Friday, July 24, 2009

Berkshire Botanical Garden, 2009






Need to luxuriate in gorgeous gardens but don't have time to go all the way to the Bronx? Berkshire Botanical Garden is a short drive from Amenia (realize that a short drive from Amenia is about 45 minutes) and sits in the heart of Stockbridge, MA, home of several other historical, educational, and beautiful tourist sites, like The Norman Rockwell Museum, Shakespeare & Company, and Naumkeag. Any combination of those destinations makes for a lovely summer day trip.

Jamie and I have been to Berkshire Botanical Garden a few times; we even considered getting married there. Last year, we enjoyed an exhibit of sculptures from MassMoCA. This year, we headed there to see "Gone With the Wind:  The Kinetic Art of Tim Prentice." I continue to have mixed feelings about that kind of modern art juxtaposed with more classical gardens; however, I like gardens, I like sculpture, and I like to think I have an open mind, especially about art. Although the pieces appeared metallic and architectural in and of themselves, their movement achieved an organic quality that surprised me.  It turned out that the gardens were a perfect backdrop.  

Even if you don't agree with the modern sculpture, the gardens are always photo worthy. There's a perennial bed, an herb garden, a vegetable garden, a rose garden, a lily garden, and pond garden, all tucked into a little acreage in Stockbridge. Other exhibits include Contained Exuberance: A Fresh Look at Gardening in Pots and Guest Gardens by Martha Stewart, Jack Staub, and Page Dickey. If you live nearby, consider a trip to the gardens; you won't be sorry you did.

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