Thoughtful musings on various topics by interesting people at Blithewold
Maple candy
One day last week it seemed as if the switch that turns on the Japanese maples was flipped. We all noticed it. And I think we all tried to burn their color on our retinas … Read more.
Fox Dressmaking Company
The Fox Company, Bessie Van Wickle-McKee’s favorite dressmaker, was one of the oldest and most elite dressmaking establishments in the United States. Founded by the four Fox sisters in 1885, it occupied an elegant house … Read more.
Behind the Scenes with Our Christmas Orchestrator
Many different pieces and people work together to achieve the splendor that is Christmas at Blithewold. The orchestrator behind the whole production is Sally Phillips, now celebrating her 15th year as Christmas season coordinator. Even … Read more.
Slow Flowers with Debra Prinzing
You’ve probably heard of the Slow Food movement. I don’t think I know anyone who hasn’t been making a conscious shift away from processed (fast) food to local, seasonable, sustainable whole-food sources. We’re eager to … Read more.
Day of the dormant
This has maybe been the prettiest fall week ever and we have spent it celebrating the gardens’ downward spiral into dormancy — as well as its eventual rebirth. You know we have a schedule to keep before allowing … Read more.
Not goodbye
I’d prefer to think that the season is in transition rather than ending but when we start throwing some of summer’s best blooms into the bed of Blithewold’s truck, it definitely feels more like a … Read more.
Celebrating Our Arboretum
There’s something very new and exciting going on this year in Blithewold’s Visitor’s Center during Christmas at Blithewold. Gail Read, Gardens Manager, Kris Green, Interpretive Horticulturist, and Betsy Ekholm, Horticulturist, have partnered with the garden volunteers … Read more.
A rabbit’s eye view with Noel Kingsbury
We are so lucky that yesterday’s rain held off just long enough to take a ground-level tour of Blithewold’s gardens with British garden designer/plantsman/author, Noel Kingsbury. He showed us, plant by plant, exactly what to look … Read more.
Christmas at Blithewold “You Are Invited”
Although Blithewold is closing to the public this week, it is anything but quiet around the Mansion. We are now preparing to get the Mansion dressed up for Christmas! It is a bit hard to … Read more.
Moving into fall
It was chilly this morning. No frost yet (perish the thought — our average first frost date falls in early November) but night temperatures in the forties are definitely giving us a taste of what’s … Read more.