25/06/2024
I wanted to let everyone know about a neat opportunity this fall. Many of you might be already be familiar with the Oak Spring Garden Foundation, which was set up and endowed by Bunny Mellon and is located on Rokeby Road outside of Upperville? (and if you haven’t heard about this group, look them up- it’s a regional treasure) They were originally given 90 acres and a complex that included the Mellon’s personal residence, several lovely old barns from the thoroughbred operation as well as Bunny Mellons library of rare horticultural books and her gardens… you gotta see it. (they ended up purchasing another 700+ adjoining acres from the Mellon estate)��
The OSGF has many irons in the fire. They converted all the outbuildings for guests and sponsor residencies for artists and scholars. They’ve just started offering sabbaticals, and they host lectures and participate in conservation outreach to the community on topics like fostering native plant communities. Bunny Mellon’s gardens are open to public twice a year.��
One of the neatest offerings from the foundation are their short courses. These courses usually are between 3-5 days long. Enrollee’s stay on site in 4* accommodations next to the formal garden and participate in lectures and field studies on their respective topics. You’ll probably have a formal dinner in “the big house” (Little Oak Spring- the Mellon’s personal residence) and most likely you’ll be given a tour of Mrs. Mellon’s library.
��Karen and I both have taken OSGF short courses. I took a short course called New Directions in American Landscapes taught by the well known author and native meadow specialist Larry Weaner as well as a course called Reading the Landscape taught by a fellow named Michael Gaige.
You can read up on Michael here-https://www.knowyourland.com
��Karen also took two courses at OSGF- Reading the Landscape and Ancient, Venerable, And Large Old Trees: Ecology And Conservation, both taught by Michael- she loved them both.
I just found out there are a few spots available for the October Ancient, Venerable, And Large Old Trees: Ecology And Conservation course- if you’d like to see some of the oldest known trees in Virginia, learn about the oversized role they play in the ecosystem while running around an estate built by the then richest man in the world now tastefully converted into an educational complex ….
Give a look- ��https://www.osgf.org/programs-and-events-calendar/2024/10/21/ancient-venerable-and-large-old-trees-ecology-and-conservation
��I believe they dedicate a few slots each course for scholarships.
