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.

Although we’re always focused on “what’s next” here at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, at the end of the year it’s fun to take a few minutes and look back at activities and accomplishments. It’s not an exhaustive list by any means — just a quick overview.

Preparation for Orchids Galore!

The year 2011 marked our inaugural Orchids Galore! display in the Conservatory.  Orchids Galore! kicked off our spring A Million Blooms celebration and was so successful we are bringing the orchids back –  Orchids Galore! runs March 10 – April 22, 2012.

Spring brought A Million Blooms…and enhancements to the Central Garden.

Construction during enhancements to the Central Garden

After three weeks of intense work collecting, stripping and weaving sticks, the Diamonds in the Rough stick sculpture by world-famous artist Patrick Dougherty became part of the Garden’s landscape. If you haven’t seen it yet, the sculpture will be here at least through the end of 2012.

Diamonds in the Rough

Guests enjoyed looking for the elusive "Stick Man" throughout the Garden

Through extreme weather conditions, an earthquake and a hurricane, Garden staff and volunteers persevered.

Clean up after Hurricane Irene

Volunteers at the Plant Sale

Garden representatives on Capitol Hill receiving National Medal

The year ended on a very high note as Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden was recognized by the Institute for Museum and Library Services and the White House as one of the nation’s top museums.

All in all, there was a lot to LOVE in 2011. We wish you a very happy and healthy 2012 and look forward to seeing you at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden!

LOVE letters courtesy of Virginia Tourism Corporation

We’re only about one week away from shutting down the 2011 Lewis Ginter Community Kitchen Garden. We still have some kale and a few red cabbages growing, but it’s likely those will not contribute substantial weight to our total yield for 2011. We’ll end the season with a total yield slightly north of 9,825 pounds of fresh, high-quality produce contributed to Feedmore’s Community Kitchen. While that number falls short of our 10,000-pound goal, we are still celebrating: our 2011 yield represents a 7.4 percent increase over the 2010 yield.

Kudos to the many volunteers who contributed sweat equity to the Community Kitchen Garden over the 2011 season. Your efforts produced a significant benefit for the needy in the Greater Richmond area. In addition, the success of the Community Kitchen Garden was a major factor in the National Medal recognition bestowed on Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden by the Institute of Museums and Library Services.

Here’s some special recognition for those dedicated volunteers who participated in the most work sessions in the garden this season:

A few words published in Sunday’s Richmond Times-Dispatch from the Garden’s President & CEO, Frank Robinson, captured it better than anything else:

It seemed an improbable uniting of people and place. A strikingly beautiful refugee from Southern Sudan, mother of 10, glowingly represented the Erie Art Museum (in Pennsylvania) as it received one of the national medals for “service to the community” from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Through the art museum, Victoria transformed her traditional African dance into a full-time career in her new homeland to support her family.

We were on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., in the impressive and somber Cannon House Caucus Room. Cokie Roberts, the renowned journalist, was presenting the keynote address and handing out the 10 coveted awards presented annually by the IMLS and the White House. There was every reason for humility and serious reflection.

It was impossible to miss the tears of pride of the mother sitting in front of me as her son accepted the medal for his employer, the Madison Children’s Museum (in Wisconsin). Benjamin suffered a brain hemorrhage at 7. After years of surgery and learning to walk and talk again, his volunteering at the Museum resulted in his dream job — as a full-time visitors services associate, daily welcoming patrons, young and old alike. When we met later, his warmth and smile immediately showed how perfect he was for the role.

And then, there was Chris…..

Chris Corsello, Lisa Watts, his aide, and Garden CEO & President Frank Robinson

Chris is the Garden’s own volunteer who accepted the National Medal along with Frank Robinson & the Garden’s Chair of the Board, Bill King.  If you have time, click through and read the entire piece.  You’ll be glad you did.