The Buzz

  May is a beautiful time to visit our Rose Garden, which was completely renovated thanks to a generous gift from John D. Canale, III in honor of his father,  John D. Canale, Jr.  The Rose Garden was renovated in the summer of 2015 with multiple design concepts in mind. First and foremost was to make the garden more botanically educational and inviting for our visitors. We added suitable trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals to create a "garden with roses', rather than a... Read More

LUSH INTERIORS is a new collection of mixed media works aimed at exploring sensual machines, a term the artist uses to describe the mechanized trappings of modern life, as we all become increasingly enmeshed with our gadgetry. Common household appliances burst apart to reveal human anatomy and vegetation, both in various states of bloom and decay. From a distance, the works appear as vibrantly colored, otherworldly scenes, but a closer viewing reveals grim details: human teeth and... Read More

This year, we'll be changing things up a bit, so come on out and see what's new! For one, our hours have changed. We've received so many requests over the past few years, that we're changing the market times to 1-5 p.m. That means that you can take a late-ish lunch and swing by for fresh produce and prepared foods. Secondly, we will be setting up in the parking lot rather than the Pine Grove. Our horticulture experts say that we need to give the trees a break, (Driving and... Read More

Those of us who work in the plant industry are often asked why a certain tree or shrub performed as it did this spring or early spring. Some questions can be answered by looking back at the previous seasons of fall and winter.  This fall and winter seasons started out mild and warm, then progressed to cold and rainy. This weather pattern contributes to the spring color experience, as it does every year.  For example, a warm dry fall will typically cause a shorter fall color season.... Read More

We’ve heard the adage, “Right plant, right place." This is helpful garden advice, but also a reminder that we gain a sense of place by observing and knowing plants as they grow in our environment. I grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, and my memories are of the dense shade under Rhododendron maximum, picking Gaylussacia ursina berries in July, and the unmistakable, musky odor of Galax urceolata colonies. Whenever I pass our specimen of Tsuga canadensis on the Woodland Trail, I pause,... Read More