This is a Berkshire Botanical Garden-sponsored field trip to the garden of well known author and vegetable and fruit gardener Lee Reich, followed by a garden tour and picnic lunch at Mohonk Mountain House. A writer once proclaimed Lee’s garden to be very much a “man’s garden†and perhaps it is. The emphasis is on fruits and vegetables, but the whole works is woven into plantings of flowers and ornamental shrubs supported by rustic fencing and gates. He grows a year ’round supply of pretty much every kind of vegetable except rhubarb and Jerusalem artichokes. Fruits include many varieties of dwarf apples, pears and grapes, as well as uncommon fruits such as pawpaws, persimmons, gooseberries (20 or so varieties), juneberries and medlars. September in his “farmden†brings to ripening a number of fruits, common and uncommon. Pawpaw, hardy kiwifruits, grapes and American persimmons should be available for tasting. From here, travel to historic Mohonk Mountain House and picnic on the grounds. Head Gardener Andrew Koehn will then lead a tour of the grounds and gardens of this famous historic resort. Participants can choose to carpool or drive separately to New Paltz, NY. Those joining the carpool should meet in the parking lot at Berkshire Botanical Garden at 9 am (approximate travel time from BBG to first site estimated 1 hour:45 minutes) Participants should bring a bagged lunch. BBG members $50, nonmembers $60. Register by calling Elisabeth Cary at 413-298-3926, or online at www.berkshirebotanical.org.
