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One woman who was instrumental in the shift towards ecologically accurate illustrations was Maria Sibylla Merian. Born on this day in 1647, Merian created striking works and is regarded as the first ecologist of Europe. Learn more about her work and to watch a video by Merian scholar Dr. Kay Etheridge.
Read MoreIf the Brontë sisters are celebrity siblings of the writing world, then sisters Elizabeth and Margaret Wharton are the unsung stars from the “golden age” of botanical illustration. In honor of Women’s History month we are highlighting two sisters, whose works underscore the importance of women’s place in the formation of botany and scientific illustration. Read on to learn about their contributions and to view these women’s works in full as part of our ongoing digitization project.
Read MoreThe beauty of our surrounding landscape can be a source of inspiration for artists, writers, scientists and plant people alike. Bigger landscape elements like mountains, rivers, or the topography of the Bull Run and Blue Ridge mountains which border Oak Spring can even be incorporated into garden design. Read our latest blog post written by our Horticulture Apprentice, Claire, to learn about the history of a design philosophy which first originated in 17th century China and encourages us to draw inspiration from the surrounding landscape.
Read MoreRachel Lambert “Bunny” Mellon—horticulturist, philanthropist, designer—died March 17th, on St. Patrick's Day, in 2014. For those close with Mrs. Mellon, the anniversary of her passing is filled with emotions as fond memories of her and her lasting impact are shared. Bunny, as she was fondly referred to, led a remarkable life characterized by her deep love of plants, philanthropic efforts, and keen eye for design. As we reach the 10th anniversary of Mrs. Mellon’s passing, we share reflections from OSGF President Sir Peter Crane and legacy staff members to commemorate Mrs. Mellon and her lasting promise.
“I never had the privilege of meeting Mrs. Mellon but her hand and spirit are still very evident here at Oak Spring, through her notes, the memories of those close to her, through her library, and through the beautiful landscape she crafted here during her long life. It is the honor of a lifetime to help steward her legacy. I hope Mrs. Mellon would be pleased by how the Oak Spring Garden Foundation has developed in the decade since her passing, and to see that her legacy of love for art, beauty, and the natural world still remains.”
“The greatest pleasure and satisfaction is seeing that we are fulfilling Mrs. Mellon’s aspirations and dreams when it comes to the library. The residency show is another good example of that, each resident came here and all of this, the library, landscape, the gardens, was inspirational to them. It’s an honor to show the pieces they created and I know Mrs. Mellon is very pleased about that because she was all about inspiration, and how it can fuel someone’s artistry. ”
“She was a wonderful mentor to me, and she saw something in me that I didn’t appreciate at that time. I was into books and gardens and she helped fuel that interest, which helped me get established here and therefore she was a big inspiration to me. I owe a lot to her. ”
“I feel happy to be here now as we’ve transitioned into the Foundation, which is really her legacy. I certainly feel like we are headed in the right direction and feel she would be thrilled about what’s going on here.”
Learn about the 2024 Oak Spring Garden Foundation selected Botanical Artists in Residence.
Read MoreLearn about the Stacy Lloyd III Fellowship for Bibliographic Study, Eliza Moore Fellowship for Artistic Excellence, Plant Science Research Fellow, and our Fellowship in Plant Conservation Biology for 2024.
Read MoreLearn about the Oak Spring Garden Foundation Interdisciplinary Residents of 2024.
Read MoreThe students at Foxcroft School had the opportunity to visit and learn about the curative power of plants. They dove right in with an informative lecture led by Educational Outreach Director, Ginger Anderson. Several of the students also came in the fall to harvest and process the herbal materials that were used for this class.
After the lecture, the students rolled up their sleeves and crafted their own remedies from scratch. Read the blog for recipes you can make at home.
Read MoreOver the past several years, select rare books, manuscripts, paintings, and other objects have been professionally digitized. In honor of this exciting new project, we’re kicking things off with a work by Flemish botanist, Carolus Clusius, whose birthday also just so happens to be today. Clusius is regarded as one of the most influential botanists of pre-Linnaean times, having contributed nearly 600 descriptions of plants and overseeing the formation of one of Europe's first botanical gardens, Hortus Botanicus Leiden.
Read MoreWe are pleased to announce the newest exhibit, Oak Spring: A Place to Grow. This exhibit features over 80 works created by alumni of our Interdisciplinary Residency, Botanical Artist in Residence, and Fellowships. The opening was held on January 24th and hosted a number of residency alumni whose works were featured in the exhibit as well as a presentation and reading.
Read MoreAfter a recent snowfall, our Communications Apprentice, Sarah Goolishian, shot a series of beautiful photos from across Oak Spring’s landscape. Bundle up with a hot drink and enjoy a look at this Oak Spring winter wonderland!
Read MoreYuletide abounds with celebrations and decorations for the season. Whether they are bundled in a wreath on our door or standing out amongst the dormant landscape, evergreens are the shining stars of the winter season. Evergreens like pines, fir, spruce, and holly are common staples this time of year and represent the promise that spring and the green it brings will return again. Read below to learn about how some of our common holiday greenery came to be and learn about the science behind how some of these plants remain evergreen.
Read MoreThe western hemisphere is currently in the final stages of fall– trees in the landscape have reached dormancy and much of the garden has been tucked away for winter. On the other side of the globe, countries in the southern hemisphere are awaiting the arrival of summer and with it a beautiful array of flowers. Read on to take a botanical tour through the plants of the Southern Hemisphere without ever having to set foot in an airport.
Read MoreThe gardens Bunny Mellon created during her life were influenced by a number of places, objects, people and literature. One woman who had a lasting impact on American gardens and served as an inspiration for Mrs. Mellon was Ellen Biddle Shipman. Ellen, born on this day in 1869, was a pioneering landscape architect who designed over 600 gardens in her lifetime. Read on to learn about Ellen’s life and how some of her trademark garden design staples made their way to the gardens of Mrs. Mellon.
Read MoreBorn today in 1803, Marianne North spent her life dedicating herself to the pursuit of seeing and painting plants in faraway places. These paintings were done in non-traditional methods by Victorian standards but left a colorful lasting legacy at Kew Gardens. In our latest blog post read about Marianne’s travels and see some of her vibrant paintings.
Banner Image via WikiArt.
Read MoreWhile the cool autumn air has returned, we are taking a look back at the height of summer. It’s at this time that our Biocultural Conservation Farm was getting ready to plant collards grown as part of a collaboration with the Heirloom Collards Project. Read our blog to learn about the history of collards in the US and history HCP, while hopefully gaining a new appreciation for these sometimes overlooked leafy greens.
Read MoreThis list outlines the herbaceous and woody plants in the Rokeby Habitat Garden. All were planted between 2021 and 2022.
To view a PDF version, click here.
As we begin to transition away from summer and move into fall, mushrooms are starting to pop up in the landscape. While spring is often thought of as the prime time to forage for edible mushrooms like the highly sought morels, the months of September and October also see their fair share of fungi. Read on to learn about a few of the female scientists and illustrators whose early work informed our understanding of mushrooms today.
Read MoreSummer is a time that’s bursting with activity. The landscape is full of soaring butterflies, buzzing bees, and a host of birds and other critters. In this guest blog post, written by our Biodiversity Conservation Manager, learn about the creation of the Rokeby Wildlife Garden, which supports Oak Spring’s flora and fauna, and get a few tips on how to start your own wildlife garden.
Read MoreAs we enter into late summer, the landscape and gardens of Oak Spring are lush and green. There are a few exceptions emerging right now however that defy all our assumptions of what a typical plant looks like. These opportunists are dependent on other plants (or in some cases mushrooms) to get their nutrients and thus don’t produce chlorophyll. In our latest blog, read about some weird and fascinating parasitic plants that thwart conventions in order to survive.
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