Bullington Gardens

Hendersonville NC Arboretum, Gardens & Horticultural Education Center

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John’s Take-Fall 2018

by Bullington Gardens

12/03/2018-12/31/2018
(12:00 AM-12:00 AM)

John’s Take-Fall 2018

It seems it was a long time coming for the completion of laying pavers in the Therapy Garden. Now that it’s done it feels like a turning point. Not only is it much easier for our students in wheelchairs to get around the garden, the garden feels bigger and has a more polished look. And that leads us to think about other improvements we can make to the garden to make it a year-round attraction.

Things like more plantings along the back fence and possibly an ornamental installation.

Erica Piela is taking this on, she is our newly hired person to lead the Horticultural Therapy (HT) program for 3 schools. Mary Martin who was so instrumental in getting the program started and guided it for so many years decided that about 40 years of working with high school students was plenty. She will still lend her considerable talents and creativity in many other areas. But Erica has stepped in after doing her HT internship at Bullington. After stints at BB Barns, Biltmore Estate and Chimney Rock Park, Erica brings lots or great experience to flesh out her new ideas.

We were also so fortunate to have another HT intern Sienna Kuykendall from New Orleans to work with us for just a month. But what a month it was. She helped expand our HT program in new areas. Having Sienna and Erica here with new ideas and energy revealed what more we can do with our HT program. The challenge for us is to find the resources to sustain it. We’d love to have Erica work with us for more than 1 day a week. And we know there are school and community groups who would benefit from participating in our HT program. So it’s an exciting time as we welcome our renovated Therapy Garden and Erica and the possibilities for both in the near future.

 

Read the entire Fall Newsletter here:https://mailchi.mp/6c57f6ded287/august-2018-newsletter-350193

Location: Bullington Gardens

(828) 698-6104

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Happy New Year!

 

 

Dear Friends of Bullington,
 
I never got to meet Bob Bullington, but his persona still looms large here so many years after he died. That was 30 years ago this past fall.  At the time his friend Ted Richardson worked hard to find the best way for Bob’s nursery to become a horticultural education center. It took time, but in the fall of 1990 the Bullington Horticultural Learning Center was born.

The early years of the Center were full of fits and starts and when I arrived in 1999, it looked like the fits had won. Resources were severely lacking and interest was waning that the place would ever become anything. But slowly over the years, small numbers of volunteers came in to help beat back the overgrowth, a few folks wanted to donate funds and teachers expressed interest in programs for their students. Every year since then the momentum has built. 

And on the eve of our 30th anniversary, I look back with both marvel and wonder on how it all came together. There were of course instrumental people who saw past the mess, envisioned a brighter future and did what they could to help move it forward.

Now in 2019, almost every day there are people roaming the gardens, or students and adults engaged in some educational program or volunteers busily preparing for the next event. We have come a long way.

In 2020 we plan to celebrate our 30th anniversary and revel in the progress made over that span. Save the date for June 20th for a festive event we’re planning in the garden with food and drink, music, an auction and the usual good Bullington comradery. More information will be coming soon.

But 2020 will also be a year of reaching for more goals that will include increasing our Friends of Bullington base, updating a Master Plan for the property, improving accessibility in the gardens, making renovations to the Bullington house and widening our horticultural therapy service. We’ll continue to offer varied programs for students and adults in the community and make the gardens an attractive place to visit.

I thank you for your part in the blossoming of Bullington Gardens over the years and hope you’ll join in the celebration to come.
 
John

 

 

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To connect children and adults with the natural world through science-based horticultural education; to demonstrate the beauty and value of native and ornamental plants through themed public gardens; and to enhance life skills for children and adults with physical or mental challenges through horticultural therapy.

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Bullington Gardens

95 Upper Red Oak Trail
Hendersonville NC 28792
(828) 698-6104

There is no fee to tour the garden, but donations are gratefully accepted.

Bullington Gardens is a partner of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension & Henderson County Public Schools and is an equal opportunity provider.