The Mississippi in a Can
OSGF
Maps have always conveyed and represented more than simply geographic or spatial reasoning. See how this compact map served to promote a city and national unity after the Civil War.
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Blog Posts
A Horse Comes Home
OSGF
(UPPERVILLE, Va.) The Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) has unveiled a bronze replica of the statue of Paul Mellon’s most famous racehorse, Mill Reef, in the courtyard of the Oak Spring Broodmare Barn where the original statue once stood.
Read MoreA Lifetime of Flowers, a Library of Books
OSGF
The nurseryman Robert Furber (c. 1674-1756) was a pioneer in utilizing botanical art to advertise his plant varieties. Based in Kensington, a neighborhood in London, Furber owned and ran a successful nursery garden that provided plants both native to England and imported from around the world. He was the first person in England to use such extravagant illustrations in his advertising pamphlets, and these images remain iconic for their beauty and detail.
Read MoreConferences in the Cold Months
OSGF
This year has already been a busy one here at Oak Spring: throughout the month of February, we've been hosting a variety of conferences, students, scientists and scholars. Scroll through the photos below to see what we've been up to.
Read MoreMaking a New America: The Poetry of Phillis Wheatley
OSGF
Born in West Africa before being captured and brought to slavery in the American colonies, Phillis Wheatley was the first African-American woman poet in history. For all her poetic brilliance and international renown, Wheatley died destitute at the age of 31. Triumphant and tragic, eloquent and owned, Wheatley’s writing and life are integral to our understanding of fledgling America.
Read MoreThe Miracles of William Edmondson
OSGF
William Edmondson (c. 1874-1951), the son of former slaves, started his sculpting career later in his life. That didn't hinder him, however, from becoming the first African-American artist to have a solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Read MoreBotany, Science and Social Justice: The Story of Percy Julian
OSGF
Few stories characterize both the role of plants in modern science and the struggle for civil rights and equality than that of Percy Julian, the pioneering African-American chemist whose discoveries have changed the lives of millions of people around the world.
Read MoreThe Bounty of January: Robert Furber, Oak Spring, and Winter Gardening
OSGF
The nurseryman Robert Furber (c. 1674-1756) was a pioneer in utilizing botanical art to advertise his plant varieties. Based in Kensington, a neighborhood in London, Furber owned and ran a successful nursery garden that provided plants both native to England and imported from around the world. He was the first person in England to use such extravagant illustrations in his advertising pamphlets, and these images remain iconic for their beauty and detail.
Read MoreThe Plants We Use to Celebrate
OSGF
As the weather grows colder and the winter solstice has passed, the holiday season is reaching its peak. In nearby Middleburg, Christmas decorations adorn lampposts as parades go through town. Around Oak Spring, colorful evergreen wreathes are hung on doors and fenceposts, providing vibrant green amidst the drab browns of winter. Plants–especially evergreens and agricultural crops–gain an added significance around the peak of winter, as we seek reminders of summer’s warm bounty. In this blog, we look at several different holidays that fall around this time of year and dig into the plants that play such prominent roles in our winter practices.
Read MoreA Fall Without Color
OSGF
For a tree renowned for its vibrant, golden autumn leaves, this year was more than a little
dull. So what happened?
Giving Tuesday
OSGF
This #GivingTuesday we reflect on the philanthropy of our founder, Rachel (“Bunny”) Lambert Mellon.
Read MoreA Bountiful Harvest
OSGF
The formal garden at Oak Spring is half an acre of wildflowers, herbs, ornamentals, espaliered fruit trees and vegetables. For the past two years, our team of gardeners has been working to revitalize the garden, resulting in a place of great beauty and serene peace. There is another outcome of this new life, however – the garden produces a lot of food.
Read MoreApple Cider
OSGF
Along with its alcoholic derivative, hard cider, apple cider was a staple in the early days of the United States. Apple cider provided hydration and nourishment for many people along the American “frontier” and more developed areas alike. Having brought in a large apple crop this fall, we made a couple batches of our own at Oak Spring.
Read MoreGinkgo: A Sexual Curiosity
OSGF
Ginkgo biloba trees are not native to North America, but have become a popular plant in cities and other environments, because they seem to survive a wide range of hostile conditions well. In fact, Ginkgo is a living fossil that has been surviving since the dinosaurs. But that’s not the only interesting thing about this amazing plant.
Read MoreA Season for Caterpillars
OSGF
It seems like everywhere we go there are caterpillars – crossing streets, crawling through fields, on fallen logs. They dot the fall landscape like leaves. In many ways, these insect larvae are synonymous with fall and the coming of winter: they are the Wooly bear caterpillars, larvae of the Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrhactia isabella).
Read MoreA New Old Meadow
OSGF
From no-mow zones to native reforestation, we have been ramping up our sustainable land management plan at Oak Spring. Our most recent project in this plan is an eight-acre native wildflower meadow, which is showing some early signs of new life.
Read MoreEating Acorns
OSGF
It isn't common to see acorns on the ingredient list for modern recipes. Unless prepared properly, they have a bitter taste and can cause an upset stomach. Acorns do have a long culinary history, however, and we decided to explore this with a hands-on approach – by making our own tree to table treat.
Read MoreJoseph Dalton Hooker
OSGF
Joseph Dalton Hooker is remembered as one of the greatest British botanists and explorers of the 19th century. Among his many accomplishments, he founded the field of geographical botany, served as the director of Kew Gardens, and was responsible for the creation of countless artworks of foreign plants. The Oak Spring Garden Library is home to four rare books by Hooker, which altered the history and future of plants for centuries to come.
Read MoreCoffee and Climate Change
OSGF
When Ellis discovered the fragrant and popular plant, he wrote an introduction to An Historical Account of Coffee describing the flower and fruit. While many of Ellis’ affiliated contemporaries studied plants, he was not only interested in growing them: he was most interested in the culture plants created. By the time he caught wind of Coffea arabica, it was most prominent as a beverage consumed while people assembled “in crowds to pass the time agreeably.” In 2017, we face the threat of losing the cultural staple to climate change.
Read MoreFriendly Weeds
OSGF
Vanity Fair once described Bunny Mellon as the “high priestess of pruning and pleaching” for her devotion to gardening and personal love for pruning. While Bunny had an affinity for picking wildflowers and celebrated vegetable gardens, she loved pretty weeds as well.
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