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Hendersonville NC Arboretum, Gardens & Horticultural Education Center
Bullington Gardens News & Featured Events
Happy New Year! Here’s to 2019!
01/04/2019-01/31/2019
(12:00 AM-11:00 PM)
Happy New Year! Here’s to 2019!
Dear Friends of Bullington,
In thinking back to the highlights of 2018 at Bullington, it’s easy to immediately think about the big ticket item of completing the accessibility project in the Therapy Garden. It was a project for which we hoped and planned for such a long time that it was amazing that it actually got done. Now it’s gratifying to see students in wheelchairs move about freely in that space. I’m also quite pleased with the new polished appearance it gives the garden. It’s humbling to know so many people contributed to that project from $25 donations to $10,000.
Equally exciting, however, are the many small intangible things, the warm interactions I see of people in the garden. On one sunny afternoon this fall there was a real crowd of folks who had come to enjoy the dahlias in bloom. Kelsey (our wonderful gardener) and I took a moment just to look at the scene and I thought we had truly arrived as a public garden. It’s very rewarding to see so many different people enjoy the different gardens that we work so hard to keep up. One highlight for sure was watching one of our littlest visitors pulling her parents along on the trail to the fairy garden.
To me one of the most rewarding experiences is working with our BOOST students over the spring semester as they design their own gardens for the annual garden competition. What initially seems like a frustrating and insurmountable task is tackled piece by piece until by the end there is something very satisfying that they’ve created. It means so much to me to hear a student say “I just can’t take my eyes off it”, once it’s all planted. There are many good things like that that happen each week in the horticultural therapy programs as well.
Some other highlights:
I’m excited that Erica Piela joined the staff this fall to lead horticultural therapy programs for three schools. She brings a great deal of enthusiasm and creativity and I hear lots of laughter when she’s with a group.
Our 3rd version of Wine & Dahlias was a beautiful event on a lovely September evening. Amazingly the dahlias were relatively untouched one week after Hurricane Florence blew through.
Volunteers remain a remarkable dimension at Bullington. These cheerful, generous and talented folks keep this operation moving. I’m very thankful for their important part in all of this.
Jenn Ramer, our administrative assistant, has brought us closer to the 21st century with postings on social media and making it easier for people to register and donate through our website.
I’m also thankful for the many supporters who contribute to Bullington, for this place depends on the generosity of the community. Please help us continue to offer a place that provides so many rewards to people of all ages and consider a gift to Bullington Gardens this season. We hope to expand our horticultural therapy program and make further improvements to the Bullington house.
All the best for 2019
Location: Bullington Gardens
(828) 698-6104
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