Letter from the Executive Director |
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Even though I try to keep these letters relevant to our newsletter subscribers they are admittedly an indulgence. After all, I get to determine what to write about and share with the 1500 or so of you who open the newsletter. Topics normally surface while I walk in the Garden at the end of the day. They’ll start as an inkling of what I might want to write about, and if the idea’s a good one, it will persist and kind of build itself over the days until there’s enough there for me to flesh out the thought. As I’ve been wandering through the garden the past few weeks, the thought – actually more of a feeling – that’s been most persistent has been gratitude.
There are so many forms of goodwill and contributions to the Garden that if I really stop and think about them, it is overwhelming. If you’re reading this, you have probably sent your hard earned money to us, trusting that we will be good stewards. You may have also volunteered at the Garden, giving your valuable time to help us keep the Garden looking good, helping us make the visitor experience better than it would be without you, helping us pot plants we can sell in our nursery. If you’ve encouraged friends to come to the Garden, sat on our Taking Root host committee, bought a plant from our nursery, participated as a vendor at Budding Out, or even if you’ve managed to read this far in the letter, you are doing something wonderful for us. You are supporting what started as John Fairey’s creative expression which has since benefited from countless other contributions in myriad forms from countless other people.
I believe that beauty is at the heart of this engagement. I believe beauty strikes a chord with our intrinsic goodness, that it speaks a language to which the better part of our being recognizes and responds. Beauty is permissive, not punitive; generous, not miserly; expansive, not restrictive. It is unsurprising then that our reaction to associating with such an environment is typically generous, benevolent, and unencumbered by conflict or regret.
To be associated with an enterprise that prioritizes beauty is such a gift for me. I, the staff, and the board of directors, are deeply grateful for people like you who help sustain this endeavor, itself an enormous gift that John Fairey left for us to enjoy.
Warm regards,
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Mimosa strigillosa, powderpuff
Native to Texas, this sun perennial’s name is inspired by its fantastic spherical bright pink flowers. It is also a sensitive briar, which means the leaflets fold inward upon contact and at night or during cloudy weather. It's a great ground cover for full to part sun, and it’s drought tolerant. $15 per gallon pot as long as supplies last.
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On Saturday, May 7th, we opened Back to the Garden with free entry to the exhibition for Garden members. The following Saturday we had a fundraising reception hosted by the Garden and Moody Gallery owner, Betty Moody. We served coffee, mimosas, and breakfast tacos provided by our friends at Blackwood Farms. The thirty people in attendance got to hear Art Museum of Southeast Texas Executive Director, Lynn Castle, share her experiences getting to know John Fairey and describe the importance of John's collection to AMSET's holdings. Thank you to all who supported these opening events.
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For those of you who haven't seen the exhibition, we hope you will make plans to visit sometime this summer. Due to limited resources and parking, admission to the exhibition will timed and ticketed. Guests may purchase tickets to the exhibition only, or a combination exhibition/Garden tour of the North Dry Garden, which will highlight plants from our Mexican collection.
We hope you'll come experience another aspect of John's passion, keen eye, and deep appreciation for the culture of Mexico.
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Back to the Garden in
The Houston Chronicle
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Friend of the Garden and Texas Monthly and Houston Chronicle contributor, Molly Glentzer, wrote a wonderful article on our Back to the Garden exhibition. You can read the online version here.
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Notes from John Fairey's Mexico plant collecting journals |
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From the Back to the Garden exhibition
Unknown artist, possibly from Santa Clara del Cobre, Michoacán, Mexico,
Copper Pot, no date, hammered copper, promised gift of the John Gaston Fairey Estate
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Trip 74 – December, 1997
Trip 74 combined plant exploration and looking at, if not purchasing, art. On December 12th, John and Carl left Zamora, in the state of Michoacán, for the 100+ km trip to Lake Patzcuaro and Quiroga, also in Michoacán. Just out of Ocamicho they pulled over and got acorns from an unidentified Quercus, as they did near Los Flonas. Outside of Quiroga, they collected Manfreda seeds. The next two days would seem devoted to art and design.
13 December 97 Friday Saturday
Leave Posada De Don Vasco at 11:15 I spent the morning with George looking at his furniture - for Carl. Most interesting Posada very nice old hotel - charming and good food.
Clear - to cloudy and unseasonably cool - according to George. We are headed to Santa Clara to look at copper ware.
There is no mention of what they saw in Santa Clara (though there is mention that the hotel where they spent the night of the 13th was “expensive and pretentious.”) The hammered copper pot seen above is thought to have been created by a craftsman from Santa Clara that is well-known for its copper craftsmen and women. The tradition of copper-working is an old tradition that began with indigenous Mesoamerican people living in this area. Industrialization and dwindling resources in the early 20th century resulted in many craftspeople giving up the practice; however, a resurgence in interest during the late 60s from tourists revitalized interest in copper-making. Santa Clara is now the home of the National Copper Museum and hosts a National Copper Fair each year.
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Highlight from the Garden - Curcuma elata |
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The first blooming ginger in the garden every year is the Curcuma elata, also known as a "Giant Plume Ginger" or "Hidden Ginger," interesting because the plumes, which can grow as high as six feet, are what ultimately hide the pink efflorescence from sight. They are a reliably lovely color enhancer in the Woodland garden. Look for them the next time you're on a tour.
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The JFG Receives a Grant from the Garden Club of Houston |
We are pleased to announce that we have received a $10,000 grant from the Garden Club of Houston. Funds from this grant will be used to improve and expand the planting beds and paths around the office. Thank you to the Garden Club of Houston for helping us on our mission to preserve, share, and advance the horticultural and artistic legacy of John Fairey.
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Brazos County Master Gardeners Tour the Garden
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We were delighted to host 14 Brazos County Master Gardeners from Bryan/College Station this month. Nursery Manager, Craig Jackson, and Board President, Wally Wilkins, gave them a thorough tour of the garden, and then the group had a catered lunch in the pines along the pond, followed by some plant shopping in our nursery. Thank you all for coming out. |
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We love to host garden clubs! If you would like to schedule a private group tour for your garden club, contact our Office Manager, Kara Humphrey, at kara@jfgarden.org or 979.826.3232.
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We are pleased to welcome to the Garden, Shelby Devereaux, our 2022 Prairie View A&M University summer intern. Shelby is a senior agriculture major at Prairie View A&M University, and is currently a research assistant at the Cooperative Agriculture Research Center where she has experience propagating plants, collecting plant samples, and running lab experiments. She’ll divide her time at the garden working with Nursery Manager, Craig Jackson, and Office Manager, Kara Humphrey. Welcome, Shelby! And a special thank you to board member Adam Adams for sponsoring our first two PVAMU summer interns.
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A Volunteer (and Friend) Going Above and Beyond |
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Allen Spence, Executive Director Randy Twaddle's first college roommate, emailed Randy a few months ago asking when would be a good time to visit, adding that he wanted to work on a Garden project while he was here. Randy told him sometime in May before it got hot would be advisable. So Allen flew in from Napa Valley last week, arriving to high temperatures in the mid-nineties. Randy and Allen built a 16' x 4' raised bed near the nursery on which to display a collection of potted Aloes the Garden acquired several years ago. Thank you Allen for making a lasting contribution to the Garden. Come back and visit again when its cooler. |
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