July 2026 - Through the Garden Gate

July 2026 Through the Garden Gate The Beatrix Farrand Garden at Bellefield Programming in the Garden BOREAL performing in the Beatrix Farrand Garden during their June 14 Brazilian Bossa Nova concert. Tuesdays, July 7–Sep 1 | 10:00–11:00 a.m. Growing Gardeners: Story & Craft Program (Ages 6–9) Join us for a weekly story and craft program designed for children entering grades 1–3. Presented in partnership with local libraries, each session combines nature-themed stories and hands-on creativity. RSVP & More Info Saturday, July 11 | 10:30–11:30 a.m. Harvest & Arrange: Techniques for Natural Arrangements Join Christine Fontana of Peony Design Studio for a demonstration on harvesting flowers and foliage from the garden and transforming them into loose, natural floral arrangements that celebrate texture, movement, and seasonal beauty. RSVP & More Info Friday, July 17 | 5:30–6:30 p.m. Golden Hour Plant Walk Experience the Wild Garden at its midsummer peak during a guided evening stroll with BFGA Horticulturist Ashley Gamell. Learn about native plants, garden design, and the ecological value of this dynamic demonstration landscape. RSVP & More Info Sunday, July 19 | 1:00–3:00 p.m. Capturing the Beauty of Plants and Pollinators in Watercolor with Pen and Ink Join artist Cara Hochhalter for a hands-on workshop exploring native plants and pollinators through watercolor and pen-and-ink techniques. Suitable for all experience levels. RSVP & More Info Saturday, July 25 | 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Growing Together: A Tour of Mid-Hudson Gardens Explore eight remarkable historic and community gardens throughout the Hudson Valley during this free, self-guided regional garden tour. Visit one — or all eight — and discover the rich horticultural heritage of our region. RSVP & More Info Saturday, August 1 | 10:30–11:30 a.m. Small Space, Serious Veg: Techniques from the Roosevelt Home Garden National Park Service Horticulturist Anna de Cordova shares practical techniques for growing abundant vegetables in even the smallest spaces, drawing inspiration from the Roosevelt Home Garden. Free for BFGA members. RSVP & More Info Saturday, August 15 | 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Tiny Garden Wonders & Annual BioBlitz Discover the fascinating insects and pollinators that keep our gardens thriving with Ashley Gamell, then join our annual BioBlitz to help document the remarkable biodiversity found throughout the Garden using iNaturalist. Fun for all ages. RSVP: Garden Wonders | BioBlitz Saturday, August 22 | 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Rhythm & Nature: A Day of Music & Nature Children ages 9–12 are invited to join the morning drumming workshop or the afternoon nature workshop, or make a full day in the garden. From 9am to noon teaching artist Spero leads an energetic drumming workshop. From 1–4 pm, Pamela Brown introduces young naturalists to gardening with hands-on projects. Register for one session or spend the entire day! RSVP & More Info Saturday, August 29 Artists in the Garden | 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Celebrate the Garden as a place of artistic inspiration during this free day of creativity featuring two special events. Browse a Juried exhibition at the Wallace Center showcasing paintings, photography, pottery, and mixed media inspired by the Beatrix Farrand Garden, then stroll through the Garden to watch local artists at work. Visitors are welcome to ask questions, observe the creative process, and even bring a sketchbook or art supplies to join in. RSVP & More Info Chamber Music Concert: The Azkana Trio | 6:30–7:30 p.m. Join us for an unforgettable evening of chamber music featuring the acclaimed Azkana Trio, whose members have performed and taught around the world. Performed in the garden's unique setting, this concert offers audiences the opportunity to experience world-class musicians up close in a relaxed and inspiring outdoor environment. Families are invited to arrive at 5:45 for a 20-minute Kids Up Front segment — a fun, interactive pre-concert introduction to the instruments and musicians. RSVP & More Info Exciting News: Four New Grant Awards Executive Director Pamela Brown receives grant from Arts Mid-Hudson. We're excited to share that BFGA has been awarded nearly $55,000 in new grant funding to strengthen the Garden, expand public programming, and plan for its future. National Park Foundation ($30,000): Supporting new interpretive signage, educational materials, website improvements, and other visitor experience initiatives. Hudson River Valley Greenway McHenry Grant ($19,000): Funding long-term planning for our Garden Rejuvenation Initiative, including preservation, accessibility, and visitor experience. This matching grant was made possible by the recent generosity of Design Lecture sponsors. We were especially honored to learn that the Beatrix Farrand Garden held a special place in founding chairman Barney McHenry's heart. Dutchess County Partners in the Arts: Supporting Artists in the Garden, expanding live artist demonstrations and exhibitions this August. Arts Mid-Hudson Arts & Culture Grant: Supporting our free Azkana Trio chamber music concert and interactive Kids Up Front pre-concert experience. We are deeply grateful to these organizations for investing in the Garden and helping us preserve, interpret, and share this remarkable place with our community. Garden Tours on July 25 Join us on Saturday, July 25, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for the Growing Together Garden Tour, a free, self-guided exploration of eight remarkable Mid-Hudson gardens. From historic estates to thriving community gardens, each participating site offers a unique story, mission, and connection to our region's rich horticultural heritage. Friendly guides will be on hand throughout the day to share insights, answer questions, lead activities, and help visitors discover what makes each garden special. Whether you visit one garden or all eight, you'll enjoy a day filled with inspiration, beauty, and hands-on fun, including garden demonstrations, DIY projects, giveaways and handouts, photo opportunities, and activities for all ages. Participating gardens are: Beatrix Farrand Garden, Blithewood at Bard, Clermont, Eden Share, Garden of Eatin', Montgomery Place, Pleasant Valley Community Gardens, and Wilderstein. More Info at Tour Website Membership Matters We're delighted to share that we've already welcomed several new members this month, surpassing our membership goal! We're also encouraged to see more supporters choosing recurring membership, providing dependable support that helps us care for the Garden and plan for the future. Longtime member Linda F. reflects on how far the Garden has come: "Allelu recruited me in 2004, after I had retired, to become a volunteer 'weeder' at Bellefield, and there's been no turning back. In the beginning we even had to mow the lawn inside the walled garden! But look how we've grown! For years the Wild Garden was a plan, and that has been beautifully established. The film was another one of our major goals — and what a success that has been. We were known as the 'secret garden' because so many people, even locals, did not know where we were. After establishing more signage, offering lots of events and Garden Talks, the public is becoming more familiar with this gem of Beatrix's commissions." Thank you to all of our members for investing in the Garden's future. Your support makes it possible to preserve this extraordinary historic landscape while offering educational, cultural, and community programs for everyone to enjoy. Rejuvenation Update The Wild Garden is exploding into bloom this week, with coneflowers, milkweeds, mountain mints, gayfeathers, skullcaps, and bee balms drawing clouds of butterflies and tiny native bees. Spend a few minutes on the east side of the Wild Garden near the towers of scarlet bee balm, and you'll likely see a hummingbird stop by. Inside the Walled Garden, the two "white garden" areas that had been overtaken by bishop's weed — a beautiful but invasive plant — have now been cut back as part of our rejuvenation efforts. The bishop's weed will be treated before these beds are replanted. In the meantime, there are still plenty of pink, purple, mauve, blush, and cream flowers to enjoy! Thank You to Our Volunteers Whether they're tending the Garden, welcoming visitors, assisting at events, or working behind the scenes, our volunteers are at the heart of everything we do. Their generosity, enthusiasm, and countless hours of service help keep the Garden beautiful and our programs thriving. We're always looking to welcome new volunteers! We especially need volunteers to help in the Garden on Tuesday and Saturday mornings, as well as volunteers who can occasionally post event flyers at businesses near their homes or workplaces. If you'd like to get involved, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us at hello@bfgahydepark.org to learn more. As a thank-you for all they do, our volunteers will enjoy our annual narrated field trip next month — a favorite tradition and a wonderful opportunity to explore another remarkable garden together. Become a Volunteer Chefs in the Garden Our burgeoning collaboration with the Culinary Institute of America brought a fantastic group of young chefs to the Garden for a tour and volunteer session. While learning about the Garden's history, pollinator plantings, and the culinary potential of native plants in the Wild Garden, the students especially enjoyed tasting bayberry and sweet bay leaves, both of which can be used as substitutes for Mediterranean bay. Many expressed disbelief that this beautiful garden is open for them to visit and enjoy anytime. We hope to welcome more aspiring chefs in the future!   "It is work, it is hard work, but at the same time it is perpetual pleasure... it seems to me all the arts are combined in this." — Beatrix Farrand, speaking of her career BEATRIX FARRAND GARDEN at Bellefield 4097 Albany Post Road, Hyde Park, NY beatrixfarrandgarden.org This living jewel of Arts and Crafts design was created in 1912 by Beatrix Jones Farrand. One of this nation's most important landscape designers, Farrand was a pioneer in her approach to design, education, and horticulture; professionalizing her discipline as a founding member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (1899); and paving the way for more women to become professional landscape architects and designers. Farrand's Hyde Park garden is open free of charge every day from dawn to dusk. It is located at the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site. Park at the Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Education Center (see site map).   Beatrix Farrand Garden at Bellefield · P.O. Box 315 · Hyde Park, NY 12538 Unsubscribe