great photo, huh? My guess is that being a bird photographer take much more focus and patience than being a plant photographer (the subject I’m used to).  Kudos to those who can capture natures winged wonders with such finesse.  If you are like me, and perhaps could learn a bit more about how to best photograph nature (so you can be a star on Pinterest) you might want to look into the many photography class offerings at the Garden, all taught by nationally recognized nature photographer, Lynda Richardson.

*Photographing Winter’s Wonders Short Course / February 9, 11, 16 The winter landscape is a visual feast of texture and subtle color; learn to make the most of it

*Advanced Flash Clinic / March 15, 17, 22, 24, 29  NEW Go in-depth to learn how to use this important tool for successful photographs

*Making the Most of Your Digital Camera / April 18, 21, 25, 28, May 2  Master your digital camera by going beyond the basics

And good news! Photography Day, will be back again this fall —  tentatively scheduled for October 20, 2012.  Stay tuned for more info.

On my first day at the Garden, I passed what I thought then was a bonafide Cold War bomb shelter.  I recalled those black and white photos from high school textbooks of underground fortifications, and I envisioned tuna fish cans from 1957 stacked neatly on supply-shelves, a battery-operated Geiger counter, and woolen blankets.

"The Bunker" aka the utility structure for water and electricity

Alas, I was mistaken.  The “bunker”, as it is referred by Garden staff and volunteers, is actually a buried utility structure for water and electricity, dating to approximately 1990 (there go my sleuthing skills … what do I know!).  But, as with many things in life, my thwarted bomb-shelter-investigation reaped reward nonetheless, as it led me on a different journey to other Garden vintage treasures of historical significance.  Most telling, however, is that it afforded me the experience of meeting and seeking the expertise of many.

On an unseasonably warm winter day in November, just prior to GardenFest, I perused “Wildside Walk” in awe of not only the balmy weather and the beautiful greenery, but also historic Bloemendaal House, and more specifically, the terraced woods behind it.  As I admired the artistic, inlaid stone steps, I noticed the tiniest vintage fire hydrant to the right of the house – in the leafy area along the walk.

Honestly, the little fire hydrant was only one in a number of historical curios I’d mentally taken note of – multiple concrete pillars along the access road, the supposed turnaround for the original Richmond Trolley line somewhere on the property, the mention of squatters inhabiting the house itself in the 1970’s (the transitional period between the death of Mary Garland Smith and the acquisition by the Garden foundation).  And, the piece-de-resistance, the carriage house water tower – an engineering feat implemented in the early twentieth century by the progressive Grace Arents.  The more I inquired, the more there was to explore.

Vintage Hydrant at Bloemendaal House

From: Lucy Coggin (Group Tour Developer, over 12 years at the Garden)

The hydrants may have been part of a water system which involved the water tower above the Carriage House.  Oral history has it that the metal tank was cut up for scrap during WWII.  It is possible to walk up into the tower ….  It’s kind of scary….

From: Frank Robinson (President and Chief Executive Officer, 20 years at the Garden)

You are on the right trail for the hydrants and water tank.  This was remote territory in the early 1900′s.  The hydrants were for fire protection, and possibly for irrigation of the vegetable garden that fed the children during the years when this was a sanatorium.  Grace Arents was a progressive woman.  Water [was] pumped from the wells into the elevated tank [to] provide both storage and water pressure.  The tank was used for the war effort in the 1940′s.

Research provided further explanation to Frank’s contribution:

“In 1913,  [Grace Arents]conceived the idea of a convalescent home in the country for sick infants who might benefit from the fresh air.  To realize her dream, Miss Arents purchased the abandoned Lakeside Wheel Clubhouse and its approximately 10 acres from the Lewis Ginter Land and Improvement Company.  The structure was remodeled in the Dutch colonial style and named Bloemendaal Farm after a small village in the Netherlands which was the Ginter ancestral home.  The translated name means “flower valley.”  The roof was raised to provide a second floor of bedrooms, a classroom, a library and a playroom for the sick children.”

Looking Down the Tower Steps

Upon request, Shane Tippett, Executive Director and over 8 years at the Garden, was an energetic tour guide of the water tower and carriage house.  As projected, our forty-ish foot climb up the narrow tower steps proved that the water tank is indeed gone, but we were pleasantly surprised by a row of (carrier?) pigeon lofts — some coops still containing straw nests and telltale remnants of bird droppings from who-knows-how-long-ago.  We enjoyed the natural beauty of the thick, seasoned wooden planks and cathedral ceiling and then followed the chimney down, through the carriage house, to where we believe coal was delivered and shoveled.  The black silt on the floor I justified as hundred-year-old coal dust.

Pigeon nest boxes in the Carriage House water tower.

During parting conversation, Shane, who seems to share my historical affinity, attests to noticing period details throughout the Garden property, such as leaf patterns on some of the older concrete walks that he suspects date to the days of the Lakeside Wheel Club (a mid-1890’s bike club).

“The clubhouse [Lewis Ginter] built was a one-story Victorian structure surrounded on two sides by a covered veranda.  The original concrete approach walks with their inlaid leaf patterns, the steps, concrete newel posts and wrought iron lamp standards remain today.“

A wise Geneology instructor once told me that ancestral research is a vocation with no “finish” — the delving will never be done.  And so too are the historical threads that comprise the Garden and the legacies of Lewis Ginter and Grace Arents.  When I search for that trolley turnaround, I feel the presence of Lewis Ginter.  When I look upon the little fire hydrant, I see something of a forward-thinking Grace herself and her vision.

My mother will tell you that I was hooked on Nancy Drew during the critical elementary and middle school era of my life.  I dabbled in the Hardy Boys as well, but Nancy was the draw.  So, in keeping with the  theme, I have many to thank:  Elizabeth and Lucy – the Bess and Jo to my “Nancy”, Shane and Frank – a.k.a. Joe and Frank Hardy, and the innumerable other supporting characters, including Children’s Garden Manager Kelly Riley, PR & Marketing Coordinator, Jonah Holland, and Director of PR for the Garden, Beth Monroe.  My time as an intern at the Garden closes with this blog, so allow me to pass my torch of curiosity to the next explorer aka intern — may they dig deeper and discover more.

A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.
Mohandas Gandhi

Learn more about Lewis Ginter, Grace Arents, and the history of the Garden at:
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden History page
Richmond Then and Now
“The Invisible Philanthropist”

Did you know there is a holiday, native to Israel, that celebrates a new year in honor of plants? It’s called Tu B’shevat (TOO-bish-VAHT).  It’s sometimes called Jewish Arbor Day.

This agricultural holiday began in ancient times as a way to keep track of the crops and fruit trees that grew in Israel. Tu B’shevat is actually known as a new year for trees. You may be thinking -– but wait, it’s not spring yet. Well, in Israel it is! Israel has a rainy winter that transitions into a hot and dry summer.  This lends to great weather for the fruits of the earth. The custom of this holiday is to eat one of seven species of grains and fruit that are plentiful in Isreal, called shivat haminim:  wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates.

Ramona Brand, director of education at Congregation Beth Ahabah, explains that a modern twist to the traditional  celebration has created a sense of awareness for local eating and shopping smart in a way that’s good for the earth.

The Jewish Appleseed Foundation, further explains:

Today we celebrate Tu B’Shevat to thank God for the gifts of creation, especially foods that grow on trees and the beauties of nature we enjoy. The holiday also reminds us of our responsibility to care for the earth that God created in order to preserve it for future generations.

Of course the Garden’s take on it is secular, but in many ways it is similar. Part of our mission is to advocate for sustainability and stewardship of our planet.  And the Garden’s  vision is that we will reveal the unity and integration of human and plant life, celebrate the fundamental significance of the natural world, and enrich our community and beyond.

This year, in Richmond, Congregation Beth Ahabah  will celebrate this eco-centric holiday with a  Tu B’shevat Gala Celebration (being held this Sunday) at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. This is a private rental of the Garden, but the community is welcome.

Children and adults will take part in tikkun olam, or repairing the world, by planting parsley seeds, making all-natural bird feeders, and learning from a park ranger.  With recycled materials brought such as old toys, video games, and found things from nature, boys and girls can make jewelry, photo frames, and more. Plus, there will be a scavenger hunt, leading participants through the Conservatory to find crops of ancient worlds.

Image courtesy of: http://www.jerusalembaskets.com/Tu-Bishvat-Gifts_cat.html

A few months ago, while on a mission to capture some fun photos for my Every Day is a Playday blog, I encountered a little friend.  He was so cute — set amidst the foliage and ornate shrubbery.  He was so completely out of place.  He was … a cement pig.  I took a picture of the pig, who is quite photogenic, consequently, and tucked it away for hopeful retrieval after the holiday hubbub.  And I have.

Pig on the jog...

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is many things to many more people.  And the story to unfold here only reinforces this concept.  My underlying mission:  why is there a little concrete pig along the path of the Lucy Payne Minor Garden?  I began with Jonah Holland, Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator; did she know anything about the pig?  No … but she suggested speaking with Shanna Chandler, Development Manager — she might have record of its donation.

Knock-knock on Shanna’s door:  did she know anything about the pig?  No … but she had heard something regarding a Richmond woman donating a menagerie of statuary critters to the Garden, although there is no actual record of the “adoption”.  Perhaps I should ask someone who may have been employed at the time — try Lucy Coggin, Group Tour Developer over in the Education department.

I emailed Lucy ( who has been at the Garden over 12 years); did she know anything about the pig?  (Is the reader sensing a “Little Red Hen” theme?  “Who will help me plant the seeds?  Who will help me cut the wheat?  Who will help me take the wheat to the mill….”)  At first Lucy had nothing to add to my investigation, and I sighed, resigning myself to the fact that the “lead had gone cold”.  But alas, as with many things, reflection often allows particulars to resurface, and she emailed a follow-up the next day:

Hello again!  As I mulled over your topics, a couple of details came to mind.  Elizabeth (Horticulture) once mentioned that little pig.  She may have some information to share.  Happy hunting …

Hunting indeed.  Elizabeth (Liz) Fogel from Horticulture (over 5 years at the Garden) proved to be a key to unlocking the secret:

I think Frank (Frank Robinson, the Garden’s President & CEO) will be the best person to tell you who gave us the animal statues … what I heard was that … a lady had all of these statues in her own yard for years and wanted to make sure they would end up in a place where children could still enjoy them.

… it was pretty much left up to us [the horticulture staff] to put what we wanted where we wanted.  There are several in the Childrens Garden and three through Streb and Minor [Gardens] — a metal pig with wings near the small sundial at the entrance to Minor, the cement pig I think you have seen, and a cement turtle hiding near the white gazebo in Streb….

And finally, from Frank Robinson:

Liz’s memory of the various animals is accurate … the donor was a charming lady who collected the animals and had them in various flower beds and pens in her garden.  She did invite the neighborhood children to come and visit, and I remember her saying they especially enjoyed climbing in the “pig pen” and sitting with the pigs.  She was transitioning to fairies and gnomes, so she was excited to have the animals come to Ginter.  Some were used in the Conservatory, as well, and they seem to come and go as themes change within the Garden.  Her donation was a delight and refreshingly unselfconscious, and it is an inspiration to have some unexpected fun at Lewis Ginter!

What has my journey taught me?  Behold the power and tradition of storytelling as a means of passing on what is known by some to others.  And, questions are the key to life … or in this case, pigs.  To the donor, rest assured that your gifts are appreciated.  They add whimsy and intrigue to the Garden, and they bring many smiles to the faces of children … and others, like me.

Life is a journey, not a destination.  – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Consequently, Emerson’s quote is my daily mantra.  But, in this particular case, I’m not certain as to whose journey this story refers … mine or the pig’s.

photo courtesy of Don Williamson Photography

 

A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving.
Albert Einstein

Recently, just for fun, I put together a list of my top ten dream jobs.  We’ve all probably comprised just such a list, even if only in our thoughts.  Among my jobs are “Jeopardy question writer” and “vacation resort critic”.  And, my lineup also includes “Philanthropist”.  I love the word – “fi-lan-thruh-pist” – and I delight in saying it and hearing it roll off my lips.

PHILANTHROPY

1: goodwill to fellow members of the human race; especially active effort to promote human welfare
2: an act or gift done or made for humanitarian purposes; an organization distributing or supported by funds set aside for humanitarian purposes

There are many familiar family names of just such individuals around Richmond and across Virginia and beyond.  We’ve all seen them, in any number of places, including the Garden.  It would be no surprise to admit that when I hear, or see, the contributions of, for example, of Lora M. Robins — her dedication, generosity, and selflessness to her community — I want to emulate her, in my own way and by my own means.

Thanks to the hard work of hundreds of volunteers (both regular Garden volunteers & those helping out for just the day like the Virginia Department of Taxation or HandsOn Richmond) and the countless hours of work by the Garden’s staff, we had record-breaking attendance at this year’s Dominion GardenFest of Lights.  Over the course of 44 evenings, in weather ranging from balmy to downright cold, visitors were welcomed and given a beautiful gift:  a lovely, memorable evening amongst beauty, nature, and 700,000 lights.

To identify the level of effort — the task lists, follow-ups, planning and training, and all the astounding talent — that went into this incredible venue is not possible.  Certainly, there will be attempts to track hours and figures and dollars and numbers.  But how does one measure the strength in the artists’ hands that so beautifully crafted “The Old Tree”?  How does one tabulate the vision to string seven-hundred-thousand holiday lights “just so” as to take one’s breath away?  What unit of measure quantifies the cherry-cheeked visitors huddled around a bonfire and sharing of hot chocolate, conversation, and holiday spirit?

We are all Philanthropists, every one of us.  From the smiling faces of the bundled parking attendants to the volunteer engineers on model train duty (those blasted mini-cows — always crossing the tracks …) to … dare I say it?  To the big guy, Santa himself!

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden GardenFest model train engine

So, getting back to my list — right before “chocolate company quality control specialist” — there’s that word again “Philanthropist”.  Hmmm.  How about that.  I’m living my dream job after all, and so are you my fellow Gardeners.  Say it with me – “fi-lan-thruh-pist”. Go us!

The results of philanthropy are always beyond calculation.
Miriam Beard

The Lewis Ginter Community Kitchen Garden is now shut down for the winter. Volunteers in the garden produced 9,913 pounds of high quality produce for FeedMore’s Community Kitchen.

Weight distribution by type:

Tomatoes – 5,594.5 lbs.

Zucchini/ yellow squash – 3,035.5 lbs.

Cauliflower – 460 lbs.

Cabbage – 235 lbs.

Broccoli – 220 lbs.

Green Peppers – 18 lbs.

While falling just shy of the 10,000 pound goal, the 2011 yield represents an 8 percent increase over 2010 production. This excellent yield was made possible by the hundreds of hours of sweat equity volunteers invested in the garden throughout 2011.

The oldest red cabbage leaves produced a kaleidoscope of color.

The red cabbages were a bit of a disappointment by not fully maturing even after 100 days in the field. It’s probably due to getting them planted too late in September.

It’s a bloomin’ cabbage! After the primary heads were harvested, we left the cabbage plants in the field and the plants produced these wonderful clusters of rosettes.

While not heavy or dense, the rosettes were tender and fresh.

Award-winning author, Leonard M. Adkins, will speak at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden tomorrow night (Thursday, January 5) at the Virginia Native Plant Society (Pocahontas Chapter) meeting. Adkins, profiled by Backpacker Magazine, and referred to as the “Habitual Hiker,” will present Wildflowers of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains.
Adkins has walked more than 19,000 miles in North America, Europe and the Caribbean.   The Society of American Travel Writers Foundation awarded Adkins the Lowell Thomas Journalism Award for his book,  The Appalachian Trail: a Visitor’s Companion.  

Did you know that you could buy plants and seeds with food stamps? Over 46 million Americans use food stamps —  nearly 15 percent of the population — but many don’t know they use food stamps to buy plants that will produce food for them all summer long.  And while having  a big plot for a garden is a plus,  you can grow food on containers, and even urban rooftop Gardens.  Gardeners tend to be creative types. I’ve seen Christmas lights used in green houses to warm early seeds,  gutters attached to walls of buildings for a creative vertical garden,  and even HGTV has  a story on rooftop gardens:  “No yard? No problem.”

Here at the Garden, we’ve done our best to help produce  fresh, local veggies and deliver them, with our partners, to those who need them most. Each season we  grow nearly 10,000 lbs of greens, squash, tomatoes, califlower, zucchini, peppers, broccoli and more  in our Community Kitchen Garden. Those veggies go to nearby nonprofit, FeedMore, the parent organization for The Central Virginia FoodBank and Meals on Wheels of Central Virginia to feed those who need fresh veggies most, but can’t buy them.

I love how this video from non-profit, Snap Gardens, explains how growing your own food when you are living in poverty is empowering. It offers a way for parents to spend time and connect with their children and to actually teach their children about gardening.  So cool.

The non-profit,  Dinner Garden,  sends starter seeds to anyone who wants them.    Dinner Garden founder, Holly Hirshberg, makes preparing veggies and fruits less intimidating by illustrating how to cut and eat everything from cantaloupe to cucumbers on her YouTube channel.

With the help of a $1,000 microgrant from Awesome Food, SNAP Gardens will start working with The Dinner Garden … to set up a telephone hotline with gardening information. (Simon said that Dinner Garden founder Holly Hirshberg didn’t know about using SNAP benefits for seeds until he told her.) Part of the grant will also pay to include a flyer about using EBT for seeds with every packet The Dinner Garden sends out, with the assumption that many of those requesting free seeds might also be eligible for SNAP.

Or, if you are not a gardener, you might consider using your  SNAP to buy fresh local produce at the Farmer’s Market. Often the prices on veggies at the market are cheaper than the grocery store – especially at the end of the day when the market is closing.  Fresh veggies, weather you grow them yourself, get them at the local farmers market or get them from FeedMore, can’t be beat when it comes to taste & nutrition.

Read more of the article from Grist.