NEWS
Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens is Listed as one of the “Best Gardens in Southern New England…” by AAA Club Alliance.
EXPLORE THE BEST GARDENS IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND WITH THIS ROAD TRIP
SIX EXCEPTIONAL GARDENS IN MASSACHUSETTS, RHODE ISLAND, AND CONNECTICUT
By Ellen Albanese | February 07, 2024 | 4 min read
This 250-mile road trip from Boston to Stamford, Connecticut, heads west and then south, hugging Route 95 along the southern New England shoreline. From spectacular spring and summer flowers to vibrant fall foliage to conservatories filled with orchids in winter, these gardens offer something beautiful in every season. This route includes two optional side trips, one to see New England’s largest indoor garden and the other to smell the roses.
Read more here.
Bartlett Joins in on Mayor's initiative to Spread Kindness
In honor of the Stamford Kindness Initiative put forth by the mayor in December 2023, the Bartlett Arboretum ran specific programs dedicated to kindness.
At the beginning of the month, the Bartlett partnered with The Villa Maria School, which caters to neuro-divergent elementary and middle school students, to bring kindness to senior residents at The Villa at Stamford. Bartlett’s Outreach Coordinator, Michelle Vitaglione, led students and a few visiting senior citizens in an activity making pinecone bird feeders to be hung at The Villa at Stamford. The students had made the bird feeders once before and hung them around their school property. They thought that attracting lots of birds just outside the windows of The Villa at Stamford would help bring some joy to those who may not be able to go out as much during the winter. Students also crafted handmade cards for each residents at The Villa.
A second program, was done in concert with children at Inspirica, an organization designed to break the cycle of homelessness. The children at Inspirica made necklaces for children living in another nearby shelter. Each child decorated tree cookies and wooden leaves to be used as pendants on the necklaces. The necklaces were packaged in organza bags and delivered prior to Christmas to Open Doors in Norwalk, a housing and homeless service organization that provides resources for individuals and families on the path to housing stability. The children who attend the after-school program at Open Doors now plan on doing something for the kids at Inspirica, which will continue to perpetuate a lovely cycle of kindness.
“We can all use a little kindness and a reason to smile every day, all year-round. Often the act of being kind is even more gratifying than receiving kindness. Kindness does not have an expiration date and I’m thrilled to continue running these programs on behalf of Bartlett all year long. I can’t wait to see the sunshine that our community helps spread to others!”
“Our Communities at the Public Garden’s Edge”
Artist-In-Residence Doug Jones and IVCG Director Dan Camenga at the unveiling of the community-created original artwork: “Our Communities at the Public Garden’s Edge”.
On view in the Silver Education Center lobby is a new co-created artwork titled “Our Communities at the Public Garden’s Edge.” The project began late last year and included dozens of people of different backgrounds, skills, and experience,—seniors, volunteers, and local Girl Scouts. This project was part of Doug Jones’ work as Artist in Residence at the Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers of Greater New Haven, and with support from NXTHVN, and the CT Gardening Collaborative.
The exhibit, which includes the final work and documentation photography, will be on view at the Bartlett until the end of the year. We are happy to welcome this piece to the Bartlett and thrilled to share it with our visitors!
Artist's Statement
Thank you to God, my family, the co-creators who helped paint this work, Interfaith Volunteers and Care Givers of Greater New Haven, NXTHVN, and the rest of our exceptional team of community partners. This PIXEL Project brought together people that represent all backgrounds, skill and experience levels, ages, and primary languages. As Mrs. Clarke explains, “[This PIXEL Project] wasn’t something that left anybody out.”
Community members decided that we would paint a landscape that would join together gardens in conversation with the more natural world. I titled this work “Our Communities at the Public Garden’s Edge” to reflect this. An Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly flutters in the foreground. We painted a Japanese red maple to symbolize the garden. Garden spaces often include native plants like the North American red maple (Acer rubrum) and the Charter Oak (Quercus alba), and plants found in other countries like the Japanese red maple (Acer palmatum). The Japanese red maple in this painting symbolizes the diverse plants that nurseries throughout New England source from around the world to install in garden spaces throughout Connecticut. The maple’s big red leaves stand out against the bright blue sky like flowers do.
Isolation caused by mobility challenges make many spaces inaccessible to seniors. Cultivating Connections, a program of the CT Garden Collaborative, helps us most because it gets us out of our isolation and it puts us in contact with each other. At the March 10 Creation Session at NXTHVN, 57 community members helped to paint this work. Five more community members helped paint this work from home. We created this artwork together, step-by-step, with a shared vision to develop a community that is intentionally inclusive.
This painting is exceptional because it is painted by the same community that it serves. As Jennifer Baerman explains, “Being part of something like this, [Cultivating Connections] community, gives life more meaning.” As Rose Grenfell explains, “When people get older, like me, there are lots of comments. You hear others generalize our experience and situation. In truth, they cannot fully understand. I’ve faced poverty. I’ve faced limitations of food. I’ve faced challenges getting to my doctors. And I’ve faced isolation. But I still love nature and people. To have the opportunity to realize this, you are able to cherish experiences. This goes beyond the function of money. It addresses the value of living.” As Judith Hayward explains, this project is a practice in Tikkun Olam. Each person painted at least part of a Dot Sheet.
This painting is primarily made of partially painted Dot Sheets that I cut out and collaged/joined together. In this sense, these fragments work for us similar to kintsugi, our time together symbolized by the preciousness of gold. This work truly represents everyone who came together with us.
-Doug Jones
May 20, 2023
The Wonder Tree Unveiled
See Saw Seeds CT/NY: A Japanese and American Collaborative Artist Residency
Like a small seed, sprouts and grows to bloom, See Saw Seed spreads and is beginning to sprout. Though small now, it is growing and will bloom into a larger, global art community, with members communicating through the power of art.
Stamford-based sculptor and instructor, Mark Andreas, and Westchester-based artist Laura R. Lavan, along with various local CT and NY partners, have joined forces with an established international artist and research program, “See Saw Seeds,” which was created with the Conference on Art and art Projects (CAP) from Kobe, Japan. See Saw Seeds has brought ceramic artist Akiko Geirin to Stamford, CT and the Bartlett Arboretum.
Akiko, Laura, and Mark collaborated to create a tree, which they call the Wonder Tree. They imagined that this tree grew from a seed of this artist exchange program. From that seed, this project blossomed meaningful relationships and connections among international artist communities.
Akiko conceived her ceramic pieces through her experience traveling from Japan to the United States and her encounters within the communities here in Connecticut and New York. For example, she found the moon to be a wonderous celestial being that connects Japan with the United States, which, for Akiko, had seemed like two alien worlds before she arrived in New York and saw the same moon guiding her. Akiko has also created a saw-like leaf to symbolize a conversation she had with Mark about the various potential interpretations of “See Saw Seeds,” especially the dual meaning of “saw” in English, which includes the past tense of the verb “to see” as well as the wood cutting tool that Mark often uses in his workshop. Also, for Akiko, it was surprising to see popcorn seemingly everywhere in America, which is seldom eaten in Japan. After learning that the United States is the largest producer, consumer, and exporter of corn in the world, she created two pieces that resemble flowers, but are actually inspired by popcorn.
Laura made pieces representing the Connecticut Laurel to highlight the natural world within the local community. Mark constructed the tree out of cedar, which has been used for exterior buildings, including Japanese temples, for tens of thousands of years because of its ability to resist rot and stand the test of time. As such, the Wonder Tree complements the Bartlett Arboretum’s significant collection of conifer trees from around the world.
On the Wonder Tree, you will also find various creatures, each of which represents one of the artists. Can you figure out who is who?
Special thanks to Louise Bergman for her assistance and artistry as well as Gauri Gidwani for her unending support. Many thanks to the Studio Andreas community and everyone who made the project happen and welcomed Akiko, especially Kunjan and Curt.
Building Community, One Garden at a Time
Since 2019, Public Program Educator Michelle Vitaglione has been playing a major role in representing the Bartlett in the greater community. A passionate and experienced environmental educator, Michelle oversees the Bartlett’s Grow Mobile programming, a key element of which is establishing vegetable garden programs with community partners, including Children’s Learning Centers of Fairfield County (CLC), Stamford Public Schools, and Villa Maria.
Thanks to a generous grant from Pitney Bowes, Michelle’s latest project has put smiles on a lot of faces, including her own. Since February she has been leading children in grades Kindergarten through 12th in planning, planting, and maintaining a new vegetable garden at Inspirica, an organization working to break the cycle of homelessness. “The children who attend the youth center at Inspirica did an amazing job of getting everything started and even made bilingual signs for the various vegetables.” Since school ended and the kids are in camp, Michelle has been working with another long-time Bartlett partner, Abilis, to maintain the garden throughout the summer. The crops harvested go back to the Inspirica community, with priority going to the families of the children who worked on the project. Come fall, both the Inspirica youth and Abilis volunteers will continue to maintain the garden.
When the Bartlett began constructing the garden in 2021, the goal was to eventually turn the care and maintenance over to the community. According to Michelle, one of the benefits of having the garden along the street is the opportunity for community engagement. ‘It’s been a slow trickle, but interest is growing. People stop by, ask questions, and are so excited when I offer them cuttings of herbs or peppers straight from the plants. Aside from providing access to healthy, organic food and environmental education, the goal is for the community to fully enjoy this resource and understand that this is their garden.”
Bartlett welcomes state officials to highlight CT Summer at the Museum Program
Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens was honored to welcome Connecticut Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons, and State Representative Hubert Delany to highlight the Bartlett's participation in the CT Summer at the Museum Program. This program offers free admission at participating museums to children 18 & under through September 5.
The Bartlett offers free admission to its gardens and trails year-round to all ages. Thanks to this program, it is now able to offer free admission to its Sunday Summer Concert Series to children 18 and under.
Pictured from left to right: CT Rep. Hubert Delany, Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons, CT Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, Bartlett Board Chairman Peter Russell, Bartlett Co-Vice Chair Mary Borba.
During a press conference, Bartlett CEO Tracy Kay shared, “I want to congratulate the state of Connecticut for doing this. It is such a great thing not just for museums, but for the kids who visit. The funding that the state provided allows us to hire additional staff, to provide more programming and resources for our summer programs and the things that we do. We know the value of being a space that people can come to and we thank you for your support. It really makes a difference in what we can do here.”
“This is a unique place where children get to learn about our environment, it’s just a stunning place,” added Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz. She also shared that the Connecticut Tourism Department is supportive of this state program to help Connecticut families visit places they might not normally go, like the Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens.
Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons added that the city of Stamford is lucky to have a place like the Bartlett as a resource. “It’s the best deal around. I bring my family here all the time and it’s a wonderful place. There are so many amazing programs and events. We’re so grateful to the Bartlett Arboretum and the whole team that makes this resource possible.”
State Representative Hubert Delany concluded that the Connecticut Summer at the Museum legislation shows that the state government is working together to take care of the things that matter to people. “I hope that more people come to this hidden gem.”
Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens’ mission is to cultivate and develop a diverse collection of trees, gardens, and plants for all to explore, enjoy and study; and to provide through education and stewardship, a greener, healthier, more beautiful environment.
Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens Receives State Grant For New Open Air Pavilion
Governor Ned Lamont announced a series of grants totaling $6.2 million for cities and towns earlier this week, in an attempt to preserve land and enhance urban green spaces around the state.
The grants are authorized under the state's Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Program and the Urban Green and Community Garden Program, which are administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and assist local governments, land trusts, and water companies in purchasing land to protect as open space.
One of the beneficiaries of the grants is the Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens. The arboretum will receive a $175,000 grant, which will contribute to the construction of a 2,400 square foot open air pavilion adjacent to the Silver Educational Center.
The pavilion, which would hold up to 200 people, will be open to the public and will be accessible to educational groups like the Boys/Girls Scouts, the UCONN Master Gardener's program, and other community groups. It will also be available for weddings, and could be used for Bartlett's summer concert series if there's inclement weather.
The pavilion will have ADA accessible ramps leading to the main platform from both the main road and the Silver Educational Facility that provides access to restroom facilities. Picnic tables for the pavilion have been designed to accommodate wheelchair access. The hope is to use the space for spring, summer and fall.
"This is extremely exciting," said Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens CEO, Jane von Trapp. "As a result of COVID and how everyone's been cooped up for the past year, we stayed open and became a respite for many people in the area, including many from other places because a lot of parks were closed. When this opportunity came up to build an open air pavilion, it seemed like a natural fit."
The City of Stamford owns the project site and the Bartlett Arboretum Association is responsible for managerial and operations oversight through a lease agreement with the City. Stamford put up $100,000 for the project this year, and Bartlett will have to match the $175,000 grant amount. They'll have two years to build the pavilion.
The idea for the pavilion had been talked about for a long time, von Trapp said, but it was never high on the priority list when the arboretum went before the City of Stamford for capital requests each year. But the pandemic changed that.
"We all have been changed one way or another by this pandemic, and I think that people are more apt to gather in large groups if they have ventilation and open air. I think it's going to be a wonderful place," von Trapp said. "I think it's the type of thing people are going to be drawn to."
Construction could begin by the end of winter in 2022, von Trapp says, but it all depends on a number of factors. Lumber prices have jumped as a result of the pandemic, and it's becoming increasingly hard to find contractors.
"Construction would start at the end of winter as soon as we feel the costs are more reasonable and that our dollars will stretch more," von Trapp said. "We need to find somebody who is a good representation [of what we want] and will care about what they do and help us with construction."
The pavilion will be made out of sustainable materials.
Tracy R. Kay Named The New CEO of Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens
The Board of the Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens has selected Tracy R. Kay to become its next CEO, replacing Jane von Trapp who earlier this year announced her decision to step down from her post effective June 30th to return to Vermont. “Tracy was the unanimous choice of the Search Committee” said Peter Russell, Chair of the Arboretum’s Board of Directors. “His background and extensive experience in the non-profit field are a great fit for our organization and will build on Jane’s accomplishments to take the organization to the next level.”
Kay, a graduate of St. Lawrence University and the Yale School of the Environment, most recently served as Executive Director of the Westchester Children’s Museum at Rye Playland. He began his museum career as Director of the Rye Nature Center, and then served as Executive Director of the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education in Philadelphia, PA before being appointed Deputy Commissioner for Museums in Nassau County New York. He has served on the adjunct faculties at Swarthmore College and Arcadia and Temple Universities, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in environmental education, field natural history and ecology. Tracy was also a Founding Member and first President of the Association of Nature Center Administrators and has served as a field reviewer for the American Alliance of Museums, and peer reviewer and grant panelist for the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Kay and his wife, Laura Tessier, are North Stamford residents.
“I’m excited by the opportunity to facilitate implementation of the Arboretum’s strategic plan to grow a thriving non-profit organization and provide environmental, horticultural, and plant science educational programs for children and adults of all ages and abilities,” said Kay. “The Bartlett has played a significant role as a sanctuary for many during the pandemic and I look forward to growing our visitors’ relationship to the arboretum and gardens as a place to enjoy and appreciate the wonders of the natural world we live in.”
The Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens’ 93 acres in North Stamford offers outstanding educational opportunities for people of all ages, including students attending Stamford Public Schools. Visitors are encouraged to explore the hiking trails through forests of Notable & Champion Trees, the Red Maple Wetland ecosystem, and other collections that include the Melquist Rhododendron Collection and the Kate and Robert Bartlett Magnolia Collection. The Bartlett Arboretum also serves at-risk inner-city children through both onsite and outreach initiatives and is known for its adult education programs.
Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens to Plant & Care for Vegetable Garden at Children’s Learning Centers of Fairfield County (CLC)
Stamford, CT – Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens is excited to announce it will design, plant and care for a vegetable garden in the Harold Sandak Garden at Children’s Learning Centers of Fairfield County (CLC). The Bartlett will also maintain the garden, help harvest produce and teach about the associated health benefits, along with garden-based activities at appropriate times throughout the season. This year, the program will be funded by CLC and a private foundation.
Once the garden has been established and planted this spring, Bartlett staff will be on-site at CLC Palmers Hill twice per week throughout the year to help maintain the garden. A shared long-term goal for both organizations is to add more varieties of food that are important to different cultures, so various backgrounds are represented and experienced through food. This year, some of the food varieties that will be planted include tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, strawberries and herbs.
Due to COVID restrictions, the Bartlett will not be working directly with the children this year, however they will be collaborating with teachers and staff to provide garden and nature-based curriculum and activities. They do hope to be able to provide direct programming with the children in future years.
“Fresh vegetables are a treat, especially when you grow your own,” said Bartlett CEO, Jane von Trapp. “The Bartlett is excited to introduce vegetable gardening to the children and staff at CLC. It will be fun to watch them grow and to enjoy the “fruits” of their labor. We are pleased to join in this partnership with CLC!”
“We are extremely excited to be collaborating with The Bartlett Arboretum as they offer us an outstanding opportunity to act jointly in support of our organic garden. The age-appropriate learning experiences they provide will help our children to take a closer look at wildlife and the lifecycle of plants, encouraging them to eat healthy fruits and vegetables they harvest straight from our garden. Learning responsibility and patience as children wait for their seeds to sprout, and engaging in conversation based on these garden experiences will support their understanding of the world and enhance their cognitive abilities,” said Mary Basso, Child Development Program Director at CLC.
Visit www.bartlettarboretum.org for more information.