Public Gardens
Visiting Walden Pond in the Winter
‘The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.’
Henry David Thoreau
If you’re looking for serenity during the holidays there’s no better place to find it than on the trails along the shores of Walden Pond in Concord, MA. Made famous by Henry David Thoreau and his book, Walden, or Life in the Woods, this pond owes its present serenity and somewhat seclusion to the Thoreau Society and the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) who work to protect this historical site and valuable natural resource.
During the summer months, Walden Pond is open to the public for swimming and hiking but by establishing a capacity limit, the DCR has ensured that natural resources will be protected and overcrowding will be avoided. In winter, there is solitude and quiet along the trail around the pond. I met only four or five other visitors on my walk a week ago. Located off Rte. 2 in Concord, MA, Walden Pond State Reservation includes over 400 acres of protected open space. 
Thoreau’s original cabin is long gone but there’s a replica that’s furnished as it was when he lived there, from July 4, 1845 to September 6, 1847. 
It’s spare, but cozy. The parking area sits across the road from the pond (a kettle pond) lying downslope from the road. Walking down the trail to the pond takes you to the beach, which is clean and pristine in December. 
The trails run around the pond and the counter-clockwise path takes you the fastest route to the site of the original cabin.
Thoreau decided that he wanted to foresake town living and live within nature. He was loaned the use of some land by his friend, Ralph Waldo Emerson who owned 14 acres of woodlot adjacent to the pond. 
For two years and and two months Thoreau lived in his little cabin on a slight rise on the north shore of the pond. 
There are granite markers at the site of the original cabin and it’s a pleasant walk along the shore to this site. This is not the time to choose a path less traveled, but here there is no reason to, as the path with the best view has been chosen and it meanders over a bridge that separates the pond from the ‘meadow’ area. 
There are surprises along the way. If you live in New England, you rather expect that ponds have clear water. This is not so in the south, where ponds and lakes tend to be murky with silt and clay. 
Walden Pond is almost impossibly clear, even to this native New Englander. It has its own unique emerald green sheen, a color not normally seen and difficult to photograph. 
This pond is deep. It is listed as 103 feet deep and there are no streams running into it which is a characteristic of a kettle pond. The day I was there, the only ice was along the edges where the branches dipped in and out of the water, causing frozen crystals to build up along their branches. 
The area adjacent to the pond along the bridge, ‘the meadow area’ was frozen solid. It is very quiet walking along the shore but beyond the cabin site, the rail lines to Fitchberg run fairly close to the pond. I saw them clearly and was still startled out of my reverie of nature when a train roared past.
I’m wondering if there’s a sign that lets the train passengers know that they’re seeing Walden Pond. The rails are on the far side of the pond and there are small coves and inlets along the path. On the west side of the lake, the path winds uphill just a bit, but all along this trail, the water is fairly close. 
There are beautiful reflections in the water, wildlife (I saw many ducks), and nature’s decorations to see along the trail. It took me an hour to walk all the way around the pond. I walked with leisure, intent only on enjoying the experience and capturing a bit with the camera. 
Walden Pond is a wonderful destination to take the kids during the holiday break. They may have been here swimming in the summer, but winter has its own appeal. I’ve found that kids love a path and a mystery ride, and Walden Pond is a destination that should not be missed. I’d love to visit each season of the year.
Have you been to Walden Pond? Which season and what was your experience?.
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PDFWhere to find inspiration in the middle of winter
Guest Blog by Kris Green, Horticulturist for Blithewold Mansions, Garden and Arboretum
I’m often asked, “When is the best time to visit Blithewold?” I answer the same way every time: It’s beautiful here right now. Sure, most people might choose to defer their visit to April to see 50,000 daffodils in bloom; or plan to come in June because that’s when gardens in this hemisphere tend to peak sweetly; or visit sometime between August and October when our Display Gardens are riots of late season color, bird and insect activity.
But most gardeners – dyed-in-the-wool New England
gardeners in particular – would not diss winter. Along with the myriad reasons we have for loving the hibernal season, we deeply appreciate the fact that any garden that is beautiful in winter is bound to be gorgeous all year. And we know that it’s worth a chilly visit to any public garden – those that remain open through the winter, that is – to glean ideas for our own gardens as well as to enjoy any plants and winter views that our own gardens might not have room for.
For instance, I refuse to recommend that anyone plant an aggressive bamboo but am the first to admit that there’s nothing better than a meditative mosey through our ever-emerald-green grove of 30’ tall yellow groove bamboo (Phyllostachys aureosulcata) to listen for its clack. Most gardens don’t have have enough room for a giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) either, but Blithewold’s claim to fame – the tallest giant sequoia this side of the Rockies – stands still for all of us to hug and is especially epic when viewed through the bare twisted branches of what is purported to be the oldest tree on the property. The weeping pagoda (Sophora japonica ‘Pendula’) is as lovely as a grandmother.
Along with winter poetry, there are acres-full of take-home ideas for gardens of any size. Even though we tend not to notice a garden’s skeleton come spring and summer, we can teach ourselves to recognize good bone structure by studying it now. And it’s really only during winter that we become truly enthusiastic about evergreens and tree bark.
Before choosing a tree for your garden, come see how our full-moon cut-leaf (Acer aconitifolium) and our Japanese stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia) can hold your interest beyond fall color, well into winter - thanks to their beautiful skin and lovely curves. And then if you choose one of them, consider planting a broad-leaf evergreen behind it for contrast. Incidentally, there’s no better winter temperature indicator than a rhododendron. When its leaves are curled, we know to put on 3 layers and a hat before taking a walk around the garden.
About Blithewold
Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum is a 33-acre non-profit museum estate on the Narragansett shore in Bristol, RI. The mansion is open from November 26 to January 2 and from mid-April to mid-October. The gardens and grounds are open daily 10-5, year-round. Admission is free to members; $5 for non-members, gardens only, and $10 when the mansion is open. When is the best time to visit? It’s beautiful here right now.
Kris Green is a horticulturist at Blithewold and writes their garden blog.
Thankful for Public Gardens (and our Customers!)
What better day to showcase some of America’s glorious public gardens, right? So enjoy! And have a Happy, Healthy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Chanticleer in Pennsylvania
Brookside in Maryland
Millenium Park in Chicago
Getty Museum in Los Angeles
Old Westbury on Long Island
Ladew in Maryland
Tower Hill's Winter Garden Debut - Free admission
Sunday, November 14th marks the debut of Tower Hill Botanic Garden’s new Winter Garden and Limonaia with free admission. It was just three short months ago when I featured Tower Hill Botanic Garden as a New England destination. At that time there were big changes going on as construction crews implemented Phase IV of Tower Hill’s master plan with the construction of the new Winter Garden. The Winter Garden is enclosed on three sides. On the south side is a new structure, the Limonaia, or lemon house; the Orangerie sits on the north side, and the inside corrider of the Stoddard Education Center, the west side, connects the two. The corridor is a destination as well as an avenue. It always has interesting plants along its path and displays of artwork are featured on its walls. This three-sided enclosed courtyard housing the Winter Garden has a reflecting pool in the center and the plantings within the courtyard have all been chosen for their winter appeal in the landscape. They include red and yellow twig dogwoods, winterberries, interesting specimen trees such as the paperbark maple, and an assortment of interesting evergreens. 
The crew was scrambling to plant when I was there last week.The Orangerie has been a cold climate destination for many of us since its construction in 1999.
It has invitingly moist air within the cathedral-like, plant-filled setting. The new Limonaia is a smaller, unique companion to its stalwart neighbor, the Orangerie. 
The Limonaia or Lemon House will be home to lemon trees, several types of camellias, other citrus, and a wider display of unusual tropical plants. The Limonaia features wooden beams and is smaller in stature than the Orangerie. Only fitting since lemons are usually smaller than oranges, although they have an equally memorable flavor. So it shall be with the new Limonaia with its own distinct character. The view from its windows will look out onto Domitian’s Pool, which was designed to withstand the cold, freezing temperatures of winter here at Tower Hill.
Some of New England has already experienced snow and with colder temperatures an inevitable consequence of the change of seasons, many of us start to feel imprisoned within the heated spaces of our homes. Our gardens are being tucked in for the winter and our attention turns towards what we can see from inside the warm windows of our homes and our indoor collection of plants.
If You Go
Hopefully we have planned our gardens well enough so the view outside is interesting. Lessons can be learned from visiting Tower Hill, with the new garden adding another dimension to the experience. Why not take advantage of the free admission, guided tours, and raffle prizes this weekend and take the family to Tower Hill Botanic Garden? There is inspiration and knowledge to be found and it is all wrapped up in a brand new package your whole family will enjoy. Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Tower Hill is open every day except Monday. Tower Hill Botanic Garden is located at 11 French Drive, Boylston, MA and at www.towerhillbg.org.
White House Garden Tour!
Welcome to the White House! It was open this past weekend to the public, and they did a great job of welcoming us - and providing sunshine and balmy temperatures. Below, the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, with the East Wing in the background. Lots of mum and salvia blooms provided color for mid-October.
Below, the Rose Garden with the West Wing in the background. This was as close as the public was allowed - due to bottlenecks in these interior gardens, a guard told me. That was the only disappointment in an otherwise perfect event.
Below, at the other end of the Rose Garden is the patio where the now-famous “Beer Summit” took place.
Next, Michelle Obama’s famous Kitchen Garden looked healthy and productive.
And these close-ups in the kitchen garden reveal the very productive beehive (over 100 pounds per year).
Below, imagine having this view from your back door? The building in the center is the Jefferson Memorial.
Finally, a detail of the Children’s Garden, sporting more mums and salvias.
I have way too many photos for just one blog story, but you can click here for more (with just one duplicate).
Who can resist a Bridge of Flowers?
A recent road trip to northwestern Massachusetts resulted in an unanticipated and much appreciated visit to The Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, MA. Shelburne is a small New England town situated on the Deerfield River at Salmon Falls, which was an important salmon fishing site used by Native Americans. The town’s located in the foothills of the Berkshires, and the Mohawk Trail goes right through it. 
There is much to see in this little town. There are the usual and unusal shops, restaurants, and historic buildings, but Shelbourne Falls has one attraction that’s unique. It has a 400-foot trolley bridge that was built in 1908 and then used for a mere 20 years before the trolley faded into history. Not so the bridge. Antoinette Burnham had a vision - to turn this bridge into a garden that would connect the towns on either side of the river - so she teamed up with area women’s clubs to raise the money to make it happen. 
The bridge opened to both flowers and foot traffic in 1929 and has been maintained largely by a group of volunteers, who work under the auspices of a hired head gardener. I asked one of the locals, Pat Leuchtman, author of a gardening column and her own blog, Commonweeder, what season has the best bloom? She replied ‘It’s glorious in all seasons’. The goal of the workers is to have a dazzling display from spring through late fall.
I can attest to the beauty of September on the bridge and can only imagine it will look spectacular as the fall foliage unfolds. The bridge is open, free of charge, from spring through late fall. The bridge is maintained through donations, bequests and memorial gifts, and a donation box sits at both entrances. 
The generosity of visitors is evident in the beautiful array of flowers, shrubs and even trees that adorn the bridge and are a credit to the volunteers and the many hours they spend weeding, deadheading and planting for the enjoyment of others. 
If you want to take a ride to see the fall foliage, remember to stop in Shelburne Falls and walk this historical bridge of beauty. I promise that you will not be disappointed.
Travels - Tower Hill Botanic Garden
One of my favorite gardens to visit in New England is Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boyleston, MA. I first visited Tower Hill about 15 years ago and immediately joined their membership roll. Botanic gardens, I believe, are a great equalizer in society and as a true lover of horticulture, it makes sense to support a public garden that offers continuing education, gardens with a wide variety of labeled plants, and beautiful spaces created for the enjoyment of all. 
This botanic garden houses the third oldest horticultural society in the country, the Worcester County Horticultural Society, founded in 1842. The mission statement of the WCHS is as follows”
” …educational organization for the purpose of
advancing the science and encouraging and improving
the practice of horticulture …”
The Trustees of the Society voted to establish a botanic garden in 1983 and the master plan was unveiled in 1988. In just over 30 years, this garden has evolved and will continue to evolve along the lines of that master plan, with completion slated for 2040. It is a daunting task and the current changes include the new entry design and the ongoing construction of the Winter Garden. 
New pool in Winter Garden You can find out more about Tower Hill here (just click on the highlighted word).
Tower Hill is a destination garden which welcomes the whole family. You can stroll through the visitor’s center, the orangerie, the systematic garden and on through Pliny’s Allee following the trail which loops up through the woods. 
Pliny’s Allee The trail then leads down and around the pond area, which the kids will love. There’s always something there to catch the eye and delight both adults and children. 
Fur BallsThis unusual annual, Gomphocarpus physocarpus or ‘Fur Balls’, is just an example of some of the interesting annuals that are planted seasonally in the gardens. As you can see, the bees love it.
One of my favorite gardens at Tower Hill is the vegetable garden, which is at its peak in August and early September. Every year it has a different theme, with vegetables and annuals being used to complement the color scheme. In 2007, there was a red/orange theme 
and in 2008, it was a purple theme.
Last year yellow was the predominant color through the garden and deep colors were used to highlight the structures and the companion plantings.
This year brings a rainbow of color to the garden, along with some more unusual vegetables that are growing in popularity, such as this lacinato kale. It’s the crinkly, blue-leaved plant next to the yellow stakes..
Lacinato kale
While the vegetable garden changes dramatically every year, the other gardens are evolving as the trees, shrubs and perennials grow and prosper.
Tower Hill Botanic Garden is one of New England’s horticultural gems and a visit should be on every gardener’s list. Have you been to Tower Hill and, if so, what caught your eye?
