Pondside Nursery

Saturday, June 7, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Grass Menagerie

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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.

Saturday, April 26, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm – Top 40 Plants for the Naturalistic Garden

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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.

Saturday, October 1, 11:00 am – 12:00 noon – Plants That Pay Their Way

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Resources and time in the garden are limited, so choosing plants that offer more than one attractive feature is a smart strategy. ​​In this October 1 Berkshire Botanical Garden class, we will discuss the best plants for late and multi-season interest and their application in the landscape. Perennials and shrubs don’t have to be done doing their job once their blooms have gone. We will explore perennials that have stunning seed heads, grasses that always offer interest and shrubs that provide berries after their blooms. The class is $20 for BBG members, $25 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/plants-pay-their-way

Robert Clyde Anderson found his way to the Hudson Valley after a New York City career in illustration and book design. A native of Louisiana, he is a lifelong gardener and has designed and maintained gardens in nearby Columbia County as well as serving as right-hand man for eight years at the former Loomis Creek Nursery in Claverack, N.Y. From 2012 to 2017, Robert served as creative director for Pondside Nursery in Hudson, N.Y., where he helped launch the business and was the buyer for perennials, annuals, tropicals, and hard goods. He continues to serve as a client consultant and writes about plants and gardening on his personal blog, Sempervivum, at robertclydeanderson.com.

Tuesdays, May 4 – June 8, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm – Designing the New Perennial Garden

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Developments in ecology and environmental science over the last few decades have revolutionized the way we think of using perennials in gardens and landscapes all over Europe and North America. Whether it’s called “The Dutch Wave,” “The New Perennial Movement” or “The New American Garden,” innovative gardeners and designers have reinvigorated the use and appreciation of herbaceous plantings worldwide. This Berkshire Botanical Garden workshop will provide an overview of the major concepts of this movement as well as hands-on experience in practical evaluation and design with herbaceous plants and grasses. The class will include an ungraded final design project that will give students the opportunity to experiment with the ideas and plant palettes presented in the illustrated lectures and class discussions. $240 for BBG members, $265 for nonmembers. Register at www.berkshirebotanical.org.

Robert Clyde Anderson found his way to the Hudson Valley after a New York City career in illustration and book design. A native of Louisiana, Robert is a lifelong gardener and has designed and maintained gardens in Columbia County as well as serving as right-hand man for eight years at the former Loomis Creek Nursery in Claverack, NY. From 2012 to 2017, Robert served as creative director for Pondside Nursery in Hudson, NY, where he helped launch the business and was the buyer for perennials, annuals, tropicals and hard goods. He continues to serve as a client consultant and writes about plants and gardening on his personal blog, Sempervivum, at www.robertclydeanderson.com

Thursdays, September 10 – October 1, 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm – Designing with Annuals, Tropicals, and Unique Hardy Perennials

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This four-session Berkshire Botanical Garden class from September 10 – October 1, 5:30 – 8:30, is designed to add drama to your gardens with big, bold and beautiful plants. Under the guidance of Robert Clyde Anderson, students will learn to utilize underused annuals, seasonal tropicals and hardy perennials that can really make a splash in your garden with overscale, luxuriant and dramatic foliage effects. Also covered will be tips and techniques for how to create exuberant and impactful container plantings and groupings for versatile display on terraces, decks and poolside.

Robert Clyde Anderson found his way to the Hudson Valley after a New York City career in illustration and book design. A native of Louisiana, Robert is a lifelong gardener and has designed and maintained gardens in Columbia County as well as serving as right-hand man for eight years at the former Loomis Creek Nursery in Claverack, NY. From 2012 to 2017, Robert served as Creative Director for Pondside Nursery in Hudson, NY, where he helped launch the business and was the buyer for perennials, annuals, tropicals and hard goods. He continues to serve as a client consultant and writes about plants and gardening on his personal blog, Sempervivum, at www.robertclydeanderson.com.

BBG members $175, nonmembers $185. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/designing-annuals-tropicals-and-unique-hardy-perennials-0

Saturday, May 26, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Fete des Fleurs

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Wear your best hat and celebrate the opening of Berkshire Botanical Garden’s stunning summer exhibition Beautiful Strangers: Artists Discover the Garden, a collection of contemporary sculpture on display throughout the Garden’s beautiful grounds featuring works by Alice Aycock, Wendell Castle, E.V. Day, Fitzhugh Karol, Mark Mennin, Michele Oka Doner, Ned Smyth, Stephen Talasnik, and Rob Wynne.
Curated by James Salomon.

This year’s Fete includes Plants as Art — a silent auction of artistically displayed plants, trees, shrubs and container plants. All proceeds from the auction support the Garden’s horticulture and education programs.

For more information call (413) 320-4794, or register online at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/f%C3%AAte-des-fleurs.

The following businesses have generously donated to Plants as Art

Broken Arrow Nursery
Campo de’ Fiori
David Burdick Daffodils & More
Glendale Botanicals
Hort and Pott
Maple Lane Nursery
O’Brien Nursery
Pondside Nursery
Twin Brooks Gardens
Whalen Nursery, Inc.
White Flower Farm
Windy Hill Nursery
Zema’s Nursery

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