Recommended New England gardening course
Every season I check out adult-education home/garden/art opportunites from around the region and find tempting offerings to consider. In the past, I’ve used each of these continuing-ed web posts to promote a variety of classes available through several venues. I’ve since found that highlighting one offering per season better focuses the spotlight. Take a look at my posts from previous seasons to get a sense of the many quality programs operating in the region. Enroll in a workshop on a lark, and get your creative juices flowing.
(Class and schedule are subject to change so check program website for updates.)
The Eco-Elegant Garden: The Art of Function and Design with Priscilla Randall
Instructor: Priscilla Randall
July 13, 15, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm
July 17, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
"Summertime and the living is easy—except for gardeners! This course will focus on a new approach to garden design based on gentle observation and ecologically-nuanced practices. Eco-elegant gardeners garden less and observe the natural world more—from frogs jumpin' to the growth of selected native plants (sometimes known as weeds!).
Garden and landscape design is both an art and a métier, coupling all the elements and passions of art with the challenges of hard work. The workshop will begin with an introduction to designing in the outside world; in the afternoon we’ll move to your, or PAAM's, yard. With tape measures, trowels, transits, and compass, we will work in teams to map selected open spaces as we notice such site factors as wind, soil, slope and drainage, actual number of sunlight hours per day, and, of course, the neighbors.
Along with spending some time outdoors looking at landscapes and thinking about garden space, the workshop will include discussions on how local plant groups and local materials can be used for construction. Students will devote workshop time singly, in group, and also with me, to developing a design for their own landscape. The goal will be a garden built around your concept that is ecologically sound while remaining elegant, in whatever your chosen style. On Friday morning we’ll discuss your designs and determine directions for your next steps. Traditional Cape Cod gardeners are welcome, as the sessions will be applicable to a variety of sites and environments.”
by Katie Hutchison for House Enthusiast
To me, residential architecture extends beyond the built structures of our homes to the spaces around, in between, and within sight of them. Here, a simple, flag-stone patio, a few feet from a house and only a small step down from it, converts a sunny oasis, nestled within hedges and shrubs, into a living space. Sturdy, silver-grey cedar furniture, softened with comfortable throw pillows, invites leisurely conversation among alliums and soon-to-be-potted plants. Lanterns for votive candles atop a table tell us this place is also enjoyed in the evenings. Carving out an intimate space outside a French door can provide visual interest from the interior as well. ‘Tis the season for the outside to borrow from the inside and vice versa. Enjoy.
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