This summer, experience an enchanting evening in bloom with Berkshire Botanical Garden’s Cocktails in Great Gardens — a rare opportunity to sip, savor and stroll through some of the most exquisite private gardens in the region. Enjoy a cool beverage and snacks in a relaxed, elegant atmosphere, all while exploring extraordinary landscapes not usually open to the public.
On June 20, join us as we travel just up the road from the Botanical Garden to visit a recently developed garden by our neighbor and board member, Scott Lambert, in Stockbridge. Scott drew inspiration for his gardens from his attendance at our very own Rooted in Place Symposium featuring entomologist DR Doug Tallamy in 2019, and from the meadow research and experience of frequent BBG lecturer and author, Owen Wormser. To fulfill his garden vision, Scott collaborated closely with long-time BBG supporter and collaborator, Rebekah Lamphere of Hartland Designs, who added her expertise in landscape design, plant selection, and succession throughout the seasons. Please join us to experience a worthy example of how a “blank canvas” residential landscape can be transformed into a pollinator-, wildlife-, and biodiversity-friendly environment.
Grasses are an integral component of naturalistic plantings, the garden style popularized by New York City’s High Line and the “Dutch Wave.” But with names like Schizachyrium, Spodiopogon, and Hakonechloa, they can be bewildering to even experienced gardeners. Join plantsman Robert Clyde Anderson at Berkshire Botanical Garden on Saturday, June 7, from 1 to 4 p.m., for an overview of the most useful and beautiful species and cultivars for our climate, with an emphasis on their ecological value, distinguishing characteristics, and design possibilities. This three-hour session will include an illustrated lecture, handouts, and an on-site walkabout on the BBG grounds, as well as time for questions and shared experiences. BBG members $50, nonmembers $70. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/grass-menagerie
Robert Clyde Anderson is a garden designer, consultant and writer who found his way to the Hudson Valley after a New York City career in illustration and book design. A native of Louisiana and a lifelong gardener, he has designed and maintained gardens in Columbia County as well as working in area nurseries, most recently at Pondside Nursery in Hudson for five years and before that, at Loomis Creek Nursery in Claverack for eight years. Robert makes his home in Stuyvesant, where he maintains a two-acre “laboratory” garden that includes shrub borders, a sunny, terraced xeric garden, a shady, wooded streamside area, a moist meadow planting, a kitchen garden, and a small flock of chickens.
Treat yourself to a beautiful afternoon of fun and pampering inspired by May’s flower moon and discover the world of herbal skin care on Saturday, May 17, from 1 to 4 p.m at Berkshire Botanical Garden. In this workshop, led by Nicole Irene, we will go through a full, plant-based facial routine after creating products that you will take with you to continue your spa day in the comfort of your own home. Our day will start with creating an aromatherapy candle, bath salt, salve, and infused oil that you will take home with you after we cleanse, exfoliate, steam, mask/treat, moisturize, and massage our faces step by step together using everyday ingredients infused with herbs and essential oils while enjoying herbal tea and infused detox water. Please arrive with a freshly washed face and no makeup products. You will leave glowing and refreshed! BBG members $60, nonmembers $75. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/spring-botanical-spa-day
Lucid Illusions is “the space between reality and dreams,” says fine-art photographer Richard James about his upcoming exhibition at the Leonhardt Galleries at Berkshire Botanical Gardens, which will be on view through June 1. For the better part of 15 years, James has traveled the United States and Europe in search of perfect, real-world florals and landscapes to playfully, almost romantically, blend with his unique imagination and creativity. “Lucid Illusions is where reality softens and dreams take shape,” says internationally acclaimed fine-art photographer Richard James. “For me, this collection is about inviting viewers to linger in that delicate space between what is and what might be. Each image begins in the real world — an untouched landscape, a perfect bloom—but then imagination takes over, weaving the familiar into something quietly surreal. I want people to feel a sense of wonder, of possibility, as if they’ve stumbled into a memory they can’t quite place, but don’t want to leave.”
“What drew us to Richard James’s work is the way he blurs the line between the seen and the imagined,” says Berkshire Botanical Garden Executive Director Mike Beck. “There’s an intimacy to his photographs that makes you pause and look closer — what appears simple at first glance reveals layers of meaning and emotion. ‘Lucid Illusions’ captures that elusive space where reality becomes something more lyrical, more personal. We’re honored to host this exhibition and offer our visitors the chance to experience Richard’s extraordinary vision firsthand.”
Opening reception is Friday, April 25, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Berkshire Botanical Garden is celebrating Earth Day!
Join BBG’s Ron Kujawski on Friday, April 25, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Stockbridge Library, and receive a bare root tree with instructions on how to plant it in celebration of Earth Day/Arbor Day! Can’t make it on April 25? An additional supply will be available at BBG on Friday, May 2, from 4 to 6 p.m. outside the Education Center at BBG. Trees planted throughout the Berkshires will benefit the earth, our people and our pollinators!
Many gardeners are experimenting with the more natural style of planting popularized by the “Dutch Wave” and New York City’s High Line, but most of the plants that work best for these designs aren’t as familiar as our classic border perennials. Join plantsman Robert Clyde Anderson as he guides you through his best recommendations, a list distilled from over 20 years of nursery and planting experience. This three-hour session on Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. will include an illustrated lecture, handouts, an on-site walkabout on the Berkshire Botanical Garden grounds, and time for questions and shared experiences. BBG members $50, nonmembers $70. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/top-40-plants-naturalistic-garden
Robert Clyde Anderson is a garden designer, consultant and writer who found his way to the Hudson Valley after a New York City career in illustration and book design. A native of Louisiana and a lifelong gardener, he has designed and maintained gardens in COlumbia County as well as working in area nurseries, most recently at Pondside Nursery in Hudson, N.Y., for five years, and before that at Loomis Creek Nursery in Claverack, N.Y., for eight years. Robert makes his home in Stuyvesant, N.Y., where he maintains a two-acre “laboratory” garden that includes shrub borders, a sunny terraced xeric garden, a shady wooded streamside area, a moist meadow planting, a kitchen garden, and a small flock of chickens. He writes about plants and gardening on his personal blog, Sempervivum, at www.robertclydeanderson.com.
Berkshire Botanical Garden and BIFF present the 2025 Solar Film Forum on Sunday, April 13 from 11 – 4:30. The event features a series of short films focused on agrovoltaics, which combine agriculture with solar tech. Following the films, there will be a panel discussion and a biodynamic wine and cheese reception sponsored by Dare Bottleshop & Provisions. Full and half day tickets are available. Register at www.berkshirebotanical.org. Lunch is included. Full schedule is on the website.
Led by After Hours founder Kevin Kelly, this four-session Berkshire Botanical Garden series, held on the first Friday of the month from March 7 to June 6 from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m., is designed to bring excitement and invite curiosity about the culinary world. Through hands-on, experiential learning, we’ll cover the basic techniques and flavor affinities from across the globe. In each of the four sessions, we will work with local and seasonal produce to explore internationally-influenced cuisine. Each session will focus on two to three curated dishes and will conclude with a family-style meal for all participants. The series will cover cuisines from the Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East that we will bring to life with locally sourced ingredients.
Kevin Kelly is the founder and owner/operator of After Hours. Growing up in Great Barrington, and having lineage to the Southern Berkshires going back more than 10 generations, Kevin has grown with a unique opportunity to experience and understand business dynamics in the Berkshires. Initially starting his restaurant career at Allium Restaurant and Bar in Great Barrington, he was quickly hooked on the upbeat and lively atmosphere of the food industry. Over the next 10 years, he would hold nearly every position in the restaurant industry, notably cooking in some of Boston’s most highly awarded kitchens. After his stint in Boston and graduating from business school at Babson College, Kevin was left searching for his next steps in life. What originated as an idea to travel the world and immerse in global culinary experiences quickly transitioned to a homeward journey in attempting to open a restaurant in his hometown.
Can’t do the entire series? Sign up for individual classes. Members: $100/Non-Members: $120. Links are below.
Come to Berkshire Botanical Garden for a Winter Family Friday where you will enjoy MASS Audubon’s The Superpowers of Winter Birds on Friday, February 21, from 11 a.m. to noon. $10. Register HERE
Have you seen any birds around you that never flew south for the winter? From tiny chickadees to massive hawks, these hardy animals have special ways to find their own food and shelter in the bitter cold. At this indoor program with Mass Audubon, get to know your feathered neighbors: which birds stay, why they don’t migrate, and their amazing strategies (or clever tricks) to brave the cold. A mix of short, interactive presentations and hands-on family activities will inspire you to look for wild birds in your backyard or beyond.
Nicaela Haig is a teacher-naturalist with Mass Audubon’s Berkshire Wildlife Sanctuaries. Having connected people to wildlife as an environmental educator for over a decade, she currently coordinates public programs year-round in the Berkshires while supporting programming for adults and families throughout western Massachusetts. She has a lifelong fascination with the ways that people and wildlife interact.
Jacqueline van der Kloet will share bulb basics, color combinations, seasonal care for bulbs including naturalizing them to become independent, layering bulbs, growing bulbs on a larger scale, and integration for constant blooms in the garden for the Berkshire Botanical Garden Winter Lecture 2025 on Sunday, February 16, at 2 p.m. Join her on the journey through her favorite spring, summer, autumn, and winter flowering bulbs, and case studies of her naturalistic garden designs from around the world, including the Netherlands, Japan, Germany, the UK, and the Lurie Garden in the United States, where she collaborated with leading plantsman, Piet Oudolf.
Growing Bulbs in the Natural Garden is a four-season guide to combining bulbs with perennials and grasses in a loose, carefree style, from a leading figure in the New Perennial movement. From the earliest snowdrops to alpine violets, tulips, alliums, late autumn crocuses, and many more, bulbs add interest and color to the garden throughout the year. Renowned naturalistic garden designer, Jacqueline van der Kloet, has mastered a casual, magical technique where bulbs emerge playfully among other plants, as if dancing freely among the perennials and grasses. Both friendly and accessible, van der Kloet will explore the recently published book; introducing bulbs as essential to any garden at any scale, inviting in pollinators, providing wonderful pops of color and personality, and extending a garden’s bloom time in the shoulder seasons.
Growing Bulbs in the Natural Garden provides unique inspiration and expert insight gained from van der Kloet’s vast career, using nature as a model. Indeed, growing bulbs in van der Kloet‘s style makes the garden appear as if nature had planted the bulbs herself.
Jacqueline van der Kloet is an internationally acclaimed garden designer and one of Holland’s best-known gardening authorities. She is a plant specialist whose advice is sought by designers and landscape architects. Her designs are prized for their beauty, naturalized schemes, bold uses of color. Van der Kloet’s client list includes some of the most prestigious public gardens in the world. In North America, she teamed with Piet Oudolf for innovative plantings at New York’s Battery Park, New York Botanical Garden, and Chicago’s Lurie Garden. Her work across Europe and Asia ranges from Holland’s famous Keukenhof, to the palace Huis ten Bosch in Nagasaki, Japan to the Newport Bay Club at Disneyland, Paris. Her work includes many private gardens and she frequently contributes to international exhibitions.
Also, please join us for a coffee and cookie reception after the lecture, to be held at the Lenox Middle High School in Lenox, Massachusetts. BBG members $40, nonmembers $55. Register at www.berkshirebotanical.org
