BROOKWOOD GARDEN NEWS


JIM SEWARD CHALLENGE GRANT FOR GARDEN

Artist's rendering of proposed entrance and information building at Brookwood Garden.

The Cook Foundation has received a $10,000 Jim Seward Initiative Challenge Grant for the construction of a visitor information center and a new sign for the entrance to Brookwood Garden.  Construction will begin this summer on the proposed structure, which will complement the arts-and-crafts-style Garden House on the property.  The building will provide maps, brochures and information on the garden and on other Cooperstown attractions.  We all enjoy the sense of discovering a “secret garden” at Brookwood, but a new and more visible sign on Route 80 will enable more visitors to enjoy the beauty of the property, and the information kiosk will further enhance their experience. Now the Foundation must raise the funds to match the grant.  This past December, Walter and Karine Rich hosted a gala fundraiser at Edgewater to start the campaign with a bang. The Cooperstown Rotary Club added another $500 donation.  But we still need your help for this project.  Contributions of any size are completely tax-deductible and are greatly appreciated.

Brookwood Garden Springs Forward—In Autumn!

The garden experienced a great wave of improvement last fall, and many of you were responsible.  Cooperstown Central School sent a crew of 7th graders for Community Service Day in October, the 4th year Brookwood has benefited from their efforts.  A new venture was our participation in the CROP afterschool program, which brought younger students to the garden for two vigorous afternoons of raking and fall clean up. Cheers for Pat Dillon and her volunteers from NBT Bank on Pioneer Street, who helped to

supervise our younger workers.  Alexander Ford planted piles of daffodil bulbs as a project for his biology course at CCS.  Sam Stults and Cody Phifer, doing community service from Cornell, created an iron railing to go with our beautiful new stone steps.  Max Gialanella and his mother, Phyllis, opened a path for handicapped access to the lower garden, and Phillip Schneider and his father, Robert, cleared trees and brush from the wetland, all as part of the Community Action Board work program.   Many thanks.

New Event Lawn Completed

One enormous improvement in the garden will be immediately noticed by visitors this spring.  Thanks to the efforts of Richard and Kim Hanna, Brookwood  neighbors, the overgrown area to the east of the formal garden has been cleared, leveled and sowed with grass to make a lawn for special events.  This will be a great asset to Brookwood, since it will reduce wear-and-tear on the central lawn and flower borders. We all enjoy the glorious parties at the garden (and they help to support Brookwood) but they do take their toll.  The cleared area improves access to our wetland and showcases a spectacular view of the lake.  For weddings, parties or celebrations of any sort, call our new event coordinator, Renee LaFond, 607-264-9989, or email to reneecv@usadatanet.net .

Chilly Brunch on Lake Otsego

Presidents’ Weekend in February brought a new event to the Brookwood calendar. Anne Geddes Atwell led a Walk on Water from the Otsega Hotel across the ice to Kingfisher Tower and on to Brookwood for refreshments.  Chili, hot cider and brownies were served to over 60 vigorous participants and over $200 in donations was raised.  Many thanks to Anne and the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce for including us in this event.

ARTS AND ANTIQUES COMING SOON

SUNDAY, JULY 17  Save the Date!  This year, our popular Benefit Auction will have a different twist.  Come for brunch and browse the work of some of Central New York’s favorite artists, painted especially for the event.  A choice selection of outdoor accessories—urns, pots, furniture and antiques—will join the art for live and silent auctions in early afternoon.  A plant sale of heritage perennials, a tag sale, assorted live entertainment and varied refreshments will make this a glorious day in the garden.

DONATIONS ARE NEEDED   Brookwood can benefit from your garden clutter!  Let us simplify your garden design by removing unwanted urns, furniture or statuary.  Donations can be picked up and are tax deductible. 547-2170.

 

INTERNS OUTDOORS AND IN

Brookwood Garden has benefited greatly the last two years from the efforts of our summer interns, provided by the Merrill Family Charitable Trust and the Cook Foundation.  Last year, Carrie Higgins-Lorenz did a spectacular job, both at Brookwood and at several private gardens in the village.  Carrie now has her own gardening service, so if you need help, give her a call at 293-8218.  We are still recruiting for this year’s garden intern, but this spring we are getting indoor help from Courtney Titus, a student at the Cooperstown Graduate Program.  Courtney is writing press releases, assisting with this newsletter, and helping Deb Dalton update our database.  Email makes getting in touch so easy and inexpensive—won’t you help us?  Contact Deb at Daltonj@wpe.com.

 

 QUIET MOMENTS IN THE GARDEN

Late last fall, The Cook Foundation joined with Bassett Healthcare to offer a unique memorial service in the garden for women and families who have lost a baby or unborn child.  The service was intimate, quiet and deeply touching.  The beauty of the garden is a solace for all of us, offering peace in a timeless setting.

            A livelier day in the garden took place the same week.  A garden tour for Dig Safely New York brought a diverse group from their meeting at the Otesaga, followed in short order by a horticulture class from SUNY Cobleskill.  The students had barely finished admiring (and trying to identify) the late-blooming perennials when a young Marine in full military regalia arrived for his wedding, and was joined shortly by his bride.  It was a small gathering, planned only a day earlier because the groom was on limited leave before returning to active duty in Iraq.  All on a splendid September day, and each group of visitors enjoying the garden in a different way.

  We can be part of your special occasion. 

 

            If you need a quiet moment in the garden, come out and give us a hand.  We have a great group of volunteers and we can always use more.  You can learn a lot, and it’s fun! 607-547-2170 or Thorpe@telenet.net.   

 

 

BROOKWOOD GARDENING NOTES

Now that Winter and the deer have severely pruned your woody plants, take a hard look at what is left.  If lower branches of trees are routinely browsed, cut them back to the trunk and give up a losing battle.  Make cuts clean and close, avoiding unsightly stubs.  As plants start to leaf out (or fail to), cut off dead tips and branches.  There are always a few of last year’s experiments that won’t leaf out at all, or only show life at the bottom 3 inches of the plant.  Save your garden an eyesore and be ruthless—cut the whole thing down.  The plant may struggle for the next few years, but chances are it will never contribute to your landscape.  A garden is made in part by what you put into it, but just as much by what you take out.

            If deer are a problem (if?!), take refuge in bulbs and ferns.  Not all bulbs are deer-proof—forget tulips—but narcissus, winter aconite, snowdrops and scilla are unpalatable and make a great early show, while the varied allium species can carry your garden from May through September.  Ferns are wonderful companion plants for the early bulbs, since most ferns emerge relatively late and will cover the dying foliage of the spring favorites.  Bulbs and ferns are particularly useful in distant parts of the garden, where they can spread and naturalize unchecked.

            If you would enjoy more gardening tips, join us on April 3 at Heathcote for our Spring Garden Lecture.

________________________________________



THE BOARD OF THE COOK FOUNDATION

Robert Poulson, Robert Schneider, Patricia Thorpe, C.R. Jones, Bruno Talevi, Henry S.F. Cooper, Kent Barwick, Michael Moffat, Arthur Clarke, Don Raddatz, Henry Weil, James Plowden-Wardlaw

The Cook Foundation is a nonprofit 501(C3) organization for the preservation and beautification of Cooperstown and Otsego Lake. The Foundation keeps Brookwood Garden open and available to the public. Brookwood Garden is located at 6000 West Lake Road (Route 80). Visit us at www.brookwoodgarden.com.