Showing posts with label real dirt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label real dirt. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

The Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook Book Signing at Plant-O-Rama


The 18th Annual Plant-O-Rama Horticultural Trade Show & Symposium is produced by the Metro Hort Group – an Association of Horticultural Professionals in the New York City Tri-State Region. 

Plant-O-Rama has long been considered the crown jewel of horticultural events – bringing together horticultural and gardening professionals, garden designers, plant enthusiasts, urban farmers and agriculturists - to learn from the Horticulture leaders who speak and lecture at the all-day symposium.

Plus there are the authors’ talks and book signings – which is where I come in! 

I am thrilled and honored to be invited to participate in this year’s Plant-O-Rama Authors book talks and book signings with my book, The Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook.
goo.gl/0Moqvo  

I am eager to see my former Brooklyn Botanic Garden family – I was privileged to work at the Garden as Director of Communications for many glorious years.

I also can’t wait to spend time with my Metro Hort and plant friends, especially – (and in no particular order…)





Bob Hyland – a dedicated and respected plantsman, garden designer and former vice president of horticulture at BBG.

Bob was the genius who created the dreamy Bluebell Wood at the Garden. Today, the more than 45,000 Hyacinthoides hispanics 'Excelsior' bloom under the oak, birch, and beech trees, there. It is a favorite site of many romantic, heart-clutching visitors and lovers, not to mention a favorite site for filming glamorous, otherworldly TV shows, movies, and videos. 

I remember one memorable shoot when musician Dave Matthews shot his “Dream Girl” video with - who else? Julia Roberts as his Dream Girl.   





(As an aside, at that time, Julia lived upstairs from us in our Manhattan apartment building -- she moved on. The day of the video shoot she brought the twins with her - so it seemed a truly serendipitous "moment” given all that beauty and good karma...)

The morning of the shoot was all misty and mysterious making it all that much more magical…

Bob moved to Portland, Oregon and is now the owner of Hyland Garden Design & Contained Exuberance http://www.hylandgardendesign.com

Ken Druse, panel moderator, is a garden communicator extraordinaire, garden photographer, writer and author – with – what is it -- more than 16 books in his portfolio now?? 
For a full listing and link to buy Ken’s books:

His iTunes radio podcast, Real Dirt covers the world of gardens, featuring interviews with intriguing and visionary garden luminaries, notables and artists -- including, ahem, me! http://www.kendruse.typepad.com (scroll down a few)


Ken is a horticulturist, a sustainable garden lover and a BIG promoter and mentor to young professionals in the green industry. 
At the same time, Ken is a generous networker and has been ever so good to me this way too – looking to make the garden and plant connections that will benefit the entire horticulture community. 

I am proud to say I've been a card-carrying member of the Ken Druse fan club since forever! 


Ken is a nice garden sprite... and a true Hort Hero.  

Speaking of Hort Heroes, there is the inimitable Charles Yurgalevitch, Director School of Professional Horticulture, The New York Botanical Garden. 
And as part of Metro Hort’s Board of Directors, Charles serves as Secretary.  


Charles is tireless in his devotion to the hort students  -- always looking to educate and showcase the next-generation of green industry environmentalists and professionals. 
Plus Charles is a foodie!



And I am keen to reconnect with fellow author, Marta McDowell, who I met on the Metro Hort’s tour of Greenwood Gardens early last fall. 
There was the group of us “training” it from NYC to the nearby train station in Short Hills, in the Garden State – not far from Marta’s home and she was kind enough to give some of us a lift in her “garden express!” 
At that time she told me about her upcoming book and I warmed to the charming subject immediately. 

Now her book is out and is a big success: Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life, The Plants and Places That Inspired the Classic Children’s Tale

My garden writer friend, Anne Raver wrote about Marta’s book in a recent NY Times article too. 

Here is a whimsical video about the book:

I don’t yet know the other authors but I am very much looking forward to meeting them and learning about their plant and garden books.

The schedule for the Authors Talks is:

Author Talks and Book Signings
Lily-Pool Room 10am to noon and again from 1-3pm

Leeann Lavin, Hamptons and Long Island Homegrown Cookbook
Bill Logan, Air: The Restless Shaper of the World
Susanne Lucas, Bamboo
Marta McDowell, Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life, The Plants and Places That Inspired the Classic Children’s Tale
Vincent Simeone, Grow More With Less: Sustainable Garden Methods

Here is the full listing of the day’s schedule and a link to purchase tickets:

January 28th, 2014
9:00am to 4:00pm


Full listing for the symposium and trade show: http://metrohort.org/index.php/archive/18th_annual_plant-o-rama/

Overview of Plant-O-Rama 2014

8:45 am: Welcome & Sponsor Acknowledgment

9:00 am NEW DIRECTIONS IN HORTICULTURE:


A layered look at plant and garden trends
David L. Culp, VP, Marketing & Sales, Sunny Border Nurseries, Kensington, CT Mr. Culp has his finger on the pulse of the nursery and horticulture industry, particularly perennial plants. Hear Dave interpret “where we’ve been & where we’re going.” What’s up with layered planting styles, container gardening, demand for multi-season garden shrubs, “green” and other trending garden colors, native plants, naturalistic planting methods, and more. Dave is author of the 2012 award- winning book The Layered Garden: Design Lessons for Year-Round Beauty from Brandywine Cottage. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing.


10:15 am WHAT WILL THE FUTURE OF HORTICULTURE LOOK LIKE?
Panel discussion moderated by Ken Druse, award-winning garden communicator, author and photographer
A group of young professionals give us a look into the future of horticulture in
a challenging, fast-changing world. Topics include soil consciousness, water, public gardens, education, growing food, climate change, technology, social media, and making a living in our profession. We hope the audience will participate with questions and comments.


Morning speakers focus on public horticulture, garden design & urban agriculture. Katherine Aul (partner, Staghorn Design Studio), Kristen DeSouza (superintendent, Allen C. Haskell Park), Rebecca McMackin (director of horticulture, Brooklyn Bridge Park), Kelly Norris (horticulture manager, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, and co-owner of Rainbow Iris Farm), Gwen Schantz (chief operating officer, Brooklyn Grange)

AFTERNOON SYMPOSIUM SESSION (repeat of morning)

12:45 pm 2 pm
NEW DIRECTIONS IN HORTICULTURE: A layered look at plant and garden trends
DISCUSSION: What will the future of horticulture look like?
Afternoon speakers focus on nursery production and management, plants and
conservation & youth education. Jason Austin
(nurseryman, RareFind Nursery), David Daley (Children’s Garden educator, Brooklyn Botanic Garden), Nate McCullin (horticulturalist and facilities coordinator, New England Wildflower Society/ Garden in the Woods), Rebecca McMackin (director of horticulture, Brooklyn Bridge Park), Kelly Norris (horticulture manager, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, and co-owner of Rainbow Iris Farm)

3:30 pm

CLOSING RECEPTION & SILENT AUCTION RESULTS —BBG Palm House

Exhibits – Free Admission All Day!
8:30 a.m.–3 p.m.
Plant Catalog Display
Members’ Room
FREE! Take home 2014 plant and seed catalogs while supplies last.


9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Palm House Trade Show
A Trade show with 50 exhibitors representing the NYC metro region’s premier specialty nurseries and wholesale growers, pottery distributors, horticultural suppliers, soil and compost companies, public gardens, and greening organizations. Exhibitor list in formation—check metrohort.org for updates.
10 a.m.–noon
1–3 p.m.
Author Talks and Book Signings
Lily-Pool Room
Leeann Lavin, Hamptons and Long Island Homegrown Cookbook
Bill Logan, Air: The Restless Shaper of the World
Susanne Lucas, Bamboo
Marta McDowell, Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life, The Plants and Places That Inspired the Classic Children’s Tale
Vincent Simeone, Grow More With Less: Sustainable Garden Methods
11 a.m.–3:15 p.m.
Silent Auction
Classroom 236
Bid on plants and horticultural items donated by Plant-O-Rama exhibitors and sponsors. Proceeds benefit Metro Hort Group programs.
3:30 p.m.
Closing Reception and Silent Auction Results
Palm House
10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
BBG Garden Shop
The Garden Shop at BBG’s Visitor Center carries books, seeds, plants, tools, and gifts for gardeners and the home.
10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Terrace Café
The Terrace Café offers a delicious winter menu of soups, sandwiches, desserts, and beverages in the lower level of the Steinhardt Conservatory.


SYMPOSIUM REGISTRATION
   REGISTER ONLINE to reserve seats:
      brownpapertickets.com/event/515529

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Green Industry Field Day at NYBG


Ken Druse, Keynoter, Green Industry Intern Field Day, NYBG


It was balmy weather  – perfect for a day to spend in the Garden. 
Well every day is a good day to spend in the Garden but this was a day to herald because it promised so much.  
It would not be too dramatic to say the future of horticulture was on display almost as much as the plants throughout the 250 acres at The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG).

See, The School of Professional Horticulture was hosting the first-ever Green Industry Intern Field Day, aka Hortie Hoopla, July 24 at NYBG, created especially for those “interested in a career in horticulture, ecology, landscape design, or ecological restoration – for anyone who loves working with plants and wants to improve our environment and the world by doing so.”

Important. Lofty.

Hortie Hoopla is the poignant brainchild of Charles Yurgalevitch, Director of the School of Professional Horticulture, NYBG.
He said he was inspired to produce the event after reading Ken Druse’s article “The New Generation” in the April issue of Organic Gardening Magazine as noted in the Garden Glamour post of July 21st: http://gardenglamour-duchessdesigns.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-new-york-botanical-garden-hosts.html

On the morning of the Green Industry Intern Field Day event, Charles welcomed the 80-plus attendees and got right to citing some rather grim statistics.

Approximately 72% of horticulture jobs go wanting because botanic gardens and parks and arboretum cannot find skilled workers
Sound crazy, doesn’t it?  Especially in a world where – the job market is improving – most are still on edge. So these kinds of career vacancies are startling, to say the least.

Charles noted that the Royal Horticulture Society (RHS) is working hard to remedy the perception that working with plants is not worthwhile.  
He’d recently returned from the UK where he met with education professionals at the RHS, the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew and the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh to collaborate on joint or exchange internship opportunities.

In a curious coincidence – I saw a news story in the London Daily Telegraph about this topic from the April 13th newspaper.
My dear Junior League girlfriend, Corinne Takasaki, who co-owns NYC’s City Frame, was in London with her now/new husband James and because she is so ever-thoughtful, sent me the gardening section of the paper knowing how much I’d enjoy the garden stories and full-color photos.
I was filing this newspaper section just the other day when I saw what was at the April juncture timeframe, an inconsequential story written by Ken Thompson (because it wasn’t about actual plants, per se) I'd overlooked.
Now, it was quite salient in light of the Green Industry Intern Field Day.

It’s title?  “What’s Wrong with a Growth Industry Job?”
“Horticulture is an ideal career for young people, say’s writer Ken Thompson – if only they knew about it.”

I had to stop and think.

Were Ken (Druse) – horticulturist, author and photographer of 18 books, writer and speaker from this side of the pond separated at birth from the UK’s Ken? 
Ken (Thompson) is a plant biologist, writer and speaker who has written four gardening books.
(Our Ken has the Brit Ken books beat by a factor of more than three. So there. We won the Revolution, too. Ha! Sorry for the Yanks competitive nature.)

At almost the same time that “our” Ken Druse wrote his groundbreaking story for Organic Gardening that helped inspire Charles to produce the Green Industry Field Day aka the "Hortie Hoopla," it seems that the UK Ken was bemoaning the crisis in “home-grown job applicants” not pursuing a career in horticulture.

As if a mirror reflection of Charles’ opening sad statistics, the Telegraph’s feature previewed a new, at that time, report from the Royal Horticultural Society “Horticulture Matters” which was to be released for National Gardening Week (April 15-21)

The report, which was presented to Parliament, (hello, US Congress?) noted that almost half of under 25s do not think gardening is a skilled career in spite of that country’s massive youth unemployment and nearly 70% of 18 year-olds think gardening should be considered only for dropouts and a career not to be proud of – which is in direct contrast with those age 40 and over who hold the exact opposite opinion. 
Horticulture has been “awash with career changers,” the article cited.
The other Ken noted that young people “all too readily associate gardening with the bloke driving a gang mower endlessly around the local park, or the old chap they see tending his cabbages on the allotment.”
He writes the RHS does a sterling work in getting gardening into primary school, (we don’t, despite the increase in Edible School Gardens) but they fall down later in secondary school.   
I don't know about you but I think our secondary school effort is non-existent…

Horticulture Presentations
Charles concluded his opening remarks by saying,  
“We are here today to tell you that plants are vitally important to our lives.”  

Charles then introduced Keynote speaker: “our” Ken - Druse, the garden superstar and host of Real Dirt, commenting how Ken shares the vision that it is most important to help teach and promote the next generation of gardeners. 

Ken got right to it.  My notes show he quoted a New York Times story about our coming food crisis and made a powerful argument as to how the green industry holds the keys to our future, citing strategies that include learning science to plant and grow and restore green space, address the seed crisis and increase native plantings and promote the use of locally produced compost to lock in carbon in the soil. (NY Times: “increasing organic matter in their fields from 1 percent to 5 percent, farmers can increase water storage in the root zones from 33 pounds per cubic meter to 195 pounds.”)

Shock and awe.
Ken had them eating out of the palm of his hand.

Besides, Ken is a brilliant, talented speaker.

He mixes the banal (suburbia’s tree volcano crimes and $2 million house with the $30 garden); 










to the WTF (the YouTube video of the half-clad man wearing a gardening belt showing how to plant an instant garden) Yikes! 






to the sublime (the loss of Garden Design magazine) 


See also my compelling post about Garden Design Magazine: 
http://gardenglamour-duchessdesigns.blogspot.com/2013_02_01_archive.html

Ken also spoke to the power of plants and nature: the loss of his Garden State country house garden due to Hurricane Irene and flooding and Superstorm Sandy, Monsanto and GMO and how the Vertical Garden market is not sustainable…


With visuals to amplify his talk the presentation was a mix of cautionary hort tales and exhortation to be proud of what they do and imagine a better, greener world.
“Horticulture is a profession,” Ken stated.  He quoted fellow horticulturist, Pat Cullina, who famously said, “People go to school for it.” 

His use of industry inside knowledge to make a few jokes helped bind the intern audience to Ken and to one another.  They get it.  I could almost see the thought bubbles as they laughed: “We are special.” “We know better and more.”

See, the interns and hort professionals are in on the joke. 
And nothing bonds like a snarky, let’s make fun of the Cretans and uneducated like a real-world scenario...

Ken also teased to great effect that perhaps a social media solution to get more people to appreciate plants and especially trees is not to proclaim his motto: “We’d be dead without trees” (I liked it: it’s catchy, short and true.)
But to change the name or moniker of “trees” to what the Tarheel Keith Lubowski calls trees, “Earth Kittens!”  Ha! 
For those not on social media or under a rock, see Forbes magazine, “How Puppies and Kittens can Save Your Social Media Strategy.”

Ken offered optimism and hope too.  
“We need to teach municipalities that horticulture = money.”
He pointed to the city of Chicago and its ability to generate millions of tourism dollars as a result of the gardens and rooftop gardens and botanic garden.
“Here in New York, the High Line attracts visitors from all over the world and it has changed the neighborhoods,” he said.

“Nature means big business.” 

He described how we can promote living art to the public; citing as examples: Chanticleer, Greenwood Gardens, and the Brooklyn Grange to name a few, where green investments yield profitable enterprise.

Ken also played with the notion that edible gardens are “Gateway Drugs” to ornamental gardening.  “Gardens also feed souls,” he lectured.
Ken stressed the importance of telling stories about plants – about creating narratives for their history, their design and their contribution to nature’s compositions.
Plus “Plants are living things,” Ken admonished.

It’s not all turf and grass.  As some here and in the UK it seems are wont to think…

He reminded the audience of interns that it wasn’t that long ago that there wasn’t the opportunity to even study botany.  Prior to 1905 scientists were focused on animal husbandry and agriculture not cultivated plants. 
But the new science captured young people’s imaginations – and it can do so today.
Ken threw out a challenge and laid down the gauntlet – or trowel: 
“Is there a gardening problem?” 
Rhetorically,  he answered, “It’s up to you.”

Emma Seniuk, Chanticleer Gardener
Next up was Emma Seniuk, who as a gardener at the exquisite Chanticleer Garden, talked about her three-step journey to a career in horticulture.
She began working in a greenhouse at age 18 by first opening up the telephone book – which is an anachronistic reference to what can only be used as a booster seat today.  Back then she needed the phone book to look up “flowers.”

She got the job and grew flowers with a third generation of growers.

The next move was a big step on the hort track.  At Longwood Gardens she realized she could make a living as a gardener. 

And then, after hearing Fergus Garrett of Great Dixter at Winterthur talk at a Longwood Gardens’ symposium, she was invited to work and study for a year in England for yet another step.  “I learned creative gardening there, worked hard and grabbed every opportunity,” Emma advised.  “And you need to have tremendous faith in people,” she added enthusiastically.”

 Ethne Clarke, Editor in Chief, Organic Gardening

Charles introduced me to Ethne prior to the presentation and we spoke briefly while we sat in the auditorium waiting for the talks to commence.
But it was only after Ethne’s brief talk that I had to tell her that she certainly has lived a charmed horticultural life!
Besides her current, lofty position at Organic Gardening, she lived in the UK for more than 30 years, arriving there from Chicago to work on the Encyclopedia of Gardening that was to be published in the US. 
“They had to ‘Americanize’ the text posting.” She joked that she could read and take out the “U” in color – and consequently got the job!

She was soon clipping roses in her tennis gardens!

“I stand here before you to encourage you to follow your bliss,” she advised with a happy smile.  “Follow your bliss for you – and for the world you ‘ll inherit.” 

Ethne’s newest book, An Infinity of Graces is about Cecil Ross Pinsent, the estate and villa garden designer – an English expat who lived in Florence. 
While in Florence, she said she was urged by an elderly man she knew “to find out everything you can about Cecil.” She did keep at it plus others offered input until it was all transformed into a beautiful book: http://www.amazon.com/An-Infinity-Graces-Architect-Landscape/dp/0393732215



Ethne told the interns she looks forward to seeing them in upcoming editorials in the magazine and announced the “Next Generation” would be an annual feature!


The Garden Tours and Supper

No Green Field Day could be considered education and fun without a tour of the Garden’s Living Collections. 
On this day, there was also a scavenger hunt of sorts to track down five marked plants that were to be ID’d (and I do mean Marked – one had the answer right on the Conservatory tree!)  Too easy!  
In contrast, NYBG’s Francesco Coelho told me that she had preferred to mark the Desert House’s Uncarina decaryi – a South African tree that was blooming a sunny yellow – but was told no, that would be too challenging an ID. 


The ID was an industry fun challenge.
The touring of the gardens with fellow horticulture professionals was so much of what the day was about.  The camaraderie, mutual respect for what they do and are passionate about. 

I very much liked the Four Seasons display on the lily pool terraces created by Philip Haas, American Filmmaker and artist.

I also stopped in to see John at the Shop in the Garden (www.nybg.org) and see how my book was doing. There was only one left – I signed it. John said they had another case and I should stop back to sign.  I must return soon! 

I encountered an intern from Stone Barns, Vanessa Harmony, who is so emblematic of the hope and pride in Green Industry Interns – she could be the poster child or the face of a merit badge.

As we toured the Collections together I got to learn about her background – she is a student of the world, having grown up with stints in Colorado and Jakarta and Dallas and Pennsylvania and Canada.


When asked what she wants to do, she replied without a moment’s hesitation and with direct authority, “I want to help connect people with nature and pursue my passion for healing humans’ connection with Nature and our food systems.”

Take my hand, Vanessa!  

She possesses a calm and knowledgeable presence. She inspires trust.  She is enchanting…

“It’s hard to get people to engage with plants and food is a universal thing...” Vanessa opined. 
Yes, food is magical…
Vanessa hopes to combine her growing, harvesting, foraging, and organization and communication skills earned during her passage working as a project manager for ePharmaSoultions doing social media, marketing, and organizing clinical trials.

Vanessa appreciates how the farmers and the chefs at Stone Barns collaborate on new, seasonal farm to table dishes. 
As a card-carrying enthusiast of Dan Barber, his menus, food thought leadership and Jack Algiere and their soil management, I can readily understand Vanessa’s adventure and admiration for the food and agriculture program at Stone Barns Center where she helps maintain the food production gardens, coordinates harvests of the culinary and floral herbs and leads educational foraging walks for the chefs and bartenders. http://www.stonebarnscenter.org

The day concluded – appropriately - with a supper in the Family Garden. 

I’d promised Charles I’d help get things set up there.
After hitching a golf cart ride over with a former NYBG employee, I entered the Family Garden and marveled again at its charm, organization and edible displays.  


Everything was so picture perfect at the dining area – also the site for the very successful Mario Batali’s Kitchen Gardens and Family Dinners. (See post from my other blog: http://celebritychefsandtheirgardens.blogspot.com/2013/07/family-dinners-with-mario-batalis-chefs.html)


I joked with guests and Annie Novak, Manager of the Garden’s Edible Academy located in the Family Garden, that there must really be three of her! She is seemingly ubiquitous. And successful at everything her green thumb touches.   
Annie Novak, NYBG Edible Academy 


For the Hortie supper, Annie and her team were in full charge of the bbq, HUGE sub sandwiches from Arthur Avenue
and enough salads and drink to make everyone happy. 


Here is where the hobnobbing and networking sparkle.
This is the immeasurable metric that fosters success for an event like this.
As I’ve said to Charles, corporations create many team-building events so that staff can experience and learn the true meaning of working in strength as a team. 

Horticulturists don’t get this chance, especially as they usually work in a solitary way whether they work for a botanic garden or a private estate.  Often, the only time they come together as a group is in the lunchroom or holiday party.






The first-ever Green Industry Field Day was memorable and successful and I’m glad I was there to report on this milestone.
I was able to give witness to a future of foraging and farming and gardens.


Don’t miss Ken Druse’s Real Dirt interview with Charles: